Tomo Fujita Guitar Wisdom

Around 3:00 Tomo says that the phrase is "II V", but if the blues in the key of F, wouldn't it be "VII to III" since we're going from E to A?

It’s a II V progression toward the tonal centre of Dm. Agree the key of Parker Blues is in FMajor, but the tonal centre shifts a number of times throughout the tune. At that point (bar 2), the tonal centre is Dm, thus it’s a II V I of Dm (Em7b5, A7b9, Dm)...this is Tomo’s signature phase. Pure awesome.

Thanks! One more question though - is there a lesson about how to notice the tonal centers? Or is it not that much important yet, should I just concentrate on intervals an phrasing?

No lesson that I’m aware of.

Hopefully this doesn’t confuse, but here’s a short explanation:

The easiest way to pick the tonal centre of a chunk of a tune, especially a jazz tune, is to find all the dominant chords. A dominant chord indicates a resolution is about to happen. A tonal centre will usually be the chord that comes directly after a dominant chord (which could itself be major, minor or dominant). Jazz standards are filled with these II V I progressions.

Recognising II Vs in a progression is probably one of the most important concepts you can understand in harmony (especially jazz). I’m not going to lie though, it is fairly advanced concept I would say.

Anyway, now you know, I would get back to intervals and phrasing now.

Here is Tomo's comment:

"Thanks so much for subscribing to my Guitar Wisdom. That was ii V for D-7. You will understand this eventually. There will be more videos with chord analysis."