VARIATION7 ‘Big Band’ Block Chords

Block chords - usually thought of as voicings that move by specific distances, and generally in parallel - are a feature found frequently in big band horn section writing. The polyphonic nature of the guitar allows us to imitate this remarkably simple but equally effective device by moving specific chord shapes around the fretboard, wholesale, to outline a high melodic figure, in this instance harmonised in four parts. We’re utilising 13th (bars 73-76, 83- 84) and diminished 7th (bars 77-78) voicings, predominantly outlining a melody pulled straight out of the G blues scale (G Bb C Db D F), although our turnaround phrase in bars 83- 85 moves chromatically while the bass notes imply I7 VI7 II7 V7.