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Caravan in B
Ellington and Tizol's exotic minor piece is defined by Phrygian Dominant color on the pedal-point introduction, Harmonic Minor logic in the chord resolutions, and Half-Whole Diminished symmetry over the passing diminished chords. The Spanish-Moorish atmosphere demands a commitment to outside-the-box scale choices that most standards don't require. One of the most harmonically distinctive pieces in the entire jazz canon.
Key of B
B major mixes barre and open elements. The B chord itself is a barre at fret 2, but E and A are comfortable open chords forming the IV and V. The open B string rings as the root, allowing creative drone-based arrangements. B is a intermediate-level key on guitar because the open B string rings as the root and the open E strings provide the 4th — useful for sus4 voicings and drone effects. This key mixes open and barre shapes, making it a good intermediate challenge that builds fretboard fluency.
Voice Leading
The bass line moves through F# to B (ascending perfect fourth), B to B (ascending unison), B to E (ascending perfect fourth), E to A (ascending perfect fourth), A to D (ascending perfect fourth), D to C# (descending half step), C# to G (ascending tritone). A half-step bass movement creates a strong leading-tone pull that demands resolution. The root motion by larger intervals (fourths and fifths) gives each chord change a strong, decisive character. When the progression loops, the bass returns from G to F# by half step.
Scales for Improvisation
B major pentatonic works because every note is either a chord tone or a safe passing tone — there are no avoid notes. For soloing, this means you can play freely without clashing. Over dominant seventh chords, B Mixolydian adds the flat seventh for an authentic blues-rock edge.