Expanding Your Chord Vocabulary

Discover revolutionary chord voicings and reharmonization techniques that transformed jazz guitar legend Vic Juris's approach to comping and solo performance. Drawing from his acclaimed book "Modern Chords" and years of experience with Dave Liebman's group, Vic reveals the intervallic structures and polychord concepts that free you from conventional stock shapes and unlock a modern harmonic palette. Through detailed demonstrations on jazz standards like "All The Things You Are" and "Stella By Starlight," you'll learn to construct sophisticated reharmonizations using consecutive minor sevenths inspired by Bill Evans, diminished major voicings learned from John Abercrombie, and Liebman's harmonic minor applications. Vic meticulously breaks down his signature intervallic structures—fourth-and-sixth combinations that create rich modal colors when comping over static harmony, perfect for tunes like Coltrane's "Impressions" or Miles Davis's "So What." The course emphasizes practical application for working musicians, showing how to implement these voicings in pianoless trio settings where harmonic responsibility falls squarely on your shoulders. You'll explore Phrygian modal approaches, jazz melodic minor applications, and multi-triad polychords that add sophisticated color to any performance. Vic also demonstrates essential picking techniques, including his four basic articulations for executing these complex voicings cleanly. Whether you're comping at jam sessions, arranging for your own trio, or seeking fresh approaches to tired progressions, these techniques provide immediately applicable tools for expanding your harmonic vocabulary. Ideal for experienced players ready to move beyond conventional voicings into the modern jazz guitar lexicon.