Top Barry Harris tip to improve your Rhythm Changes 

Slight error in this one - the first playing example should NOT have a G7 in the chart. Whoops… thought I’d caught em all :-)

Miles Davis approached rythm changes like your last example. I tend to do that as well unless I feel like adding more chromaticisim or other substitutions. Thanks for the breakdown, i had to figure this out by looking at different musicians transcriptions back in the 90's.

That’s very helpful! I always had problems with that B natural and found myself either playing intuitively, which sounded pretty ok, or beating myself up over not including the B enough…and then just turning to another tune, with the matter unresolved. You’ve done some great research here!

Well so much for tonight I guess. I had planned to play a G7 after work.

Nice .thanks Christian

I often play blues and major pentatonic phrases over the Bb6 and ignore G7. I conclude from this that I'm therefore as good as Charlie Parker.

Very interresting and usefull, also very clear. Thanks for this.

I totally agree! I have noticed what you’re saying about Charlie Parker not playing G7 in that first bar. And your solution sounds really good.

Nice lines!

Good point!

Very nice as ever. Gm can work in the second part of bar1 aswell as a small movement from staying on Bb for the whole bar

The g7 is part the challenge of being more aware and awake to what is going by.

I agree too. Barry might also use Ab dim instead of G7 for more movement in bar 3.

Fun fact: just sub I for I7 which is an altered sub (via diminished family) for VI7 which means you’re even getting an altered sound to the ii-V. Then just play the VI7-V and you’re intro the blues for the second half of the A.

I gotta get good at rhythm changes. I feel like I was always having trouble with jazz and bebop in general, I feel like getting good at rhythm changes and of course, transcribing by ear more, are the way for me right now. I've been focusing more on classical guitar for a while but I think I'm ready to dive deep into jazz again now that I' m building really good classical technique. I also want to expand my utilisation of triad application. Lovely lesson Your phrases sound beautiful Keep on doing what you do You're a great teacher You earned a new subscriber my dude!

I remember years back when you used to talk about that G7... good times. You're right, phrasing opens up when the harmony doesn't immediately go to the VIdom. If you are stuck thinking chord to chord, you lose the glue that makes the line stand strong--the framework of the phrase and the beacon shining out in the distance--the DOWNBEAT :) Simplifying allows you to identify the true moves. As Barry Harris used to teach, diminished rules the world--especially when you start unlocking the colors (borrowed notes) over the diminished. I'm still studying that material--got lucky finding that teacher. Easy to get lost in the Barry Harris cosmos--good to find a guide to navigate the musical heavens and such :) Speaking of which, don't forget to promote that private teaching hustle ;)

Parker used also just play Bb major over the entire A section with chromatic color notes.

What's the third rhythm head

The A in the G7 is a minor second in the scale. I have no idea why they'd write it that way in the first place. Makes no sense to me. G min 7 or dim7 or min7b5 would make life easier and sound more musical, IMO. That A just comes out of left field and doesn't stay long enough to give a new flavor. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a transcription error from back in the day, or a deliberate red herring to throw off new players.

Piers Morgan

Lol! What? Why not? Lol!