"The Horse" Jazz Chord Progression

[TheG]

Hi there does anyone know of "The Horse" chord progression found in some jazz standards? It was explained to me ages ago but I can't quite remember what it is or the analysis of it, how its constructed?

Cheers

Mike

[Bilbo]

I have absolutely no idea what you are referring to!!

[TheG]

Thanks Bilbo so Im getting closer to finding that it isn't something that a lot of people talk about then.

I think its going to be one of those quite normal chord progressions that has been called a specific name by a few.

Cool. I shall continue my search and report back when I find out. Ive got a couple more avenues to explore on the matter.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='TheG' timestamp='1445248669' post='2889847']
Thanks Bilbo so Im getting closer to finding that it isn't something that a lot of people talk about then.

I think its going to be one of those quite normal chord progressions that has been called a specific name by a few.

Cool. I shall continue my search and report back when I find out. Ive got a couple more avenues to explore on the matter.
[/quote]

Do you have any examples of standards where it's used?

[paul_5]

'Horse with no name' is Dm - C(6/9)/E, so maybe it's a 2-5-1 without the 5.

Our guitarist used to try to play it Dm - Em, but I had to rein him in.

Edited October 19, 2015 by paul_5

[TheG]

Ok I found out the answer. It is as I suspected a quite normal progression that someone has named themselves. I have heard at least 2 people call it by this name so I assumed it was a popular name. Question answered but thanks for everyones input.

Here is the explanation I got from someone:

[color=#373E4D][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]the horse is the alternative to the back door 251. its when the 4 chord moves up to the #4 diminished. Its easentially the same as the back door but has a different flavour. Both can be found in the diminished scale which is what i think is the root of those two changes. It can happen in Djangos Tiger, All of me, I can't give you anything but love etc etc...[/size][/font][/color]

[Hector]

Ok, so a relatively common progression then!

It's pretty much a IV I cadence (a-men) with the diminished adding some flavour. Typically it's gonna resolve smoothest to I/V (i.e. the I chord with a V in the bass).

You'll hear it in:

Blues
Someday My Prince Will Come (at the end of the form, not the middle - the middle's a biii dim, different passing chord)
In A Mellow Tone
Rhythm Changes (depending on the version you use!)
Doxy

[TheG]

Yeah Great Thanks. Resolving smoothest to a I/V.

Ive recently started to teach myself guitar so all this harmony is excellent and really helping with different aspects of playing bass. Thanks guys.

[DaveFry]

Well I,ve never heard it called that before ! Its great to learn something new .

It crops up a lot in the fourth bar of the old eight-bar blues form as a substitute for the IV , returning to the I on bar five .
The basic feel of the eight-bar form I refer to would be ;
I I I I / I7 I7 I7 I7 / IV IV IV IV / IV IV IV IV / I I I I / V V V V / I I IV IV / I I V V

Need Your Love So Bad , for example goes : ( "A" section , not "B" )
I I I I / I7 I7 I7 I7 / IV IV IV IV / #IV #IV #IV #IV / I I vi vi / ii ii V V / I I IV IV / I I V V

So a horse and a backdoor in one evolution !


Edited to say that the #IV s should of course be diminished in the example .

Edited October 20, 2015 by DaveFry