Old Folks - Improvised Piano by Doug McKenzie

Ignore the bar lines in the first

and last rubato choruses

b4
&4

__ . _Em7b5
__ . _Q

4
?b 4

E _Q .

E.

Cm7

b
#n ..
_ .
.

b e

_ b__ __H

__
__

A7alt

__ .
.

n__ __. .

# n
__Q __ .
#E_ __Q .

__ __ __ __ .

_ _ _ __ .
b

Eb7
_ _ _

___ ___ . b___

__
b__.

Dm7

Db7

b n_ b_
Q

# . b n

__ .
b_.

__ __H

_ Q

#__
__ bn_____________ #________ ____________
__ ________ ____ ________ b____
_ ____ __ ____ ___#n b
_3 __Gm7
_ _# C7
#
n b n b
q

__Q
__ . __Q
_QQ
_ .
.
Q Q
E
D7b9
H

#
Q
.
E
Q
.

_ D7
_ n___

n
b #
#_
___ ___QQQ __ . n__ __QQ
# Q
b .
Am7b5

BbMaj7 _

b . n . _ _
n .
_ __
b .

Q
b
_
b . Q

__ b___.

F7

Simple arpeggio - leaves out the root (A)

Am7b5
_ _ .

On Gm7/C7 neighbour tones on main chord tones

On G7 - a moving internal voice 13th (E) b13th(Eb) to 5th (D) for a bluesy touch

G7

be
q.
_
n
_ . _ . . n H .
H.

Hand split (Bass/treble) is fairly accurate

C7#11

.
#_ n_ n b n_ _ b_ #

H.

H.
__

C7#11

__

_
_ _ __
b
&
?b

__ __E
_____

__Q .
__

Series of minor 11th voicings descending

chromatically to Em7b5

m11

Gm11 Gb

__Q

Fm11 Em7b5

bnqq bqbqq
nbQ_Q bb_Q

A7alt

__

# . n n
n#qq .. q
n
n__H
n_QQ_ _ _H
#Q_.
E
Q
6

m7b5

Series of notes in pairs fingered thumb and index finger to better accent appropriately

b b
b Dm7
e q e b n b
_Q Q . n b b Q nQ_Q Q
bQ
b

b E
Db7

Cm7

F7b9

b__ ___ __3 _

_
__ __ __ __ __ __
__ b__ Eb7
b
.
_
_

_ _ __ ___ ___ __ __ __ __ __

__

n n
Q

__E __ .
__E

Q

BbMaj7

__#__n__#_n8__b___ _ 8 D7alt
C7
________________ _____#n
_
_ Gm7
#n b . _ #_ n_ _ __
b

_ n_
_ ___ . _Q .
_H
H.
bQ
Q
#

b
e

bQ__Q __QE__QQ ..
Q

__
b__

b__ _

On Am7b5 - D7alt an easy run Eb(3),G(5),Eb(3),C(2),A(1),Ab(3),G(1),Gb(3),F(2),E(1),Eb(3) etc

Gospelly lick leads to G7

C7

Similar lick leads to C7

G7

. q
. #q_
bQ .
E. e Q.

C7

C7

n b b
b

b__n____b__ __ F7sus
F7sus
_

______ __ . __ __ __ __ __
_

_
_
_

b
3
.

b
n

__
__b__n______ ____. _ _ _
_ ___ __
b__ . . _ bQ__.
__QQ _E __Q
.
.
E

.
q
b__ n q
x
__
A simple Bb Major scale (= Bb mixolydian)

Notice that it 'climaxes' on the tonic before descending

b
_n_ b____
_
b
3

F7

.
_ .

Blues scale lick leads to F

b q ..

b n
n

#
n

n_ _ b_. ___
. ____ _#_
n_
#q_ n_. __ _ _ #_

.
Q Q Q
H

. Q . Q
h.
b Q E
X
__
D7

A7

b__
b_

_____QEQ

These bass notes are played with the Right hand

Old Folks - Improvised Piano by Doug McKenzie - Page 2

As before, same 13th (D) / b13th (Db) / 5th (C) internal voice - this time on F7

F7

. x
__qq __ b . _q
_

. b____ .
b h
?b
h
&

On Eb7 the half/whole step dimin scale

E b n b b n
bqq
q
n_ .

b . H
q .

q .
BbMaj7

3 _
_

_n__
b
n
bn
b

. b nb
__ _
b___ __H

n
Notice staccato articulation

Eb7 Eb7

nq

__
bq__

Continued staccato - no pedal

__

A7
_
b b q
# n . . q
#_
_
__ __. .
__q
__H
_
H
_

_E _
_ .
H
q
b

.
e
FMaj7

____ #__#

_
6
__ #____________ ______ ___
_
#
#
b b
On D7#9 an altered scale (with added Maj 7) F,F#,G#,A#,C,C#,D,D# ... etc

_w

Dm

Q.

