At the tail end of this Rick Beato YouTube Video, at around 55’ 30”, guitarist Jay Graydon, known for his work with Steely Dan, shares a recording of one of his songs.
He doesn’t say what it’s called and I’m not sure if it’s been commercially released. Shazam didn’t turn anything up.
Jay first plays the track for the other guitarists in the room to see if they notice anything unusual. No one picks up on the fact that the progression is modulating up by a half step each time it repeats. He then plays it again, explaining what’s going on, as you can hear in the clip below:
The ascending chord progression, the first time we hear it is:
A(add9) / Gb7/Bb / B(add9) / Ab/C / Db (add9) / Bb7/D G7(b9, 13) G7(b9, b13) / C(add9) / C-9 F13 //
The last measure sets up the modulation as a II V to Bb major, at which point the chord progression and melody repeat, up a half step.
There’s something about the progression that obscures the modulation. It sounds like it’s repeating in the same key, though it definitely is not! Perhaps something to do with the ascending nature of the chord progression. Anyways, a very cool trick!
Also notice the frequent use of the “add9” chord, which is kind of the quintessential lush “jazzy” (with apologies) Steely Dan chord.
Jay’s approach here is a cool example of how subtle modulations can create a sense of continuity while still providing harmonic movement. This technique keeps the listener engaged and adds a layer of somewhat hidden complexity.
For those interested in exploring this further, try playing the progression on your instrument. Listen closely to how each modulation impacts the overall sound and feel of the piece.