Standards
Bessie's Blues chords & key
- Key
- E♭ major
- Form
- A
- Bars
- 12
- Groove
- Up-tempo swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
“Bessie's Blues” is a jazz standard by John Coltrane. It is usually played in E♭ major as a up-tempo swing, and the 12-bar A form repeats as one section. Its changes follow the 12-bar blues. In this atlas it appears in 1 transcribed solo.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- E♭7×6
- A♭7×4
- B♭7×2
Characteristics
- 12-bar blues
Transcribed solos on Bessie's Blues
| John Coltrane tenor saxophone | 184 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Eighty One 100% | F major |
| St. Louis Blues 100% | G major |
| Jumpin With Symphony Sid 80% | B♭ major |
| Watermelon Man 57% | F major |
| Blue Monk 50% | B♭ major |
| Blue Sphere 50% | B♭ major |
| Bluehawk 50% | B♭ major |
| Freddie Freeloader 50% | B♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Bessie's Blues in?
Bessie's Blues is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.
Who wrote Bessie's Blues?
Bessie's Blues was written by John Coltrane.
What is the form of Bessie's Blues?
Bessie's Blues has 1 sections (A) with 12 bars in total.
How fast is Bessie's Blues played?
The usual groove is Up-tempo swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 184 BPM.
What are the chord changes to Bessie's Blues?
The opening bars are Eb7 | Ab7 | Eb7 | Eb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.