The Forerunner System
In order to interpret and perform Jymie’s original compositions, musicians must first familiarize themselves with the “System” he created that involves the use of cross rhythms and chord notation based on intervals of fourths. Our first example, shown in the video below, is an excerpt from from NPR’s Jazz Night In America episode “Jymie Merritt – The Beat Goes Deep” illustrating the cross rhythm two against three.