Style:

Ballad

Form:

10 Bars

Arrangements:

The head is generally played twice on the way in and out. On the head out after the final pass through the form, the first 2 bars are played one last time before ending on Dmin7.

Key:

D minor

Harmony/Overview:

The  harmony of this composition is mainly functional, and it is an almost  modal piece. The form is only 10 bars long and with the absence of any  Dominant chords in the final turnaround, a sense of tonal ambiguity  permeates throughout the entire form. Lead sheets will often include  BbMaj7#11 as the first chord, however this is incorrect as it is  actually Gmi13.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 250 times to date and is one of the most  popular standards in the repertoire. It was first introduced on Miles  Davis' album Kind of Blue in 1959  and this would be the first and last time Miles would ever record the  piece. There has long been speculation as to whether or not Bill Evans  wrote the tune, although Miles states in his autobiography that he alone  was the composer. Evans claims he composed the piece while relying on  two chords that Miles had asked him to develop into a tune, and on a  radio broadcast in May of 1979 said "The truth is I did [write the  music]... I don't want to make a federal case out of it, the music  exists, and Miles is getting the royalties." It continues to be one of  the most popular ballads in the repertoire over 60 years later.

JGC Top Picks:

Bill Evans, Portrait in Jazz, 1959

John McLaughlin, My Goal's Beyond, 1971

Dave Liebman, Quest Live 2008, 2008