Help with "I Got Rhythm" Chords

geese_com

Someone called this song at our jam last night and I was completely flummoxed as how to comp it GJ style, especially measures 3-8 of the A section.

Can anyone please help? If possible can you point to some chord shapes and diagrams to use please?

Note: I am not looking for chords to other Rhythm Changes songs like Swing 42, Daphne, Belleville etc. I am asking specifically for I Got Rhythm. There are lots of videos and books talking about those songs specifically.

Thank you!

nicksansone

Interesting question. I think if you look at songs like Moppin the Bride or Micro, as well as the other tunes you mentioned not wanting the chords for, you'll find what defines playing a rhythm changes in this style.

That being said, I went back and listened to the Quintette's first recording of I Got Rhythm and it seems that they are playing I, V, I, V for the A sections with the exception of the tag on the last A where they go to the VI7, II7 V7 I.

In a jam session these days I would imagine that you would find something like this played:
| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ F7/ | Bb/// |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ F7/ | Bb/// |

| D7/// | D7/// | G7/// | G7/// |

| C7/// | C7/// | F7/// | F7/// |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/// | G7/// | C7/ F7/ | Bb/// |

Courtesy of Djangopedia. ( more or less)

Some alterations would be to play Bb/D C#o in the 3rd bar of the Asection,
and in the 4th bar to play Bb Bb7, and either Eb Eb- (for older style) or Eb Eo in the 5th bar.
Depends on what you are going for, but this should cover the basics. Best of luck

geese_com

Thanks for the info, Nick.

Do you have some chord shapes you can share? We were going a little quick and I would like to find the most efficient way to finger the chords for the comping.

I have the Robin Nolan book that shows the chords for Rhythm Changes in Bb but there is a lot of jumping around the fretboard to play the chord progression.

nicksansone wrote: »

Interesting question. I think if you look at songs like Moppin the Bride or Micro, as well as the other tunes you mentioned not wanting the chords for, you'll find what defines playing a rhythm changes in this style.

That being said, I went back and listened to the Quintette's first recording of I Got Rhythm and it seems that they are playing I, V, I, V for the A sections with the exception of the tag on the last A where they go to the VI7, II7 V7 I.

In a jam session these days I would imagine that you would find something like this played:
| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ F7/ | Bb/// |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ F7/ | Bb/// |

| D7/// | D7/// | G7/// | G7/// |

| C7/// | C7/// | F7/// | F7/// |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ |

| Bb/ Bo/ | Cm7/ F7/ | Bb/// | G7/// | C7/ F7/ | Bb/// |

Courtesy of Djangopedia. ( more or less)

Some alterations would be to play Bb/D C#o in the 3rd bar of the Asection,
and in the 4th bar to play Bb Bb7, and either Eb Eb- (for older style) or Eb Eo in the 5th bar.
Depends on what you are going for, but this should cover the basics. Best of luck

nicksansone

I took a look at the "gig book" and with the exception of playing the Eb and Eb - chords in a high position ( just play a normal barre chords at the 6th fret) everything else looks like it's around the same position, between the 6 and 8th frets...

I generally find that if you know the basic major, minor and dominant shapes for barre chords, those end up being the most efficient way, and certainly the easiest to get through these songs. That's the main reason why I don't like the "gig book", as almost all the chord progressions are altered to play "django limited left hand mobility style" chords, and generally at the expense of the playability and relation to the melody. If you listen to the rhythm players behind Django in the early days, it's really simple stuff. Like just Bb F7 back and forth for the A section of I got rhythm. I think as well in a jam situation, it's better not to clash with altered chords and added 6/9s unless they fit with the melodic content of the song( ex. Manoir des Mes Reves). Michael's Gypsy Rhythm book has a index of chord diagrams which may be helpful. Good luck!

Bones

Yeah at faster tempo you have to not jump around too much. There was a thread sometime back on this forum that had a video of Samy Daussat playing the changes in one position I think.

Bones

Ok I found the vid. Rhythm changes at 5:15



Also, at like 2:35 he talks about 3 note versus 4 note chords clashing with the soloist which I have mentioned in other discussions.

Jim Kaznosky

I'm not sure where you are at in terms of understanding the harmony, but this might be helpful:
http://www.jazzguitar.be/blog/introduction-to-rhythm-changes/

If you already know all of the basic movable chord shapes and some inversions, you should try to work on moving around less and using some of this to your advantage.

The other thing is that it depends on how many rhythm players there are in the jam. If someone is playing a lot of chords, simplify it. And if there is an opportunity for you to enrich it, do it, as long as the situation allows for it.

Now soloing on this...that's a totally different thing altogether.

Lango-Django

Try this crazy set of alternate chords for the final eight bars... (two beats for each chord)

25) F#7/ B7

26) E7/ A7

27) D7/ G7

28) C7 / F7

29) Bb/ Bb7

30) Eb6/ Ebm6

31) Cm7/ F7

32) Bb6/ F7

geese_com

Lots of good info here. Thank you!

Now I need to put in the time to learn it all and internalize it.

Jazzaferri

for a different take, if the soloist clashes with what another instrument is playing then he's not listening. To really get this listen to the Miles Davis second great quintet with Shorter Hancock et al. That is truly improvised music with everyone listening