Thanks for all the replies. Yes lessons would be a help - once we have sold a flat and releasede some cash. As I say in many ways I am perhaps too theoretical - in a melodic sense.
Yes Mac I thinhk you have a real good point when you talk of the tritone appearing in the dominant of the melodic - I do tend to laps into thinking of the tritone from the C F# position (C).

Yes I am wrong about errol he is far more melodic that I remember - hes not a pianist I listen to much (there are so may good ones he's obviously class - I think Liberace put me off this style - glitzy - but of course he does it better) I loved the second errol clip. I leave him to have the llast word below.

I love Evans https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYXB6pQvJcg&feature=related

I notice in the Misty although there were uses of tritones (as far as I can tell) there was also a lot of orther action - some stride for example. Also the Bass player was playing no matter where Errol was. The bass player was mostly roots and passing tones.

AS for the Bird, well I think thats a bit of a cheat as plenty of his stuff is dissonant (not to mention too flashy and over busy).


Although I can transcribe for sax I can't for piano and dont have the time to learn fluent bass clef - I am far to busy playing!

I think this interview with Garner answers many of my questions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NEZLA__b-o&feature=related

thansk for all the input folks nice to be talking music instead of tech