This week’s post features a guitar arrangement of the jazz standard, “Out of Nowhere” written by Green & Heyman.

Following is a brief harmonic analysis of the piece, designed to help you identify the cadences (eg. II-Vs) that make up the overall chord progression along with their corresponding scales. A proper understanding of this information is crucial in to properly learn and ultimately improvise over any jazz standard, not to mention create an arrangement for it.

Here is a summary of the harmonic activity for “Out of Nowhere” broken down into 4 measure segments. A PDF with the entire arrangement is available for download at the very bottom.

Please be sure to watch the video lesson if possible with your guitar in hand for additional “technique” related info and a better overall understanding of the arrangement.

Analysis Measures 1-4:

• 1. Gmaj7: Imaj7 / Ionian.
• 2. same as previous.
• 3. Bbmin7: sub II-7 of V7 / Dorian.
• 4. Eb7: sub V7 of V7  / Lydian Dominant.

Note: Compare these 4 initial measures to measures 5 through 8 of “Just Friends”. They are identical.

Analysis Measures 5-8

• 5. Gmaj7: Imaj7 / Ionian.
• 6. same as previous.
• 7. Bmin7:  This is a double function chord. Normally it would be the III-7, however because it is preceding the E7 it is acting as the II-7 of the II-7 / Dorian or Phrygian.
• 8. E7alt: secondary V7 of the II-7 / Super Locrian. Resolves to the upcoming A-7.

Analysis Measures 9-12

• 9. Amin7: II-7 / Dorian.
• 10.E7alt: secondary V7 of the II-7 / Super Locrian.
• 11. Amin7: II-7 / Dorian.
• 12.Same as previous.

Analysis Measures 13-16

• 13. Eb9: Sub V7 of the V7 / Lydian Dominant. Resolves down by half step to the D7alt in measure 16.
• 14.Same as previous.
• 15. D9sus4: V7sus4 /  Mixolydian (avoid 3) or A dorian. This is a reharmonization of the II-7.
• 16. D7alt: V7alt / Super Locrian. Resolves back to Gmaj7.

NOTE: Measures 17 through 24 are harmonically the same as measures 1 through 8, therefore won’t be repeated here.

Analysis Measures 25 – 28

• 25. A-7: II-7 / Dorian
• 26.E7alt: secondary V7 of the II-7 / Super Locrian.
• 27. A-9: II-7 / Dorian
• 28. F9#11: sub V7 of the VI / Lydian Dominant. Resolves down by 1/2 step to the E9 in measure 31.

Analysis Measures 29 – 32

• 29. Bmin7: II-7 of the II-7 /Dorian or Phrygian (since it is double function) | E9: secondary V7 of the II-7 / Mixolydian.
• 30.Amin7: II-7 / Dorian | D13b9: V7 / Symmetrical Diminished (half-whole).
• 31. Gmaj7: Imaj7 / Ionian
• 32. (Turnaround) Amin7: II-7 / Dorian | D7alt: V7 / Super Locrian.

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Listening to various arrangements of a given standard is recommended whenever learning a new piece as it will broaden your understanding of the different ways it can be interpreted. Here is a list of some of my favorite renditions of “Out of Nowhere” . Please keep in mind that these are just a few I’ve been able to get my hands on. If you know of other great ones, please be sure to mention them in the comments section.

SUGGESTED DISCOGRAPHY

• Tal Farlow /  ” Complete 1956- Private Recordings Disc 1 “
• Barney Kessel / “Blue Guitar”
• Joe Pass / “I Remember Charlie Parker”
• Kenny Burrell & Jimmy Raney / “Two Guitars”
• Lenny Breau / “Cabin Fever”
• Mick Goodrick & Joe Diorio / “Rare Birds”
• Boulou & Elios Ferre / “Trinity”
• Charlie Parker / “Charlie Parker with Strings”
• Charlie Parker / “At Storyville”
• Stan Getz / “Stan Getz in Warsaw”
• David Liebman / “Classic Ballads”
• Jerry Bergonzi / “Simply Put”

Your Comments are greatly appreciated! Feel free to post any questions you may have or any insight you would like to share regarding this lesson.