Style:

Up tempo swing.

Form:

A1-A1-B-A2 (36 Bars) [8-8-8-12]

Key:

F minor

Harmony/Overview:

The  harmony of this composition is rather intense. The A sections begin on  Fmi7 and proceed to modulate II - V's down in whole-steps, starting with Bbmi7 - Eb7. In the 5th bar the harmony moves from Bbmi7 - B7, and the  shots used in the head are also often used in the solo sections. The bridge takes place in E Major, and the harmony moves repeatedly from F#mi7 - B7. This can simply be thought of as a B7sus vamp, and in the  solo sections it is often approached as such. The bridge finishes with Coltrane changes to return back to Fmi7, and this would have been the  first ever instance that they were used in one of Coltrane's own  original compositions. Real Books will often include incorrect changes  here, as the chords move from Dbmaj7 - E7 - AMaj7 - C7. The final A section is identical to the first, however it repeats Bbmi - B7 once  more before inserting a 2 bar solo break at the end of the form. The  melody also includes a harmonized line which can be heard on the original recording, and this arrangement is often included in  performances.

Recordings:

Not  the most widely known John Coltrane composition, it has been recorded just under 20 times to date. The first recording comes from the album Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago, which was later rereleased as Cannonball & Coltrane.

JGC Top Picks:

John Coltrane & Cannonball Adderley, Cannonball Adderley Quintet in Chicago, 1959

Dave Liebman Quartet, Setting the Standard, 1992

Ernie Watts, Unity, 1994