There's another thread where people are planning on all working up a version of Summertime by Gershwin on Stick. I have played it on guitar years ago and now I'd like to at least start thinking about playing it on Stick. As I'm looking at all the resources I can find on the chord changes it seems that there is not a consensus as to what the changes really are. Is there a common jazz arrangement out there? What changes did Wes Montgomery use on "Four on Six"? I don't have a Real Book, is that what everyone is using? Please help me point in the right direction.

Thanks,

-Eric

>>What changes did Wes Montgomery use on "Four on Six"? I don't have a Real Book, is that what everyone is using?<<

I highly urge you to obtain a Real Book. Not just for this tune but for all the others that will pass your way.
When I teach, I point out that Summertime has many variations on the chord changes, Wes' being one of the most interesting. Every book will have a different set of changes on Gershwin's composition. That's the fun of the proposal. Making your own version of the tune.
Search for recordings done by jazzers (Herbie Hancock, Joe Pass etc.), rockers (Janis Joplin, Ten Years After) and lounge singers (oy). All very different. And Wes actually changed the melody into his Four On Six tune. He also recorded the original tune as well.
"And The Livin' Is easy...."

Porgy (Bess is out of town)

Ok, I'm sold! How do I actually get one? I see that there are many books out there that claim to be THE "Real Book". I have also read the history of the original underground Real Book which is very interesting. Sort of an Open Source Music movement that happened long before the Open Source Software movement of recent years.

I have this vision of playing a Porgy and Bess suite on Stick someday. "Summertime", "Bess, You is My Woman Now", "I Loves You, Porgy", and "It Ain't Necessarily So". A good dream, eh?

-Eric

Eric - check your local music store for a copy of the Real Book. Most stores I've been in carry it in at least the C version. Note that there are several volumes to it - as well as other variations like Jazz, Blues, etc...

Here is Hal Leonards Stock # info on the 'regular' Real Book

Inventory # HL 00240221
ISBN: 0634060384
UPC: 73999683059
$29.95 (US)

This one also looks like a good book:
The Hal Leonard Real Jazz Book - C Edition
Inventory # HL 00240097
ISBN: 0793562309
UPC: 73999389128
$42.50 (US)

I looked thru the contents in both books but didn't see Summertime listed...is it perhaps a different name?

There are a lot of compilation books out there - seek and ye shall find!


Dave

Summertime is not in The Real Book
Four On Six, Wes' version of the tune, is

And don't forget the fisherman's version called The Reel Book

Brook Trout

There's also a "Vocal Real Book" and a "Latin Real Book" that has a lot of standards that are not in The Real Book.

And there are websites like this one (not an endorsement, just saying, you might find what you want in a non-paper format):

http://www.realbookpack.com/

Happy ii-V-i

Title: SUMMERTIME (Gershwin)

Em Am7 Em Am7 Em Am7 Em
Summertime, and the livin' is easy
Am7 B7 C7 B7
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Em Am7 Em Am7 Em Am7 Em
Your daddy's rich, and your momma's good lookin'
G A7 B7 Em Am7 Em
So hush little baby, don't you cry

Em Am7 Em Am7 Em Am7 Em
One of these mornings, you're gonna rise up singing
Am7 B7 C7 B7
Then you'll spread your wings and you'll take to the sky
Em Am7 Em Am7 Em Am7 Em
But till that morning, there's a nothin' can harm you
G A7 B7 Em Am7 Em
With daddy and mammy standing by


There is another book called the Fake Book. It is pretty old and I am not sure you can always find it, but there's a lot of compilations there, much more than in the Real Book...
Some musicians deny this reference to jazz/bossa standards and prefer the Real one.

Just a question in general to the thread "Summertime" issued from the thread "Blue Monk": how do you plan to proceed ? Some deadline to participation ? Is it possible to upload MP3's rather than videos ? Video quality aren't often really as good as MP3's quality due to a certain compression mode and I have no webcam!

Be careful with the Hal Lenard fake book. Its the legal "Illegal" version of the real book and it is missing a lot of great tunes the original real book had. The Sher Music new real is also great, I would say get both the real book and the New Real from Sher and you would have a good cover of most tunes, but again the new hal Leonard one sucks!

Oh and I'm playing Summertime in Dm

Yes I know and aware of that. Nonetheless you can find "summertime" in it... It is in A minor....


First chords are Am6 then E7/B, then Am6/C and E7/B ... I can give you the whole score if you wish.

Am6 E7/B Am6 E7/B Am6 E7/B Am6/C
Summertime, and the livin' is easy
E7/B Am6/C Dm F FM7 D#dim E
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high


And so on ...