Cadenzaii–V–I · D major
Em7 – A7 – Dmaj7
The ii–V–I is the sentence jazz is written in. Em7 is the ii of D major, A7 is its V, and Dmaj7 is home. Most standards are strings of these, in one key after another — “Autumn Leaves” is built from them almost bar for bar.
Shells — the left hand
Root, 3rd and 7th: the three notes that say what a chord is. Every jazz pianist learns these first.
Em7 ii · shell
1 · ♭3 · ♭7
A7 V · shell
1 · ♭7 · 3
Dmaj7 I · shell
1 · 3 · 7
Rootless voicings — the ones on the records
No root at all — the bass player has it — and the colour notes added instead. Watch how little the hand moves.
Em9 ii · rootless
♭3 · 5 · ♭7 · 9
A13 V · rootless
♭7 · 9 · 3 · 13
Dmaj9 I · rootless
3 · 5 · 7 · 9
Why it works
Each 7th falls a half step to become the next chord’s 3rd: the ♭7 of Em7 slides down to the 3rd of A7, and the ♭7 of A7 slides down to the 3rd of Dmaj7. That is why the shells above move so little, and why the rootless voicings barely move at all.
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