It Don't Mean a Thing Chord Structure (Pettiford vs DJango)

[simon_dad_bass]

I play upright with a Gypsy Jazz group that plays Django tunes and other period 1920-1930 music.

I have a few versions of the chord charts for this tune (see attached).

In the Pettiford version it is more of a swing jazz tune, which I get but what I don't get is that in the second bar it goes:

C7 | F#7 | F7 | B♭ D7

In the Django version it goes:

C7 | F7 | B♭ | B♭ D7

And the melody is of course Bflat,Bflat,Bflat,Bflat,Bflat,Bflat.

The Pettiford version is based on Monk's recording so it has some nice touches and some great harmony with the chords and the piano. My take on the Django version is that it is not so much a swing tune, closer to bop or a charleston rag.

Either way it is the F# that really throws me. I play it and I just don't hear it. Any thoughts would be most appreciated. Perhaps I should look at the original chart from Ellington.

Thanks for your support.

Simon

[nickbass]

Setting aside the F# for the moment, one difference between the two sets of changes is that the Pettiford resolves back to the Bb tonic in the last bar, whereas the other one resolves in the penultimate bar. Most players actually use both these devices - resolving in the last bar when playing the melody and in the penultimate in the blowing. Back to the F# - this is a fairly standard (from bebop onwards) substitution for a C7 which works because the notes E and Bb are essential components (3 and 7) of both C7 and F#7. Using the F# root underneath E and Bb instead of the usual C root gives a great chromatic approach to F7. Just try swapping those roots with the two noes held above a few times and you should start to hear the sound more clearly!