How Deep is the Ocean? Pt. 2: John Stowell and Tim Lerch Jazz Guitar Conversations

John Stowell and Tim Lerch continue their jazz guitar conversation on the Irving Berlin standard How Deep Is the Ocean, in C minor. In Part 2 they briefly review the first eight bars from each of their perspectives, then dig into the B section — the next eight bars — trading full passes through the first sixteen and discussing what they hear in each other's playing.

What's covered

• Adding harmonic information to the simple opening changes: half-diminished variations, Lydian dominant substitutions, and altered dominants while keeping the melody note on top
• Turnarounds to a minor chord — strategies that transfer to plenty of other minor tunes, not just this one
• Holding a note on top and moving the harmony underneath, including chromatic half-step shifts
• Tritone substitutions and "five of two" moves for extra motion on a static one chord
• The Bill Evans reharmonization of the last four bars — fourths and chromatic movement (C#m9, F#7, C half-diminished, F7b9, Bb7, Eb7, G7)
• Making non-dominant chords dominant to introduce tension in a musical way
• Rubato vs. in-time approaches: two different players with a shared vocabulary

A conversation-style lesson on improvisation and reharmonization strategy with broad application beyond this tune. Tim Lerch is a member of the legendary Northwest gypsy jazz group Pearl Django, performs in a popular duo with Jamie Findlay, and plays solo guitar performances whenever his schedule allows.