In this Tuesday member livestream, Jim digs into the improv challenges of “Have You Met Miss Jones?” by Richard Rodgers—the tune whose famous bridge helped inspire Coltrane’s Giant Steps changes.
About This Livestream
The session focuses on what makes “Have You Met Miss Jones?” tricky to solo over: the bridge, which cycles through three keys in Coltrane-changes fashion. Jim breaks down why the D7♭9 needs more than a plain D minor sound, how G harmonic minor (Phrygian dominant) leads the ear, and how to walk through the 3-6-2-5 movement with smooth voice leading. He also covers the A-section changes, the abrupt twist to the IV chord, tritone relationships, and practical ways to shift keys quickly while keeping the line connected.
How to Get the Most Out of This Session
Use the chapter markers in the video player to jump to the topics most relevant to your practice. Keep your instrument nearby and pause often to try the ideas in context — Spend the most time on the bridge—that’s the hardest part of the tune—and practice changing keys quickly through its three tonal centers. Over the D7♭9, reach for G harmonic minor (Phrygian dominant) and let it pull toward G minor. For ♭9 dominant chords generally, lean on the harmonic minor and harmonic major scales, which build the ♭9 right in. Work on smooth voice leading to connect the abrupt key changes so your lines sound musical rather than mechanical..
Chapters
- 00:00 Welcome & Today’s Topic: Miss Jones
- 01:16 The Bridge That Inspired Giant Steps
- 06:03 Analyzing the D7♭9 (Not Just D Minor)
- 07:16 G Harmonic Minor & Phrygian Dominant
- 07:31 Walking Through the Bridge Progression
- 11:44 Fm6, Tritone Relationships & Substitution
- 12:43 Mapping the 3-6-2-5 Movement
- 13:46 The A Section’s Twist to the IV
- 18:06 Shifting Keys & the Coltrane Changes
- 19:09 Smooth Voice Leading Between Changes
- 24:22 Handling ♭9s: Harmonic Minor & Major
- 29:06 Wrap-Up & What’s Coming Next
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