Q . nD7#9
.
E . # .. n# # #
E n_Q . _ # _Q

Dm

n__ bn____ b__ _G7sus

G7
G7
_ __ _ _ n__ _ n
. x
n_
n___ b #_
__
_ _ _
_H
_ _ _ _

h
h

C7sus

q
b_qq

__h
__
_h

__#__n_ n_
______n_______ b___b___nEm7b5
_

_
b
_
_
_

__________ __ ____#_ n__n _A7alt

_

_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_

_
_
_
_
b
_
_
_
_
_
_

_
__________ __ ____ __ ____ ______ #_n_n_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_

b
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_

Fm7 b_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_

6 Db7_b_b 3
_7 __ ____8___ ____6__ ____________ __ ____ __ ____ ______ __ __ __#__n___ n_n Dm7

b
nb
n
.
__ b_..
__ .. Q Q .
#Q__ __HH
__QQ ___QQ ...
__QQ
#Q
_ b_ .
_ . nQ_ _Q .
E Q
E
H
Q Q bq
Q Q.
b
__h .
__
_h .
Over FM7/Bb7 an Eb Maj scale

Bb7

Dm7 - enclose the 3rd then arpeggio down

On Db7 - 'cry me a river lick' begins on 13th

bn____ b___b_
Eb7
____ ______ __ b__n__ b_____ n______BbMaj7/F
____ __

n n qq ..
bqq ..
bQ_ _Q. .
n___QE _________ ..
bb____QQ ____QQ ..

.
b_

An appropriate 7 note phrase repeats over Cm7

__Cm7
_3b
b .
b b
F7

b . .

m7b5

..
_ _. . #__ bn_..
. .
.

b__D7__ __
_

_
b _ __#n

____ n
n___ .
.
bH
#

Am7b5

Old Folks - Improvised Piano by Doug McKenzie - Page 3

b
&
_Q
?b

b qq
_q
b

b .

b b
# b _ _ _ _ _ _ n _ _ .... n
_
__ .
_ . b__ b_
Q

.
b q
Gm7

C7alt

_. .
.

.
e
nbqq.. .
_ _ .
Q.
E . # . n QQ

.
.

#
_
#

e
_Q ..
Q

b_

C7b9#11
_

nn_qqe
nQ
E

A7alt

D7

#
#____ _ _
_
n_Q _ .

n #

G7

q.
_qq ..
Q.
Q.

Right and Left H ands in unison an octave apart

__ __ _ _ _ _

_ _

G7

_ _ .

6
b n # n_
b

b n #
b _ b_.

On C7 half/whole step dimin scale as above

Line over C7 is made from chord tones 'surrounded' by upper and lower neighbour tones.

C7alt
_

__3 # _
b
b
# b b _q
H
Q
.
Q

H
Q
b
Notice the rit - and the crescendo as the line settles on the tonic

FMaj7

__ __.
_x _q
__ __
__x __q .

n QQE

n__QE

b__ __D7#__ n__ n____ b___

Dm7 Db7 Cm7 F7
BbMaj7
Eb7
Am7b5 _
__3 __

_A7alt
_
_ _ _ _ __ __

b

q b b b n n b_q . b n
bH__H
__ ___. .. ___QQ
___QQ
n_QQ
#_
__HHH
bQ
n

b
Q
n

.
H
# . Q
QQ
Q

bQ Q
b_

In tempo with bass and drums

Notice that the line is diatonic (F Maj - no accidentals) even over Em7b5 and A7alt

Em7b5
____

_. .. Q
b .

Old Folks - Improvised Piano by Doug McKenzie - Page 4

On Gm7 - C7 main chord tones surrounded by diatonic neighbour tones

__H
_ __ # __ C7n b n ___ A7alt

b
&
__QQ
#Q____ ..
H
.
#Q
_
_Q
HH. ..
Q .
?b
Gm7_

__ .

n__ n_

D7_

_ # ____

__ . __Q
# . Q

Half/whole dim scale on C7

8
__
b
n

.
C7 .
b_n__

.
b
n

__Q b _Q
__Q __ .. __ __QQ
nQ
Q
nQ . Q

G7

__Q
_ Bb6
_
_

Q
E
bQ___Q ___QQ
nbQ bQ .
nE Q
bE Q .

On Em7b5 scale tones (E locrian=F Major scale) played with upper neighbour

Em7b5
n_ b

__ _____ _A7
3
#___ ..

_ . _Q
b . Q

Gm7

__Q
Q

C7

b #
b n _ _q
_ _ .
_QQQ
H
H
b

Dm7 Db7 Cm7 F7

_

n_QQ ..
Q.

_ ____ _ D7_Q #__ _

. Q
_n_
#__. .... n _#__ #_
n___. ... n____ ... __ __ ...
#

A7_
.

