11 Oct Intervallic Movement in Various Jazz Compositions

Mark Levine wrote about as comprehensive and practical a book about jazz theory for beginners as I’ve come across. More than most texts out there, his book highlights specific concepts in context. One such example is this list of Intervallic Movement in Various Jazz Compositions. This is helpful in getting students out of the “My Bonnie” this and “Maria” that for identifying various intervals. I made a Spotify playlist that corresponds with his list. If there’s a way I can make this even more practical, please let me know.

 

Intervallic movement in various jazz compositions

1. Ascending minor 2^nd

Thelonious Monk – Blue Monk

2. Descending minor 2^nd

Cedar Walton – Bolivia

3. Ascending major 2^nd

Miles Davis – Four

4. Descending major second

Miles Davis – Tune Up

5. Ascending minor 3^rd

Charlie Parker – Confirmation

6. Descending minor 3^rd

Dizzy Gillespie – Groovin’ High

7. Ascending major 3^rd

Thelonious Monk – Monk’s Dream

8. Descending major 3^rd

John Coltrane – Giant Steps

9. Ascending perfect 4^th

Duke Jordan – Jordu

10. Descending perfect 4^th

Wayne Shorter – ESP

11. Ascending tritone

Joe Henderson – Isotope

12. Descending tritone

Duke Ellington – Third bar of bridge of Sophisticated Lady

13. Ascending perfect 5^th

Milt Jackson –Bag’s Groove

14. Descending perfect 5^th

Woody Shaw – Katerina Ballerina

15. Ascending minor 6^th

Woody Shaw – In a Capricornian Way

16. Descending minor 6^th

Joe Henderson – Second bar of Serenity

17. Ascending major 6^th

Thelonious Monk – Misterioso

18. Descending major 6^th

Miles Davis – All Blues

19. Ascending minor 7^th

McCoy Tyner – last bar of bridge to Aisha

20. Descending minor 7^th

Billy Strayhorn – Fourth bar of bridge to Chelsea Bridge

21. Ascending major 7^th

Joe Henderson – Second and third notes of Serenity

22. Descending major 7^th

Wayne Shorter – Lady Day

23. Ascending octave

Sam Jones – Del Sasser

24. Descending octave

Freddie Hubbard – Philly Mignon

Intervals of greater than an octave rarely occur in tunes, but here are a few examples:

25. Ascending minor 9th

Wayne Shorter – bar 11 of the bridge Wild Flower

26. Descending minor 9^th

Benny Golson – bar 18 of I Remember Clifford

27. Ascending major 9^th

Joe Henderson – bass part to intro of No Me Esqueca

28. Ascending minor 10^th

Joe Henderson – bass part, fifth bar on intro to No Me Esqueca

29. Descending 11^th

Joe Henderson – bar 15 of Inner Urge

30. Descending major 13

Billy Strayhorn – bar 24 of Chelsea Bridge