Origin:

Recorded on Ellington’s first session for Capitol Records in 1953.

Style:

Swing, usually played at a medium-slow tempo.

Form:

A-A-B-A (32 Bars) [8-8-8-8]

Key:

Most commonly played in C Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The song is very functional and is made up almost entirely of II-V’s. The A  sections are straightforward, although the 5th and 6th bars feature a not-so conventional turnaround to deceptively resolve back to the tonic:  II-V of V followed by II-V of bV. Although seemingly illogical at first, the II - V of bV is really just a tri-tone substitution of an ordinary II - V - I. The bridge is identical to that of “Honeysuckle  Rose”, beginning with a II-V of IVMaj7 that is followed by brief stay on  II7 before a final II - V leads back to the tonic.

Recordings:

This song has been recorded over 400 times to date. Duke Ellington introduced it as an instrumental on his first recording date for Capitol  Records in 1953, and Johnny Mercer would later add lyrics to the piece.  Although the song has become a sort of cliché in jazz circles, it  continues to be performed by instrumentalists and vocalists alike.

JGC Top Picks:

McCoy Tyner, Nights of Ballads & Blues, 1963

Dexter Gordon, Billie’s Bounce, 1964

Dewey Redman & Joshua Redman, African Venus, 1992