Rhythm changes

In jazz and jazz harmony, "rhythm

changes" refers to the 32 bar chord
progression occurring in George
Gershwin's song "I Got Rhythm." The
progression uses an AABA form, with each
A section based on repetitions of the
ubiquitous I-vi-ii-V sequence (or variants
such as iii-vi-ii-V), and the B section using
a circle of fourths sequence based on iii7-
vi7-ii7-V7, a progression which is
sometimes given passing chords. This
pattern, "one of the most common vehicles
for improvisation,"[1] forms the basis of
countless (usually uptempo) jazz
compositions and was popular with swing-
era and Bebop musicians. It is found in
"Shoeshine Boy" (Lester Young's 1936
breakout recording with Count Basie) and
"Cotton Tail"[2] written by Duke Ellington in
1940, as well as Charlie Christian's "Seven
Come Eleven,"[3] Dizzy Gillespie's "Salt
Peanuts,"[3] and Thelonious Monk's
"Rhythm-a-Ning,"[3] for instance. The
earliest known use of rhythm changes was
by Sidney Bechet in his September 15,
1932[4] recording of "Shag" with his "New
Orleans Feetwarmers" group.[5]

History
This progression's endurance in popularity
is largely due to its extensive use by early
bebop musicians. The chord changes
began to be used in the 1930s, became
common in the '40s and '50s, and are now
ubiquitous.[6] First, "I Got Rhythm" was by
then already a popular jazz standard;
second, by listening to the song and
writing a new melody over its chord
changes, thereby creating a composition
of a type known as a contrafact, a jazz
musician could claim copyright to the new
melody rather than acknowledge
Gershwin's inspiration and pay royalties to
Gershwin's estate; third, using a stock,
well-known progression for new melodies
made it easier to perform a song at jam
sessions, shows and recordings because
the bandleader could just say to new
musicians that his/her song used "rhythm
changes" and note his/her modifications
and chord substitutions.

In the 2010s mastery of the twelve-bar

blues and rhythm changes chord
progressions are "critical elements for
building a jazz repertoire".[7]
Chords

The 32 bar "rhythm

changes" in B♭, as
commonly used for
improvisation (slashes
indicate rhythm chordal
instrument improvised
comping).[8]
The 32 bar "rhythm
changes" form in B♭.[9]
Play (help·info)

The "rhythm changes" is a thirty-two-bar

AABA form with each section consisting of
eight bars. The four eight measure
sections.[10] In roman numeral shorthand,
the original chords used in the "A" section
are

| |
| I vi V | I vi V|
ii ii
a two bar phrase (I−vi−ii−V, often modified
to I-VI-ii-V) played twice,[9] then

|
| I I7 iv | I V | I   |
IV

In a jazz band, these chord changes are

usually played in the key of B♭[6] with
various chord substitutions. Here is a
typical form for the A section with various
common substitutions, including VI7 in
place of the minor vi chord; the addition of
a ii-V progression (f minor-Bb7) that briefly
tonicizes the IV chord, Eb, by preceding it
with f minor and Bb7; and using iii in place
of I for the final four bars of the A section,
thus giving iii-VI7-ii-V in place of I-VI7-ii-V:

| | | |
G7 F7 G7 F7|
B♭M7 Cm7 B♭M7 Cm7
| | | |
B♭7 A♭7 G7 F7|
Fm7 E♭M7 Dm7 Cm7

| | | |
G7 F7 G7 F7|
B♭M7 Cm7 B♭M7 Cm7
| | | |
B♭7 A♭7 F7   |[11]
Fm7 E♭M7 Cm7 B♭M7

The "bridge" consists of a series of

dominant seventh chords that follow the
circle of fourths (ragtime progression),
sustained for two bars each, longer
periods of each chord than the A sections,
which conveys a sense of contrast:

| | | |
        |
III7 ⁒ VI7 ⁒
| | | |
        |
II7 ⁒ V7 ⁒

| | | |
        |
D7 ⁒ G7 ⁒
| | | |
        |
C7 ⁒ F7 ⁒
This is known as the Sears Roebuck
bridge, named after Sears, Roebuck and
Co.[12]

The B section is then followed by the

second 8 bars of the A section

| | | |
G7 F7 G7 F7|
B♭M7 Cm7 B♭M7 Cm7
| | | |
B♭7 A♭7 F7   |[11]
Fm7 E♭M7 Cm7 B♭M7

Variant versions of changes are common

due to the popularity of adding interest
with chord substitutions, passing chords
and changes of chord "quality." Bebop
players, for instance, would often
superimpose series of "two-fives" (passing
sequences of minor seventh and dominant
seventh chords) or other substitutions for
interest or in order to discourage less
experienced musicians from "sitting in" on
the bandstand. The opening I chord was
often Bb6 in Gershwin's original, but
Beboppers changed it to Bb maj 7 or Bb7.
The B section may appear as follows:

| | | |
        |
Am7 D7 Dm7 G7
| | |
[11]
|
        |
Gm7 C7 Cm7 F7
An even more adventurous Bebop-style
substitution is to convert C7 /C7/F7/F7 to
g min7/C7/c min7/F7, and then to further
develop this substitution by changing this
to a min7 D7/g min7 C7/d min7 G7/c min7
F7.

