The band I was referring to yesterday is Radiohead, of course. Their songs have been covered by many jazz artists, including some of the most celebrated of the current generation: Chris Potter, Robert Glasper, and especially, Brad Mehldau, because, by my count, he's recorded versions of four of their songs, and they've become staples in his repertoire. I'll be writing more about him soon.

Today's topic is the song entitled, "Dollars and Cents" from Amnesiac (2001). Like "I Love Paris" (see yesterday), it also features major-minor interchange as one of its central components. In this case, it's a B chord that moves back and forth freely between major and minor - a very unusual harmonic movement - that helps to create the song's otherworldly atmosphere. Also worth noting are the thoughtful performances of each member of the band. Radiohead's music is distinctive not only for its compositional sophistication, but also for the fact that each member is responsible for working out his own contribution to each song. Their process, ironically enough, is quite the opposite from the improvisational approach that a jazz group would (mostly) employ. (Suggested listening: Compare their version of "Knives Out", also from Amnesiac, with The Brad Mehldau Trio's from their 2005 album, Day is Done.)