Ted Greene Applies Chords To “Wave” 12/27/99

Welcome back! Today, I am posting this Ted Greene video lesson on applying chords to another popular jazz standard, Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Wave”. Video Credits: Cesar Pineda 12/27/99

It’s now May! My favorite time of year! Everything is in full bloom after the recent rains and the weather is always so perfect here this time of year. A bit of trivia: “Wave” was recorded in May of 1967. Composer Henry Mancini, a big fan of Antonio Carlos Jobim, said “My favorite song is, not only of his, but all songs, is “Wave”. That’s another one I couldn’t believe it when I heard … No, it shouldn’t work … it goes all over the place, but it goes all over the place so beautifully…” (Bossa Nova: Music & Reminiscences – 1993 documentary). Cesar loves bossa nova, particularly those tunes written by Antonio Carlos Jobim. It is no surprise that he would eventually bring one of Jobim’s hits to a lesson with Ted to explore the “juicy notes” within some very stretchy, pianistic chords.

Here’s a brief summary:

1. In the key of D, this lesson is begins with selecting chords for accompaniment behind a singer or solo instrument. It does not start with the typical vamp between Dm7 and G7 as in the original opens, but with the V chord leading into the head of the tune.
2. You will need to memorize the original chord progression names and numbers to know where you are deviating from and transpose to another key, like G flat, if need be.
3. At the bridge (7:29), Ted reharmonizes the first half, but doesn’t want to repeat that for the second half, when it moves down a whole step.
4. It’s time to stretch (17:45)! Ted promises with daily practice of some very stretchy chords, your hand will expand in a matter of two weeks, possibly even one week.
5. With every new chord, he has an old chord in his vision until he doesn’t need it anymore, kind of like “training wheels”!
6. Not so much Bill Evans’ tight voicings, but not Wes Montgomery’s chordal approach either. One is not better than the other, just different. With Wes’ had BIG hands, and if we could be so presumptuous that if he were still alive, we could teach him this, he would have fun with it.

To my subscribers: Lucky for us, “The Millennial Bug” did not eat the internet, crash the power grid, nor cause our soon to be antiquated video equipment in-op at the stroke of midnight 2000. Keep coming back for more!

Sheets on chord accompaniment/ comping on “Wave” and chord stretching exercises can all be found at https://tedgreene.com/