The component A and B sections of

rhythm changes were also sometimes
used for other tunes. For instance, Charlie
Parker's "Scrapple from the Apple" and
Juan Tizol's "Perdido" both use a different
progression for the A section while using
the Rhythm changes B section.[13]
"Scrapple from the Apple" uses the chord
changes of "Honeysuckle Rose" for the A
section, but replaces the B section with
"Rhythm"'s III7–VI7–II7–V7 bridge. Other
tunes, such as Sonny Stitt's "The Eternal
Triangle" and the theme from "The Muppet
Show," use the A section of "Rhythm" but
have a different bridge. Tadd Dameron's
"Good Bait" uses the A section of the
Rhythm changes but a different
progression for the bridge.[14] Sometimes
in rhythm changes tunes, the melody of
the B section is left unnotated, so that the
solo performer must improvise a melody,
even during the head (e.g. in Sonny Rollins'
"Oleo").

Examples
The following is a partial list of songs
based on the rhythm changes:

"Anthropology" (Charlie Parker/Dizzy

Gillespie)[6]
"Cotton Tail" (Duke Ellington)[2][3]
"Dexterity" (Charlie Parker)[6]
"Fingers" (Thad Jones)
"Five Guys Named Moe" (Louis Jordan
and His Tympany Five)
"Lester Leaps In" (Lester Young)[5]
"Little Pixie II" (Thad Jones)
"Meet the Flintstones" (Hoyt Curtin)
"Moose the Mooche" (Charlie Parker)[5]
"Oleo" (Sonny Rollins)[6]
 "Rhythm-A-Ning" (Thelonious Monk)[5]
"Steeplechase" (Charlie Parker)[6]
"Straighten Up and Fly Right" (Nat King
Cole)[5]
"Tip Toe" (Thad Jones)[5]
"You, Me, and the Bottle Makes Three
Tonight (Baby)" (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy)
"Race To The Bridge" (Gordon Goodwin)

See also
Montgomery-Ward bridge

Further reading
R., Ken (2012). DOG EAR Tritone
Substitution for Jazz Guitar, Amazon
 Digital Services, Inc., ASIN:
B008FRWNIW

References
1. Dziuba, Mark (2003). The Big Book of
Jazz Guitar Improvisation, p.140.
ISBN 9780739031728.
2. "Duke Ellington the Man and His Music",
p.20. Luvenia A. George. Music Educators
Journal, Vol. 85, No. 6 (May, 1999), pp. 15-
21. Published by: MENC: The National
Association for Music Education.
3. Yaffe, David (2005). As well found in Olav
Jullums composition "bedroom leavs".
Fascinating Rhythm: Reading Jazz in
American Writing, p.17. ISBN 0-691-12357-
8.
4. Rust, Brian, Jazz and Ragtime Records,
1897-1942 Archived 2009-02-09 at the
Wayback Machine, Mainspring Press ,
2008.
5. "Rhythm Changes ," MoneyChords
(angelfire.com). Includes an extensive
listing of tunes utilizing these chord
changes.
6. Spitzer, Peter (2001). Jazz Theory
Handbook, p.67. ISBN 0-7866-5328-0.
7. Thomas, John (2002). Voice Leading for
Guitar: Moving Through the Changes, p.85.
ISBN 0-634-01655-5.
8. Spitzer (2001), p.68.
9. Ellis, Herb and Holmes, Terry (1996). The
Herb Ellis Jazz Guitar Method: Rhythm
Shapes, p.4-5. ISBN 9781576233412.
10. Spitzer (2001), p.81.
11. Rawlins, Robert and Bahha, Nor Eddine
(2005). Jazzology: The Encyclopedia of
Jazz Theory for All Musicians, p.128.
ISBN 9780634086786.
12. Holbrook, Morris B. (2008). Playing the
Changes on the Jazz Metaphor, p.104.
ISBN 9781601981721.
13. Spitzer (2001), p.71.
14. Spitzer (2001), p.72.

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