Reply #10: Answer!

[ProfessorGAC]

You can play the C by using the minor 7th of the chord, but that creates a 6 tone chord, which would be the natural 11th. Just using the minor triad will give you a 7 note, 5 tone 9th arepeggio.

As to "rootless" chords, i think that's a matter of sound. If the mood of the song allows for a chord starting off the root, then it works. If it sounds bad in that part of the tune, just don't do it again! Experimentation is part of the fun!

It also depends upon whether one is playing solo or ensemble. I've done lots of piano work with a bass player, so i can noodle around without regard to the bass root, because someone else is there. But, i do a lot of 7th and 9th intervals in the left hand. (Key of C, the left hand starting point is C - Bb, or C - D. Then the chord sits over that. Doing that, it lets me start the chord or arpeggio on any of the notes. So, there's a lot of "depends" in the use of such chording.

I play out of the Monk and Tyner schools of jazz piano, so for me, there are pretty much no rules.
The Professor