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For something different, I just stuck this slightly reharmed intro on "It's You Or No One", followed by two short samples of solo and trio trading on the same song. Fast tempo. http://www.divshare.com/download/4094515-1d5 Sorry for the somewhat large file.

It was worth the noise - what was in the microwave was delicious.

But that's a LOT of notes to write out, Sue. (Then I'd have to buy up all copies, so it doesn't, uh, get around.) The left hand movement and melody are the main things there. The noise is sort of a Bb drone. Best of luck if you attempt it.

Strangely enough, "Mitch" (the person) actually showed up last night at my gig. That's cool you spoke with Garvin, Dave. Be sure and tell him 'hey' next time for me. But not sure what he could say about me since he hasn't heard me play since I was in my 20's. I just did a (basic 'meat and potatoes' cycle of fifths) version of Secret Love, more as a demonstration of that cycle for anyone trying to get into reharm. It forced me into some weird spots playing on all those chords - hope it isn't reharmful. http://www.divshare.com/download/4089810-f8e Sorry about the electrical noise, I think it may be my microwave. Sue, I usually factor in lyrics when I know them, but not too much, since music can express beyond words- if that makes any sense.

Thanks Carlo. As you can tell, I wasn't seriously playing Rainy Day there. But fortunately, it didn't last long! To even find anything nice to say about it shows what a good guy you are. Linwood, that is a vital question you asked, what you decide to change in the music you're playing and how to voice it. My generic, unacademic reply promises to be boring: I don't look at reharm any differently than improvisation. For me, the motivation for a reharm is the personal mood or concept you wish to convey. If I don't think I can express myself any better than the original chords, then I'd want to play it verbatim. But I gravitate to music I can find myself in. I rarely sit down with the idea of reharming a song (an old tune in a new package) anymore, because I find arrangements limiting. Even when I do, when I play it, I still find myself trying get beyond the 'arrangement'. It's not "all by ear" for me, although mostly. Not to sound weird there, but I think that's common among musicians to play beyond analysis, once the language has become part of how you speak. IOW, I don't mathematically calculate what the next voicing will be (or stop playing and refer to a manual for the next set of chords. ) But sometimes I'll 'plot' an extended cycle of fifths in advance, or choose a voicing I want to hear for effect. And decide where to go next and how to get there, just like you and every good player does. I like surprise more than anything, so I'll veer away from 'expected' tones to find something different. Or if it becomes too dense and chordal, I may stress single notes or space more than chords. I have a short musical attention span for repetition, I think partly because people in general have become more conditioned that way. In popular music, repetition is still often the hook of the song, which condenses a whole song down to a single idea for me. So I always subconsciously ask myself "what is needed at this moment?" and if something is already being covered in the music, I'll seek out something else to play. Whatever is missing, whether it's a texture or even silent space, is what I try to consider. If a funk beat is the dominant aspect of a song, I'll establish that groove and then move on to peripheral solutions of 'what else can happen'. Then you're no longer being a traditional player in a traditional style, because you're supplying something that was missing. Like if a song is swinging hard for a while, I may play against the swing. No one idea or groove will get better and better past a certain point until it needs to move on. So my approach to improvising and playing all fits into the same strategy for reharm. Pardon the wordiness - sheesh. This may not be very helpful, but for the purpose of this forum, it's the most basic way I could explain it.

Gotta post and run - in between gigs here. Here's a mad scientist Rainy Day. Not the one I first put up, which must have been corrupted at Divshare. This one has electrical distortion for a few seconds - just consider it an inadvertent nod to Varese. It's musically stupid and doesn't deserve better. The first version was better but it's GONE. http://www.divshare.com/download/4084326-5cd Carlo, I stuck more chromatic chords on the bridge of "Our Love Is Here To Stay" - heh, for fun. http://www.divshare.com/download/4084329-d31 Kinda funny. I like the way your voicings probably force a healthy conflict of emotion on the listener, having to analyze each moment to decide what they're feeling. As it should be. While we're on mad scientists, here's a reharm of "If I Only Had A Brain" - this by my baritone sax buddy Glenn Wilson. We've done this together a million times, but I'm not on this track. He took the tune and added Giant Step's changes (actually Countdown changes) and a riff from Seven Steps To Heaven. So it's entitled "If I Only Had 7 Giant Brains." http://www.jazzmaniac.com/FRBrain.mp3 Linwood, I go about 99% by ear on the decisions I make on voicings. So I'll have to give your post more thought when I get home.

Happy Easter to you, Carlo and everyone. That's a funny Love Is Here To Stay.

For some reason, he left this one out: http://www.divshare.com/download/4080438-ca8 No one under 18 allowed to listen.

