Standards
Avalon chords & key
- Key
- B♭ major
- Form
- AB
- Bars
- 32
- Groove
- Up-tempo swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Avalon” is a jazz standard by Jolson-Sylva-Rose. Most bands play it in B♭ major, up-tempo swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AB form. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 1 minor ii–V–i, uses 7 different chords and moves between the key centres B♭ major and C minor. In this atlas it appears in 2 transcribed solos.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- B♭6×11
- Cm7×7
- F7×5
- G7×5
- Dm7×2
- E♭m7×1
Key centres reached by ii–V
B♭ major and C minor
History
"Avalon" is a 1920 popular song written by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose referencing Avalon, California. It was introduced by Jolson and interpolated in the musicals Sinbad and Bombo. Jolson's recording rose to number two on the charts in 1921. The song was possibly written by Rose, but Jolson's popularity as a performer allowed him to claim composer co-credit. Originally, only Rose and Jolson were credited, and DeSylva's name was added later. A popular jazz standard, the song has been recorded by many artists, including Cab Calloway (1934), Coleman Hawkins (1935) and Eddie Durham (1936). The Benny Goodman Quartet played the song in their famous 1938 Carnegie Hall concert. The tune remains popular in the gypsy jazz repertoire, having been performed by Wawau Adler and others. The tune's opening melody resembles a part of Giacomo Puccini's aria E lucevan le stelle, from the opera Tosca, but in the major key.
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Transcribed solos on Avalon
| Benny Goodman clarinet | 241 BPM |
| Lionel Hampton vibraphone | 241 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Easy To Love 38% | G major |
| Valse Hot 38% | A♭ major |
| Sometimes I'm Happy 33% | F major |
| Violets For Your Furs 32% | F major |
| After You've Gone 29% | B♭ major |
| Day By Day 29% | G major |
| Fools Rush In 29% | C major |
| Perdido 29% | B♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Avalon in?
Avalon is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.
Who wrote Avalon?
Avalon was written by Jolson-Sylva-Rose.
What is the form of Avalon?
Avalon has 2 sections (AB) with 32 bars in total.
How fast is Avalon played?
The usual groove is Up-tempo swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 241 BPM and 241 BPM.
What are the chord changes to Avalon?
The opening bars are Cm7 | Cm7 | F7 | F7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.