_Q
b Q
b_____QQ
Q
b

F7

bE__
__

__QQQ ....
Q
b

__QQ
Q

_____QQ
Q

__QQ
Q
_____QQQ

__QQ
Q

_____QQQ

___

__Q
nnQQ

On F6 RH plays on dominant with grace note - a la Oscar Peterson

b__ n_C7

.
.

b__ n__ n Q . b__

F6

__ .. b_ _ ..
. . . .
n

___ Eb7___Q
_
__ b____ n ___F7
n
_

_
b_n___ ______ __
_ ___3 _ __3_ b BbMaj7

______b
__Q __QQ __QQ
b_____QQQ
b___HH
_ _Q _Q ___QQQ
H

F7sus
_

The 'Red Garland' way - LH voicings below octaves with perfect 5ths in RH

F7 _
Q

b__ G7n_

___ n Eb7
D7
__ _ b__ n_ _ . _ Am7b5
.
b

n__QQ __ ..
b__ _ .. _Q
bH__H
___QQQ
Q
H
#Q . n

This line a mix of chord arpeggios and chord tones enclosed

n__ ___ n___A7___ __ _ __ Dm7

_
G7
____ __ __ __ #____ __ ___n _____ __Q D7
QQ b

# .
_
n
#__ __ __ _ n___ __ __ __ n____. .. ____ ____ ____
#
# . n

.
__ ___ n__ __ _ .
______ __ ____
___ _ __
___QQQ

bX___Q

'Locked hands' - chords in close position with top note

doubled by L Hand below

b
_
#

n ..
_ .
.

___
n

__qqq
_q
q

C7sus

qq qq
..
q
q
..
_
_
_
bq q
. . .

__qq_
_q

__

Old Folks - Improvised Piano by Doug McKenzie - Page 5

b bn #
& _qqq... .#_ #
Q . n_ _
?b
Em7b5

A7alt_
Dm7 Db7 Cm7 F7

# # _ #n__ _ n n bq n q
# b bbqqq bnq
n
nq
__ n__
_

n
Q
#_ ____ __ __ __E __ bE_ _
# b

A simple 3 note motif repeats over changing chords

Don't worry if this gets a bit messy !

.
b #

..
bQ__Q. ..
__Q __ . __ __QQ
b___ ___QQ
.
H

n Q
Q.
nH
..
#E . Q

BbMaj7

Tremolo in RH

Eb7

Am7b5

D7

Note the black notes sliding to white notes within the chords

G7
C7
__ n. ___ A7alt__ n _6__ __ D7bQ_Q _ . __ . __ b__ n_ . b__ n_
_3_C7

b b n . Q .

__QQ n__QQ __QQ nQ__Q __QQ b_ ..

QQ
.. ___ _QQ _ .. _#__ ___QQ
_
_
. .

Q
Q #Q Q n Q Q .
Q
Q .
b

b__ .

Gm7b
_ n_

. . .

n Q

H. .

. .

'A' section repeated by piano only - back to rubato - ignore barlines

Em7b5

A7alt

Eb7

b E.
b

C7

b hh
h
H
b H

be
__
bq__

__ .
__ .

_ _QQ
Q

b___ ___HH
H

QQ
Q

_ .. __ __Q
.

bQ
Q

nqq
Q
Q

Am7b5
_ _

__ __ _
.
_ __ __ __
bQ_
_QQ

_Q
_EQ

#_
___QQQ. ...

q
Q
Q

_____ .
__

_
__QQ __QQ D7alt
QQ QE _ _ _ ...

.
#_
___QQQ #_
n___QEQ ___ n__ __ ...
#

C/Bb A7alt

qq
_qq
.
.

h
#h
#h_
H.

.
_e.
Q
E Q.
b .
Q.
_

Dm7

Db7 Cm7 Bm7

b b .. . # q nq
__ __qq
n_ b_.
bq

. n h

#__ .
n_ G7
Q
n__. ______ bb______ ___ ___QQ

D7_
.

__

nn___QQ
#Q

__ .. __Q
. QQQ

_QQ
QQ
__QQ
Q

Q
#QQ
__QQ
Q

QQ
E
__QQ
E

BbMaj7

__

b .

n.
bn____. ..

C7

E . . ..
.
__. n___ ___Q ___
.
.

.
.

Q ..
QQ .
__QQ ..
Q.

G7

nb_ n .

_
n
ne
bn
Q
n HH
H

Old Folks - Improvised Piano by Doug McKenzie - Page 6

&

G7

?b

. .

H.

C7

q
__qq

______
__
_

_Q _ . ____Q
E . Q
. __Q

__Q
__Q
__Q
_

__ .
_
__ ___
____ .

__Q
__Q
__
Q

__
__
__
__

__
__
__
__

__H .
__H .
__
__H .
H.

__
__
__
__

__
__
_e.

Typical gospel cadence at the end

b
b

C7

_e q

_h

F7

Fdim

_ . _ __ __
. n . . q . .
b__ . __ b____. ___q_.

e. q

Bbm/F

__
be
bq__q

__ww
__w
q

b q
__
__q

b q
__q
_q

__hh ..
__h .

__ n__ ...
__ _

__e.
__q .

b
b

Old Folks - Improvised Piano by Doug McKenzie - Page 7