"Monk for the masses" - if it leads people to check out Monk's stuff, some will think Monk is playing it wrong.

Totally cool, adventurous reharm of "Easy To Love". Now I just get a feeling that not many bar patrons would be found singing along with that version. I have a few good 'clear the room' pieces myself. Years ago, a band I was in discovered that if we played "Ceora" loosely at a certain medium tempo, it would always clear the room - every time. That also fit our joke rule of thumb that if there are less people at the end of the night than when you started, you must be doing something right. Dave, sorry you're having problems with the Marantz. I'll try again tomorrow to get that mad scientist thing up. But it's tacky anyway, so no 'great loss' if Divshare, in its wisdom, continues to reject it.

Weird... I tried to delete it to upload again to remove any doubt, and it says there was an error, so I can't delete the one that's not working. Divshare glitch. I'm off to a gig so I'll see if I can fix it later.

Now that's sick. Serial Row From Ipanema.

That's a cool bridge, Linwood. Joey Barron's version of Ipanema was funny... making the bridge twice as long, so the standard chords/melody keep modulating outside the key. Then the last line of the bridge continues twice as many times, cascading down through all those chords back to F.

Nice. I play that song maybe once a decade, but here's some different chords for the 1st two bars to try: 1st bar - Eb for 2 beats Left hand... A bass and G (below middle C) - Right hand (above middle C) Db Gb B Eb (Eb on top for the melody) - 2 beats 2nd bar - Left hand F bass and C and Ab - Right hand (above middle C) Eb G Bb D (D note being the melody.) An F minor 13.

Sounds so good, Linwood! You're always 'happening.'

OK, just for a laugh... here's my extreme "Rainy Day." I wasn't going to post it because it could mislead younger players down a road to cacophony. Like reharm gone wrong, more of a tongue in cheek impressionistic variation than an actual reharm. One take - I didn't care to improve it since I wasn't serious. Think 'Liszt's crackhead great-great grandson.' I did it for contrast - I rarely play this way. http://www.divshare.com/download/4072556-03a So, advance apologies for the insanity. And if anyone here actually likes this, I'll lose all respect for you.

gangsu, you have a good voice. I won't be treating the forum to mine since I plan to be remain a member for a few days. Floyd, that's a nice version of Ipanema! Marino, it was a blast to hear you play! I was only explaining the way I played the first take on Rainy Day and why I played it the way I did, not about your playing at all. Hey, even if we distill our playing down to the simplest form, it's still 'us' playing. No reason to hold back here at all - I got a kick out of your version - I checked out again later. This thread is turning into a nice workshop, and thanks to everyone who's jumping in on it. I applaud everything going on.

Thanks. I've enjoyed everything posted so far. I played those chords on "Rainy Day" simply and barren so the reharms could be heard, since I see this as a reharm workshop more than a demonstration of one's playing. But I just did another one of Rainy Day, a mad scientist version. I may upload it tomorrow.

Thanks, Carlo! Really interesting interpretation and well played. Makes me want to take another stab at it. Eventually, this song will be totally unrecognizable. Debussy's retarded grandson would be proud.

This is so cool to hear you guys. David (BeeBoss), I really like your Tenderly and your alternate universe version of Ipanema sure is different - sounds like Ipanema played at the Star Wars Lounge. Very cool. Dave F, Norwegian Wood is very nice. I haven't listened to your other one yet. Yeah, ProfD, kanker, Bobadoshe, I want to hear you guys. This should get more interesting when we do multiple reharms of the same tune.

Thanks for trying. I know it's late where you are. No time limit, so anytime. Glad you like the idea, kad. Hopefully you, Dave Ferris, Linwood, Piano4U, Jazz+, 7notemode, kanker and others may contribute. Maybe some who don't usually post their music will give it a try. It'll all be fun to hear, whatever happens.

You're on! I'll check back. Then maybe I'll do another one on it... (heh, this will be more times that I've played that song in 20 years.) "Rainy Day" is certainly a pliable tune. The main thing I tried to do with it was get rid of that Gbmaj7 on the fourth bar, because when you know the song, it's never a surprise.

Thanks Linwood! Man, now I want to hear you. In the meantime, until I upload to a different site than divshare, here's 7notemode on YouTube, an excellent musician, doing my reharmonized and new melody on "All The Things You Are." He plays through the head close to the way I do, and then does his own thing on the rest of the piece. I'm looking forward to hearing anything you guys here come up with.

Thanks Linwood. It was a quickie. I didn't think I ever showed you anything. But you'll tear us all up with that intellectual #%@$ you're studying now!

Any suggestions of where else I should upload? Then I'll put it up again. That would certainly be a major drawback if we can't hear each other. And yes, we can always follow it up with transcriptions, when someone wants it.