Minor Blues
A basic rendition of
"Mr. P.C."
|| C- | C- | C- | C- |
i
| F- | F- | C- | C- |
iv i
| Ab7 | G7+9| C- | C- ||
bVI7 V7+9 i
The i and iv chords can be min6 or -∆ in quality or they can be min7. Coltrane uses the major 7th on the i chord several times in his improvisation on this tune. Notice the use of bVI7 where there is a ii chord in a major key blues. This is a tritone sub for II7.
The melody implies
| C- Bb7 | C- |
at the end of each 4-measure phrase, so McCoy uses that frequently in his comping.
A common variation played by Coltrane and McCoy Tyner in the solo section:
|| C- | Dø G7b9 | C- | C7b9 |
i ii V i V/iv
| F- | F- | C- | C- |
iv i
| Ab7 | G7+9 | C- | G7+9 ||
bVI7 V7+9 i V7+9
The use of 7b9 or 7+9 is interchangeable. Measures 2 and 4 could be either. 7+9 makes sense in m. 10 because of the common tones between Ab7 and G7+9, but G7b9 would work as well.
In his comping, McCoy sometimes creates additional harmonic motion on the minor chords with passing diminished chords, in essence playing
| C- Bo7 | C- Bo7 | C- Bo7 | C- C7b9 |
i viio7 i viio7 i viio7 i V/iv
| F- Eo7 | F- | C-
Sometimes m. 9-10 of other minor blues tune will employ minor ii V instead of bVI V. In this key that would be
| Dø | G7+9 | C- | G7+9 ||
"Mr. P.C."
|| C- | C- | C- | C- |
i
| F- | F- | C- | C- |
iv i
| Ab7 | G7+9| C- | C- ||
bVI7 V7+9 i
The i and iv chords can be min6 or -∆ in quality or they can be min7. Coltrane uses the major 7th on the i chord several times in his improvisation on this tune. Notice the use of bVI7 where there is a ii chord in a major key blues. This is a tritone sub for II7.
The melody implies
| C- Bb7 | C- |
at the end of each 4-measure phrase, so McCoy uses that frequently in his comping.
A common variation played by Coltrane and McCoy Tyner in the solo section:
|| C- | Dø G7b9 | C- | C7b9 |
i ii V i V/iv
| F- | F- | C- | C- |
iv i
| Ab7 | G7+9 | C- | G7+9 ||
bVI7 V7+9 i V7+9
The use of 7b9 or 7+9 is interchangeable. Measures 2 and 4 could be either. 7+9 makes sense in m. 10 because of the common tones between Ab7 and G7+9, but G7b9 would work as well.
In his comping, McCoy sometimes creates additional harmonic motion on the minor chords with passing diminished chords, in essence playing
| C- Bo7 | C- Bo7 | C- Bo7 | C- C7b9 |
i viio7 i viio7 i viio7 i V/iv
| F- Eo7 | F- | C-
Sometimes m. 9-10 of other minor blues tune will employ minor ii V instead of bVI V. In this key that would be
| Dø | G7+9 | C- | G7+9 ||