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Help figuring out some Marcus Miller changes


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Assistance requested on the tune below!

 

I'm trying to chart out this Marcus Miller tune, from an old Marcus Miller DVD "Legends" at Montreux 1997 (Miller, Sanborn, Gadd, Joe Sample, Eric Clapton).

 

The tune is mislabeled "Snakes" (it's NOT Marcus' tune "Snakes", but that's not that important), and I'm trying to figure the underlying changes to the "B" section.

 

It's from 1:26 to 1:44 (and returns periodically, like at 3:43 to 3:59 after Sanborn's solo). Because bass and sax are doubling the melody, and Sample is the only one providing the harmony I'm having trouble picking out the actual chords.

 

Any help?

 

[video:youtube]

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Nice tune and I was gonna tackle this but that u-tube audio is pure shit - overcompressed, distorted and the wrong pitch too. The first two bars sounds like Bb13 to Eb/A, then D13 and Dsus2/F#. Sorry I couldn't help more but this audio is just too punishing for my already-fried ears.
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Thanks for all the help so far.

 

Yup, what little I can pick out sounds like Bb13 to A7alt, like a typical setup to D-. This seems to be supported by the more simplified changes they resort to under Joe's short piano solo later in the tune, but I am having a devil of a time trying to suss it out, even with Mike's gracious magic with the slow downer.

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May just be my tinnitus but I think I hear 4ths during the Bb13 to Eb/A (top notes F Eb).

 

After that the D6 (or D13?) and D9

 

Bb13 Eb/A (could Bb13 be E7+9?)

 

Eb9 A7+9 (includes 5ths, top notes F G).

 

Bm-5 E7+9

 

A13 F6 (all I really hear for sure is the F# to F)

 

Bb13 Eb/A D

 

That's what I came up with earlier today, building on the observations thus far. Not really sure of any of it- this is like a Rubik's Cube for music nerds!

 

edited, another quick listen today but didn't change much.

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Yeah...that one was a little hard to hear. I only listened to the first one at 1:26. I had Sibelius open because I was working on a thing for a local choir when I saw the post and banged out the tones I thought I heard Joe play. Even he sounded unsure what he wanted to do at that moment.
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The end of the B section seems to have a sharp 9 circle of fifths feel⦠a bit like end of the B section of Steely Dan"s Josie ⦠in a good way. ð

Yep. It's definitely the Steely Dan "Josie" changes. "She's the raw flame, the live wire, she prays like a Roman with her eyes on fire." :laugh::cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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