Jeremy Isaiah – Justin Robinson

Like other Justin Robinson songs, this one is really held together by its relatively simple melody. The melody of Jeremy Isaiah, mostly in half notes and dotted half notes, connects an advanced set of changes that's a worthy challenge to blow on. There is really no key center in this song; the melody twists around in seconds and thirds, never seeming to land on a tonic. The changes feature some II-V7s that resolve in unexpected places, combined with descending motion in thirds at the beginning of the A section. Each section of this 32-measure AABC form ends with A♭m7 followed by Am7. One unusual chord in this song is Dm9♯5(maj7) in the seventh measure of the A and C sections. From the root up the notes in this chord are D, F, B♭, C♯, E. Our piano/bass part shows another voicing with the third on top. D "whole-half" diminished scale works with this chord; D harmonic minor could also be used.

In the first three measures of the A and C sections, the melody notes are filled in by a rhythm section countermelody—or rather two countermelodies. There's an ascending line in the piano right hand, harmonized with a descending line in the piano left hand and bass. On the first chorus of the first solo, the bass plays the same descending line in the A and C sections. The bridge of the head also begins with a double countermelody, one measure in contrary motion and the next in parallel motion. We show all these lines in a combined piano/bass part, which also includes a few notable piano voicings.

On the recording, the horns play the melody in octaves. There's one trumpet harmony note above the alto sax melody—E harmonizing C♯ a 10th above in the second measure. We have decided not to show this in our lead sheets because we want to make it clear which note is the melody here.