Arrastao ("For Me") harmonic ideas, renditions ...

Many of us (outside of Brasil, I suppose) were probably first exposed to the Edu Lobo song "Arrastao" in the form of the English-language rendition that appeared on the 2nd Brasil '66 album, Equinox (1967).

 

If transposed by a tri-tone, to 'C' dorian mode :


(Maybe those quarter notes in the bass should instead be 8th notes, with 8th rests in-between each.)


I like to add another Major-7th chord (in the same inversion), that isn't all diatonic (which includes the pitch of E_natural -- which is raised 3rd degree):


Modules up a whole-step/M2nd, to dorian mode, in 'D' --

Those two chords are simply: 'd' min.9 , and "G7"

 

The Dom Salvador (trio) did a beautiful rendition in 1965 --
Instead of an oom-pah Polka-like rhythm that Sergio used in Brasil '66,
Pianist Dom Salvador played stacked ascending (alternating Major and minor) 7th chords in his arrangement
for the intro and verses of "Arrastão" --



... which modulates up a whole-step (Major-2nd) , to 'D' dorian mode:


I know! -- my quarter notes span different beats. I suppose, it would have been more typographically and academically -correct if I instead notated each of those quarter notes as two tied-together 8th notes. But that looks more cluttered, visually. Some might even find that more difficult to read. It depends upon how a musician was trained (and is accustomed to) reading notated rhythmic values.

 

Then, back down a whole-step/Major-2nd to the opening/beginning key of 'C' (dorian), which leads to ...

a suspension at the end, which resolves to the "F7" chord:
B-flat, to A_natural.

'F' in bass ___

 

This song might be a Brasilian Jazz standard. There are numerous renditions that can be found (on YouTube).

Even Sergio himself did an earlier rendition with his previous band, Brasil '65 -- at the Matador club in San Francisco with an all-Brasilian cast, and the original Portuguese lyrics. Wanda de Sah sang the lead on that one.

But, back to the Americanized version ("For Me") ...




Note: I should have added "C#" to the key signature, since this is in Dorian mode -- in 'E' . The next chord is "A7" which has a "C#" -- that is the "IV7" chord of that harmonic context/setting.

That is transposed down a whole-step / Major-2nd from what's on the Equinox album -- starting, instead, on the
'e' minor 9 chord.

Then, when it modules up a whole-step (M2nd), it will be on the first chord that begins the actual Brasil '66 recording --

 

"For Me" starts on the chord of "f#" min.9,
then "B7"

Next, that (pair/couplet) of chords modulates up a whole-step, to:
"g#" min.9, and "C#"7 (D-flat dominant-7?)

And then, back down to :
"f# min.9" and "B7" (with a suspension resolving to the 3rd of that 'B' Maj. triad -- 'E', down to "D#" -- also 'A' up to 'B', as well?)

That is the verses --

 

The chorus/refrain ("For Me!") --
'E' Maj.9
and ... 'b' min. 7 or 9

The descending phrase (sequence of pitches) outlines 'B' dorian mode (or 'A' Ionian mode -- or, is that better interpreted as 'E' Mixolydian?
All 3 of those aforementioned modes are relatives of one another -- consisting of the same 7 pitches).

I suppose chords like 'E' Major (with extensions of '7' and even '9')
and
'D' Maj. 9 work in that passage.

If the harmonic structure is thought of in terms of being Mixolydian mode (in 'E' as the tonal centre / harmonic root pitch) ,
There is a lowered 7th degree -- 'D'_natural (on the 2nd chord).

On top of that pair of alternating chords --
Sergio plays a root-position octave-spanning 'B' sus4 chord on the organ with his right hand.

 

Another chordal/harmonic idea for that refrain / chorus of "For Me" --

What if "c#" min.7 is played on top of 'E' in bass (or "E5" with 'E' + 'B' in left hand) ?

That seems to fit.

That's the opening chord of "Fool on the Hill" (albeit in another key).

Invert that right hand chord up one increment and it can be called "E Maj.6"


To play "Fool on the Hill" (in that key), Simply keep the "C#" and 'E' where they are (in right hand),
and lower the "G#" and 'B' down one whole-step each (in parallel), to make:
C# + E + F# + A
That's "f# min.7".

___

Maybe I'm re-tracing some steps that Sergio himself took when he played around with these chords on the piano, 50 or so years ago ?

If 'E' ___ is a pedal point (stays in the bass) ...
and, on top of that, right hand plays these chords :

"c# min.7" ,
then:
"f# min.7" ,
and
"g# min. 7" (which makes 'E' Maj.9).

and "f#" min. 7 again.

But shift the bass to the '5'th degree (the dominant-function harmony).
Could that resulting chord be labelled as:
"B11" -- i.e.: a "B7" , with an added '9' and '11' on top?
I'm not sure what the "3rd" of that chord is. "D#" (as in a 'B' Maj. triad)?

or, try:
'A' Maj.7 / 'B'

And then collapse that 'A' Maj.7 chord to a diminished-7th (all stacked minor-3rds on top of each other).
'A'+'C'+ "E-flat" + "F#" (G-flat) (+G#/A-flat on top, too?)

 

All the chords in the previous post fit 'E' Major --
which, in modal terms, could be called
Ionian mode, in 'E'

But, lower that 7th degree, and you have D_natural (rather than "D#"), which is part of Mixolydian mode (in 'E').

 

Speaking of Mixolydian mode --

Listening to the earliest recorded release of Edu Lobo's "Arrastao" with the Tamba Trio -
Arrastao ["For Me"] by Edu Lobo & Vinicius de

The harmonic (chord) structure seems a bit different from Sergio's "For Me" adaptation -- besides being transposed.

The opening notes on flute are (descending): 'E', 'D', 'C', 'A'

The bass notes are 'A' and 'D'

I would think that the harmonic root ('1') (tonal centre) is 'D'

But ... -- the equivalent (if using the dorian mode harmonic structure from "For Me")
would be 'A' Dorian mode ('a' min.9 chord).

But, 'D' Mixolydian is relative to 'A' dorian (as well as 'G' Major / Ionian mode).

If that transposition followed the chord sequence of Sergio's "For Me" (albeit in the transposed key) --
the 2nd chord would be "D7"

Well ---

The harmonic root doesn't seem to shift from that opening chord --
I don't hear that pair of chords, instead - what fits is more like:
D+A in bass
+
G +C+E ('C' Maj./'G') in right hand.

-- until it modulates up a whole-step (Major-2nd)


E+B in bass (left hand of piano)
+
r.h.: 'D' Maj. triad (which can go up to 'E' Major triad).

That sounds like John McLaughlin's "Follow Your Heart"

Or maybe, a bit like Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" (and the beginning of "Empty Faces") -- the first chord, I mean.

 

If 'a' min.9 is used in that original Edu Lobo recording --

The bass notes would be:
'E' and 'A' (not 'D' -- instead: 'E')

Then, changing to "D7" -- the bass notes can alternate between 'A' and 'D'


1)
For 'a' min.9 chord --
'E' down to 'A' (and back-and-forth).

2)
Then, for "D7" --
'D' (instead of 'E') down to 'A' (and so-forth).