Christmastime is Here - Guaraldi on the C neck

Gerald Menke · From: Stormville NY, USA

Hello all and Merry Christmas!

I am trying to learn a few songs from the beautiful Christmas music that accompanied the Charlie Brown Christmas show from 1965.

I have a few leadsheets that are helping out, but can't seem to find a good way to play a #5b9 chord, is there a good chord that might work a substitution?

The song I am most interested in would be Christmastime is Here.

I am playing steels that are both 8X5, but only two knee levers on the C neck, that give me either dom7 or maj7 chords.

Any help you might have on this would be much appreciated, after 10 years of dabbling on the C neck I am finally getting serious about it, for me, finding a few jazz tunes I really wanted to play was the motivation.

Thanks, and best wishes for a happy 2011!

Gerald Menke

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

You didn't say what key or where the chord is in relation to the melody but if the root of the chord was C I would look at a Db minor triad for starters.
_________________
Bob

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Dominant seventh chords with altered 5,9,11,13 often contain many of the same notes as unaltered chords whose root is a tritone away. In other words a D9 chord on open strings of C6
E
C
A
F#
has the same notes (enharmonically) as Aflat 7 -9 +5

Depending on the context, and especially the melody, you may find that another way of playing a familiar 9th chord (with root a tritone away from what your chart says) will do.

Jeff Garden · From: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA

Hey Gerald, great tune! I found it on a Randy Beavers CD and liked it so much I tried to figure it out on C6 last week.

Here's a start.

Fmaj7 Eb9-5 (ninth diminished 5th)

Fmaj7 Eb9-5

Bm7-5 Bbm7 Am7

Abm7 Gm7 Bb Fmaj9

Fmaj 7: 12th fret, LKL (5th string -1)

Eb9-5: 10th fret, C pedal (6th str -1/2)
(2nd str +1/2)
RKR (3rd str -1/2)

Bm7-5: 14th fret, C pedal
Bbm7: 13th fret
Am7: 12th fret
Abm7: 11th fret
Gm7: 10th fret
Bb: 10th fret
Fmaj9: 12th fret

scott murray · From: Asheville, NC

hey Gerald-

i posted a fairly mediocre version of this tune about a week ago. I was able to get all the chords on a standard C6 set-up. I can post a chart if you like... just give me a day or two. I do it in the key of E. Here it is again: CLICK HERE

Jeff-
i wasn't aware of Randy Beavers' version... I will have to hunt that one down!

It really is a gorgeous song, and Guaraldi's holiday tunes are the only ones I never really get tired of hearing.
_________________
1965 Emmons S-10, 3x5 • Emmons LLIII D-10, 10x12 • JCH D-10, 10x12 • Beard MA-8 • Oahu Tonemaster

Jeff Garden · From: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire, USA

Merry Christmas everyone!

When you get a chance, Scott, I'd like to see what you came up with for a chart. I never know if I'm close and it's always interesting to see what other people come up with and if there's an easier way to play something.

Randy Beavers CD with Christmas Time is Here on it is called "The Next Step" and is one of my favorites. I got it at St. Louis a few years ago - it had just come out prior to the convention and he played the entire CD between his appearance on stage and his time in the zumsteel room. I remember him saying that Christmas Time had such great chords he had no problem playing it year round (I agree!) The CD has a real full jazzy sound (steel, piano, drums, bass, electric guitar, brass, wind instruments)- excellent backup musicians including Catherine Marx on piano and Gregg Galbraith on electric guitar. Im not sure if he has a website these days where you could order it from.

Mike Neer · From: NJ

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