Jazz
Hungarian Gypsy Minor Mode
BY JEAN MARC BELKADI
Cultivating Jazz Lines from Other Cultures
The Scale:
Scale Harmonization:
A–B–C–D#–E–F–G#
1–2–% 3–#4–5–% 6–7
Ami(ma7)
B7(% 5)
Cma7(#5)
F7/D#
Ema7
Fma7
G#mi6
A–C–E–G#
B–D#–F–A
C–E–G#–B
D# (E%)–F–A–C
E–G#–B–D#
F–A–C–E
G#–B–D#–F
The Hungarian gypsy minor scale can be seen as a harmonic minor scale with a #4 (or 5). Guitar players such as Jimmy and Stochello Rosenberg
and Bireli Lagrene commonly use this scale in jazz gypsy music. Middle Eastern oud music also makes use of this scale. In their culture, the name
of this scale is nawa athar maqam (“maqam” means mode in Middle Eastern music).
Example 1
This example demonstrates that the Hungarian gypsy minor scale works perfectly over an Ami7 Latin groove. Notice the melodic feel that the #4
(D#) brings to the line.
Ami7
8
5
7
5
4
6
5
8
7
5
4
5
4
;
7
6
7
8
6
7
Example 2
This example uses the A Hungarian gypsy minor scale over an Ami7 funk groove.
Ami7
16 17 16 13 12
13 12
14 13
;
14 15 13 14
15 11
14 12
