Style:

Swing, usually taken at an up tempo.

Form:

A-B1-A-B2-C (34 Bars) [8-8-8-6-8]

Arrangements:

Sometimes an intro is included, as heard on the original recording. It is essentially the second half of the form only without the orchestrated shots and a slightly different melody.

Key:

Eb Major

Harmony/Overview:

The  harmony of this composition is very intense, with the root motion covering all 12 notes of the chromatic scale within the first 16 bars. The main motif is centered around approaching II - V's from a semi-tone  below: Fm7 - Bb7 - Ebmaj7 becomes Em7 - A7 - Fm7 - Bb7 - Ebmaj7. Other than these devices, the harmony moves in a very conventional manner with the bridge consisting of just a II-V to IV that is followed by bVII7.  The V pedal at the end of the form allows the soloist a moment to catch their breath before returning back to the top once again, and it also provides a modal touch to the otherwise bop oriented changes.

Recordings:

This composition is one of Coltrane's most well-known and has been recorded over 100 times to date. The first recording comes from Coltrane's album Blue Train.  It has since become a staple in the repertoire, and the challenging nature of the harmony has made it a favorite amongst soloists.

JGC Top Picks:

Mark Turner,  Yam Yam, 1994

Arturo Sandoval, Swingin', 1996

Jon Gordon, Possibilities, 2000