Standards
Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are chords & key
- Key
- B♭ major
- Form
- A
- Bars
- 12
- Groove
- Medium swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are” is a jazz standard by Thelonious Monk. Most bands play it in B♭ major, medium swing; the tune runs 12 bars in A form. Its changes follow the 12-bar blues.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major
A
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
0Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
2ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
4Dominant chains
8Different chords
Most used chords
- B♭7×4
- E♭7×3
- A♭7×1
- Gm7♭5×1
- C7♭5♭9×1
- Cm7×1
Characteristics
- 12-bar blues
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Misterioso 27% | B♭ major |
| Trane’s Blues 27% | B♭ major |
| Blues Five Spot 25% | B♭ major |
| Parker's Mood 25% | B♭ major |
| Tenor Madness 25% | B♭ major |
| Chasin' The Trane 23% | F major |
| Sonnymoon For Two 21% | B♭ major |
| Things Ain't What They Used To Be 21% | D♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are in?
Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.
Who wrote Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are?
Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are was written by Thelonious Monk.
What is the form of Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are?
Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are has 1 sections (A) with 12 bars in total.
How fast is Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are played?
The usual groove is Medium swing.
What are the chord changes to Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are?
The opening bars are Bb7 | Eb7 | Bb7 | Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.