Style:

Usually swung, it is taken at a wide variety of tempos.

Form:

A-B-A-C (36 bars) [8-8-8-12]

Key:

Most commonly played in G Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The harmony of this composition is very functional and remains for the most  part almost entirely diatonic. The A sections begin on IMaj7 and  proceed with a IIImi7 - VI7 before resolving to IImi7 in the 5th bar.  Although not heard on the original recording, it has become commonplace  to insert a IV7#11 in the 2nd bar. The A section then finishes off with a  II - V of bIII which does not resolve. The B section is also very conventional, beginning with IImi7 - V7 before a minor II - V  momentarily resolves to the tonic minor. It then concludes in a predictable fashion with a II - V of V that that is followed by a II - V  back to the tonic. The final C section begins similarly to B, although it adds an additional 4 bars to round-off the form.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 320 times. The first recording comes from Tom Coakley and his Orchestra in 1935. Despite being composed by Brooks Bowman for a school production while still an undergraduate in  University, the song has gone on to be recorded by many of the titans in jazz from the likes of Charlie Parker to Frank Sinatra.

JGC Top Picks:

Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker With Strings, 1950

Charles Lloyd, Forest Flower: Charlies Lloyd At Monterey (Live), 1968

Mike Murley/Ed Bickert/Steve Wallace, Test of Time, 1999