Jouons – J.R. Monterose

Though this song has a II-V7-based chord progression in a bebop/hard-bop style, the key center is not obvious. The A section changes resolve in D major, but this Dmaj7♭5 chord doesn't feel like a tonic. It doesn't resolve to anything, but gives the song an open-ended sound. The melody winds downward from an initial octave leap; the changes also descend, through G, F♯, and F major tonalities before the Dmaj7. The bridge goes to B♭ and A♭ followed by some ascending II-V7s to get back to G. On the head, the first four measures of the A and C sections have a Latin groove; the solos swing throughout. There is a four-measure drum intro; the coda vamps on the final chord. Notable piano comping figures are notated in the lead sheet.