Trying to Jazz up a Christmas carol...

[JimDunlop]

Recently, at my church I've been asked to do a "special" for a couple of Christmas services.  They basically gave me carte blanche.   

So, since this church is really quite Christmas carol deprived in the sense that they only sing the MOST traditional songs in the most traditional arrangements possible, I've decided to take a carol they wouldn't usually ever sing and do some variations with it.  It doesn't have to be a long piece.

I've chosen "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."  The arrangement I have is printed in Em  What I'd like to do, is play is straight the first time, with only a few decorations here and there.  On the second verse, I want to keep the treble line playing the same melody but with my left hand, fill in harmony that is transposed, and maj-min inverted so that my I'm playing each chord's relative minor/major as the case may be.  So, for instance, if the music score reads: Em, C, B7, etc...  I would be playing: C, Am, G#m, etc...  Then, the third verse will be the same as the second, except heavily decorated.  It sounds really cool.... But do you think it's too weird for people to understand what I'm doing?

Also, please tell me, (being an improviser and in many ways a "naive artist" who has not completed the formal set of piano school grades or exams) I frequently don't know the terms used and how they tie into the world of music as a whole.....  is there a special name given to such a technique that has relative maj/min inversion and transposition?  Finally, who/what should I consider listening to if I like this kinda thing?  Is there anyone who is known for that?  (I guess I'm thinking more jazz here rather than classical)...

Thanks, and sorry for the weird questions and tangential, run-on sentences.   :-)

JD

/be kind to the n00b!

[Brian Healey]

it sounds really cool.... But do you think it's too weird for people to understand what I'm doing?

I think you answered your own question. As long it sounds good, the audience will like it, whether they understand it or not. If it sounds weird, the audience will think it's weird. Here's a suggestion as well. For dominant chords, try using the tri-tone inversion rather than the relative inversion. For instance, the B7 would invert to F7. Just a thought.

As far as I know there isn't a specific name for relative major/minor inversion, and I can't think of a single person off the top of my head who does that. The overall technique you described though is an example of reharmonization, which basically means to change the harmony. A ton of musicians use reharmonization. Among the ones that have used it most often, the first ones that pop into my head are Bill Evans and John Coltrane. If you're familiar with Coltrane, his versions of "But Not For Me," "Body and Soul," and "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" are all examples of reharmonization, where he takes the same melody but alters the supporting harmony.

[Bob]

Is this relative major/minor inversion just Jim's thing?  I've never heard of it before but it sounds a little interesting.   

"Relative" goes with scales.  Major and minor scales that have the same key signature are relative.

"Inversion" goes with intervals.  For example, an M3 inverts to a m6.  I have heard of inverting a chord, where a major chord inverts into a minor chord, but that was 20th century music.

It sounds like reharmonization, like Brian said.

If the original chord progression is Emi, CMaj, B7, that's a i, VI, V7 progression in e minor.  Jim's relative major/minor inversion made it CMaj, Amin, G#min which is I, vi, #v min (or b vi more likely) -- not quite a progression anymore.

From what I've read,  a Major chord inverts to a minor, right?  and then you take the root of the chord that is a from the relative key if you think of that chord as the key?  The dominant 7th is a little odd then -- It's not major or minor.  What does that invert to?

Let me think...

I becomes vi,  similar function... tonic.... Actually, you could probably just hear I+6
ii becomes VII, predominant and I'm not sure (V/iii or dominant to the tonic?)
iii becomes I, similar function.... tonic
IV becomes ii, similar function.... predominant
V becomes iii, not similar at all.... dominant to than pre-pre-dominant "floating" level
vi becomes IV, similar funtion... predominant
vii becomes -- What would a diminished chord invert to?  Augmented?  If you mirror the intervals, a diminished chord inverts into a diminished chord.

So...
You're really just jumping up or down a third from the original root of the chord.  There's a logic to it, so it probably has a consistent sound.  I'm not sure it's always functional or going to work in every case.  Must just be Jim's thing then.
It's work ok on a I, iii, IV, and vi chord because the function stays the same.  Although for I and V, you could just be hearing the original chord with added tones.  The dominant 7th chord was really treated like a Major chord the way Jim used it. 

I'm guessing this a technique only Jim is using.  If it's a full-fledged jazz idea, let me know because I want to think about it more.

I don't mean to insult you or anything Jim, but you might want to study reharmonization more then.  You can always add 7ths to most chords.  Maybe this technique is already doing that to some point.  I just don't think it's going going to sound functional and smooth though.  At least that's what I'm wondering.  Maybe it's some inside jazz secret for doing quick reharmonization.  If it's just your thing Jim, find out more about reharmonization because you'll probably find the results sound a little more polished.