Moon River Tutorial

Hi Veronique 👋

Great question!

When ending a jazz standard, it can be nice to play a major 7th chord a half step above the final resolution point. This creates a delayed resolution.

For “Moon River” – the final resolution point is Cmaj7, as we are playing in the key of C Major (jazz standards usually end on the 1 chord of the key).

A half step above Cmaj7 is Dbmaj7, and so we can first play Dbmaj7 which creates an unexpected, surprising, and uplifting sound. We then arpeggiate the notes of Dbmaj7 or Dbmaj9 and finally resolve to Cmaj7 for the final resolution.

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To take this a step further, I’m just thinking of a major chord a 5th above Dbmaj7 which is Abmaj7.

Harmony often moves in 5ths (think of the circle of fifths) and so Abmaj7 moving to Dbmaj7 sounds pleasing to the ear.

In this particular song, the final melody note is “C”. The note “C” is the 3rd of Abmaj7, and so the “C” melody note fits the Abmaj7 chord. Moving to Abmaj7 sounds even more unexpected and surprising that moving to Dbmaj7.

Abmaj7 then moves beautifully to Dbmaj7 because the chords are a 5th apart, and Dbmaj7 resolves beautifully into Cmaj7 because it’s a half step above the final resolution.

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To answer your other question… yes we can do this on any jazz standard.

As an exercise, pick any jazz standard that ends on the 1 chord with the root in the melody (in fact most jazz standards end on the 1 chord with the root in the melody!).

For example “Misty” ends on Ebmaj6 with “Eb” in the melody.

A half step above Ebmaj7 would be Emaj7, and a fifth above would be Bmaj7.

So to create the exact same ending for “Misty” we would play:

F-7 –> Bb7 –> then we add our ending here –> Bmaj7 –> Emaj7 –> final resolution to Ebmaj7.

Have fun experimenting with this!

Cheers,
Hayden