Ted Greene Arrangement, 2002-07-08 and 2002-08-05
Compilation page by P. Vachon

Ted's Original Lesson sheets
NatureBoy_TedGreeneArr_2002-08-07.pdf

My compilation page, changes and comparisons
NatureBoy_TedGreene_notation_grids_p1.pdf
NatureBoy_TedGreene_notation_grids_p2.pdf
NatureBoy_TedGreene_notation_grids_p3.pdf

Nature Boy was written by Eden Ahbez in 1947 and made popular by Nat King Cole’s 1948 recording.  (Check out the video on YouTube of him singing this song with Oscar Moore on guitar!).  This song has been also recorded by Miles Davis, John Coltrane, George Benson, Ella Fitzgerald & Joe Pass, David Bowie, and many others and is considered an American pop & jazz standard. 

Ted’s arrangement is from a page written up during two private lessons.  This song has a dark, haunting minor sound and Ted chose to use a lot of minor 6 chords to bring out that flavor. 

Comments:  (page and line numbers refer to the compilation pages)

P.1, line 1:        The second Em7(b5) requires the George Van Eps 5th-finger technique to get the Bb note on the top string.  After grabbing the chord, simply lean your first finger backwards and catch the note with the side of the finger.  Then, when moving to the next chord (Dm6), keep the 3rd and 4th fingers on strings 4 and 2 and slide them up.  Economy of motion.

P.1, line 2:        You may wish to play the second Em7(b5) with the D bass on the open 4th string and continue to pedal it throughout the next two measures.

P.1, line 4:        Finger the last measure on this page as:  4,1,2  to  3,1,1,2  to  1,3,2 (or 1,4,2).  Be sure to let the D note on the 2nd string sustain throughout.

P.2, line 1:        Finger the second measure as:  3,4,1,2  to  3,4,1,2  to  3,4,1,1,2.  This chord move is a bit awkward until you work with it a bit.  The first move involves a half-step slide downwards, keeping the 2nd finger planted.  When moving to the Bb9 chord, keep the 3rd and 4th fingers planted on the 6th and 5th strings. 

P.2, line 3:        Try using the Dm(maj9) this time.  It has a minor 2nd interval inside the chord that is very nice.

For the last two measures Ted didn’t complete the ending so I took the liberty of adding the final ii-V-i.  If you don’t care for my chords just add your own ending, or use this place to modulate to some other song.

I hope this helps in learning Ted’s arrangement. 

Enjoy!
--Paul