Jazz Piano Voicings for Christmas Songs

Welcome to this festive jazz piano lesson where we explore rich voicings and reharmonization techniques for classic Christmas tunes. Whether you’re preparing for a seasonal gig or simply want to add some sophisticated harmonies to your holiday repertoire, this lesson will provide you with the essential tools to transform traditional Christmas melodies into lush, jazz-infused arrangements.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Jazz Reharmonization

We begin with “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” a tune that lends itself beautifully to jazz voicings. The chord progression follows a familiar 1-6-2-5 sequence in C major, making it an excellent starting point for reharmonization.

Key Voicing Techniques

• Substituting the Major 7th with a 6th: To avoid clashing with the melody, using a C6 instead of Cmaj7 creates a smoother resolution.
• Tritone Substitutions: We replace the standard dominant chords with their tritone equivalents, adding harmonic interest and smooth voice leading.
• Inner Voice Movement: By focusing on moving chord tones, such as the 13th and flat 9th, we add a rich and expressive quality to the harmony.

Melodic Improvisation

• Use the diminished scale to create tension over dominant chords.
• Outline guide tones (3rds and 7ths) when improvising over the 2-5-1 progressions.
• Develop phrasing by incorporating chromatic passing tones to connect melodic ideas.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Expressive Voicings

This holiday favorite is another great example of how we can use jazz voicings to add warmth and depth.

Reharmonization Techniques

• Using a Minor 6 Chord: Instead of a standard minor 7th chord, substituting with a minor 6 (e.g., A-6 instead of A-7) introduces a darker, richer sound.
• Diminished Passing Chords: Replacing dominant chords with diminished passing chords creates smooth stepwise voice leading.
• Adding Upper Extensions: We integrate 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths to enhance the harmonic color without altering the original function of the chord.

Transitioning Between Songs

A useful technique for playing a medley is linking songs through their common tones and 2-5-1 progressions. For example, moving from "I’ll Be Home for Christmas" in C major to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in the same key allows for seamless transitions.

The Christmas Song – A Study in Jazz Harmony

Mel Tormé’s “The Christmas Song” is a prime example of jazz harmony within holiday music. This song modulates to the major 3rd (G major from Eb major), which is a classic harmonic movement found in jazz standards.

Key Voicing Techniques

• Major 6/9 Voicings: Instead of playing major 7 chords, using major 6/9 chords creates a more open, modern sound.
• Parallel Chord Motion: The melody ascends chromatically, making it a great opportunity to harmonize with parallel dominant movements.
• Inner Voice Motion: Adding movement within sustained chords (such as moving between a 9th and a 13th) gives a sense of fluidity and motion.

Improvisation Ideas

• Motivic Development: Take a short phrase from the melody and expand upon it using variations and rhythmic alterations.
• Diminished and Altered Sounds: Highlight dominant chords with altered scale runs (e.g., over G7, use G altered scale: G Ab Bb B C# Eb F G).
• Block Chord Soloing: A technique where you harmonize the melody with four-way close or drop-2 voicings, commonly used by jazz pianists like Oscar Peterson.

5 Essential Practice Tips

1. Master the Basic Chord Progressions – Before adding reharmonizations, ensure you can play the song’s original changes smoothly.

2. Experiment with Tritone Substitutions – Replace dominant chords with their tritone equivalents to add a modern jazz feel.

3. Use Spread Voicings – Play rootless voicings in the right hand while keeping bass notes in the left for a fuller sound.

4. Connect Songs in a Medley – Find common chords between different Christmas songs and use 2-5-1 progressions to transition smoothly.

5. Improvise Using Guide Tones – When soloing, emphasize the 3rd and 7th of each chord for strong melodic outlines.

By applying these techniques, you’ll bring a fresh and sophisticated jazz sound to your holiday performances. Enjoy the process of exploring these beautiful harmonies, and happy practicing!