By Jackie Don Loe
~ Halloween Blues ~
The song "Spooky" was recorded in 1967 by the Classics IV
featuring Dennis Yost and made it to number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It was
originally an instrumental and became a regional hit for saxophonist Mike Sharpe.
Producer Buddy Buie and guitarist James Cobb added lyrics and a classic was born. The song
has a jazzy groove and is based around a common I-IV-V in a minor key. Also the tune is in
16 bars with some tricks & treats and is a great jam song for improvisation and
extended solos! Check out this surprising progression.
16 Bar Blues - "Spooky" in E Minor 4/4 time
Opening Vamp - E min7# 9 / / / | A13 / / / ||
E min7# 9 / / / | A13 / / / | E min7# 9 / / / | A13 /
/ / | E min7# 9 / / / | A13 / / / |
E min7# 9 / / / | A13 / / / | E min7# 9 / / / | E
min7# 9 / / / | A13 / / / |
Bb dim / / / | E min7# 9 / / / | A13 / / / | E min7# 9
/ / / | B7 / / / ||
The magic chord in this song is the E minor 7 # 9 which has a very hip sound. It is
spelled E G D G and the chord voicing omits the fifth note (B). The following chart voices
the chord and gives the fingerings to use.
| STRING |
FRET |
FINGER |
NOTE |
| 5th String |
7th Fret |
2nd Finger |
E Root - 1 |
| 4th String |
5th Fret |
1st Finger |
G Flat third - b3 |
| 3rd String |
7th Fret |
3rd Finger |
D Flat seventh - b7 |
| 2nd String |
8th Fret |
4th Finger |
G Sharp nine - # 9 |
The E min7 # 9 is a very interesting chord in which the sharp nine (G note) is the same
note as the flat three (G) or minor third, only it is an octave higher. The chord
progression starts with the Emin7 # 9 going to the A13 chord for eight bars, which in
theory is a ii -V in the key of D major. It stops at the tenth fret with the A13 chord and
then to a chilling Bb dim chord. The last four bars employ a common I - IV - I - V
turnaround sequence with the I chord being minor. When soloing over this progression use
motifs and arpeggios from the E Aeolian and E Dorian modes as well as the E Natural Minor
scale.
- Jackie Don Loe -
Guitar
Workshop Archive
