·         In the early days of learning the jazz trade it's probably helpful to be able to associate a particular chord with a specific scale - DΔ7 with D lydian, for example.  But we've begun to see that that these associations are not unbreakable and exclusive rules.

·         The conventional, practical view of a chord is as the epitome of a parent scale, a kind of instant summary of that scale made from its most characteristic elements.

·         Some, perhaps most, notes in the parent scale are only implied by the chord; but since they aren't stated explicitly, there is no particular reason why improvised lines based on that chord should be confined to the components of just one "correct" scale.

·         For example, we think of CΔ7 as expressing the C lydian scale, C D E F# G A B.  But the notes underlined aren't actually spelled out in the CΔ7 chord, so they could just as well be something else.

·         Only the conditioning of the western ear disallows a scale like C Db D# E F G Ab A# B from fitting the chord of CΔ7.

·         Take this line of thought to its logical conclusion and you realise that all chords converge on a common parent scale - the chromatic scale.

·         The journey through harmony, from triads and keyboard shells via quartal structures, voicings, registers and clusters is long and hard.  It can seem a disappointing and anticlimactic conclusion to this pilgrimage to find that the meaning of it all turns out to be nothing more exotic than the plain old chromatic scale.

·         But, as George Russell tells us, to understand the true profundity of this seemingly trivial conclusion is to break through into the Chromatic Universe. And when all is said and done, the notes are there before us, exactly the same twelve notes for everyone, from the greatest musicians to struggling mortals like the author and the reader.

·         The only thing stopping you and me from creating great things is - us.