Wes Montgomery heavily modifies this Jazz standard to fit the Bossa Nova style.
Key Changes & Melody
Wes transposes the song from G-Major to **E-Major**. He re-phrases the melody into a Bossa Nova rhythm, utilizing the typical off-beat phrasing. To prevent the beautiful melody from sounding rushed at a higher tempo, he elongates the form to twice its original length.
Re-Harmonization & Guide Tone Lines
Wes introduces chromatic Guide Tone Lines into the II-V-I progressions (e.g., F#m7 to B7). A creative highlight occurs at the end of the first melody part: he swaps the standard B7 for a CMajor7/B, emphasizing this modern sound with his trademark **Octave-style** arpeggio.
The Phrygian Interlude
Montgomery inserts an interlude using Modal Interchange, playing triads (E-Major, F-Major, G-Major) derived from the E-Phrygian scale. This sound, influenced by Spanish Flamenco, is also found in his arrangement of “I’ve grown accustomed to her face”.
The Lyricism of “Mi Cosa”
“Mi Cosa” is one of Wes’s most tender acoustic moments. While not a strict Bossa, it utilizes the Latin-inspired “Spanish” Phrygian sounds he explored in his other arrangements.
Technical Focus: Thumb Technique
- The “Wes” Thumb: To achieve the song’s warm, rounded tone, practice plucking exclusively with the thumb.
- Chord-Melody Balance: Focus on keeping the melody line slightly louder than the accompanying inner-voice triads.
- Rubato vs. Pulse: Start the song with a loose, Rubato feel before settling into a gentle Latin-inflected pulse.
Wes Meets Durval Ferreira
“Moça Flor” (Flower Girl) represents Wes’s direct engagement with the Brazilian Bossa Nova movement. Originally composed by Durval Ferreira, Wes brings his distinct Jazz-Blues sensibility to the tune.
Harmonic Strategy
- Octave Melodies: Use Wes’s signature octave style to outline the simple, catchy melody of the A-section.
- Syncopated Comping: Between octave phrases, insert short, staccato chord stabs on the off-beats to mimic a Brazilian percussion section.
- Blues Inflections: Don’t be afraid to add slight blue-note slides (b3 and b5) into the B-section to “Jazz up” the Brazilian harmony.
The Verve Years
During his time at Verve Records, Wes recorded several Latin-jazz crossovers. These arrangements often featured orchestral backing, but his core guitar logic remained consistent.
Core Latin Elements
- Anticipated Changes: Practice shifting your chord voicings an eighth-note before the downbeat, a hallmark of both Wes’s style and Bossa Nova.
- Tritone Substitutions: Wes frequently used tritone dominants to create chromatic movement in his Latin solos.
- Call and Response: Structure your solos by alternating between single-note lines and octave “responses.”