A Day Away

When you think of the Euro Bistro, you may think of a broad selection of fine wines, old-world French cuisine, and a cozy atmosphere. But some people–at least two of them–think of Euro Bistro as the venue that premieres a new Greg Scheer jazz song every Thursday night.

“A Day Away” is a breezy tune with a subtle funk lilt. It began its life as two chords: F6 to Eb9. I like the way the notes of these two chords ease into each other. (As did Benny Golson when he wrote “Killer Joe.”) I also like the way the Eb9 acts like a substitute dominant chord (C7) in the key of F.

That opening riff suggested some other material, and from there I let the song tell me where it wanted to go. It ended up being a satisfying AABA form that lends itself well to multiple repeats as each musician takes a turn soloing over the changes.

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