Saxophonist Maria is improvising over Joe Henderson’s classic jazz standard  “Recorda-Me.”  I asked her whether she would use the Dorian or Aeolian mode over the first 4 bars.

As shown below, the Aeolian is the mode rooted on LA, so it uses a lowered 6^th degree.  By contrast, the Dorian is rooted on RE, so it features a raised 6^th degree.

Maria improvised using both modes, trying to decide which sounded hipper.  After her lesson, it occurred to me that Joe Henderson already answered the question, committing us to the Dorian Mode, because he uses the raised 6^th in the melody, as shown below.

By the way, this picture also answers a question asked by many students:

Q:   Why use syllables instead of numbers?

A:   DO is not always ONE!

Regarding the Dorian Mode as used in standard jazz heads, all three of the melodies shown below use the Dorian Mode.  They are viewed here in concert D Dorian for easy comparison.  (The characteristic “raised 6^th” of the Dorian Mode is indicated here by the syllable TI.)

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