Ray Brown plays an unconventional scale on Take the "A" Train

Reader,

The second chord of Take the "A" Train is a D7#5 with the #11 in the melody. It's an unusual chord, so I was curious to study what Ray Brown plays over that chord.

Today we're continuing our series on Ray Brown bass lines by taking a look at what he plays over that tune.

(If you missed part 1 on Night Train, you can read that here.)

This recording of "A" Train is pretty unique.

The tune is more traditionally played as medium-up tempo swing, with some big band flavor. But this recording is much more meditative, intimate and laid back.

It really gives Ray a chance to play out as a front-man, and we can learn a lot by looking at what he plays over the first head of the tune.

Download my full transcription of the head of the tune: Take the -A- Train.pdf​

About that D7 chord.

The notes of D7 are D - F# - A - C, but "A" Train actually calls for D7#5, which raises that A to A#.

On top of that, the melody note is G#, the #11th. All these alterations give us that distinctive "train horn" sound.

All together, with the 9th (E) added, we get a sound based on these 6 notes: D - E - F# - G# - A# - C.

When put in order like this, they are all a whole step apart from each other. The whole tone scale. And that's exactly what Ray plays each time this chord comes up.

I marked the notation each time it happens so you can spot it.

Guided Listening

As you listen to this track, pay attention to:

1. How "in the pocket" Ray's playing is. His rhythm is superbly precise.
2. His diverse use of rhythm. He's regularly changing up from 8ths, to triplets, to 16ths.
3. He uses the whole range of the instrument, some lines extending nearly 3 octaves

Workshop this Friday

At our workshop this Friday we're kicking off a new tune, Moonlight in Vermont. You can grab the sheet here if you want to get a head start.

You are signed up, so I'll see you Friday, Aug 21, at 1:00 Eastern.

Happy Practicing,