Standards · 1951
Blues For Alice chords & key
- Key
- F major
- Form
- A
- Bars
- 12
- Groove
- Medium-up swing
- Time signature
- 4/4
- Year
- 1951
“Blues For Alice” is a jazz standard by Charlie Parker from 1951. It is usually played in F major as a medium-up swing, and the 12-bar A form repeats as one section. Harmonically it contains no major ii–V–I cadences and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 16 different chords and moves between the key centres D minor and C minor. Its changes follow the 12-bar blues. In this atlas it appears in 1 transcribed solo.
Chord changes
Showing in: Concert (C) — F major
Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.
Harmonic analysis
Most used chords
- Dm7×2
- Am7×2
- Gm7×2
- C7×2
- Fmaj7×1
- Em7♭5×1
Key centres reached by ii–V
D minor and C minor
Characteristics
- 12-bar blues
History
"Blues for Alice" is a 1951 jazz standard, composed by Charlie Parker. The standard is noted for its rapid bebop blues-style chord voicings and complex harmonic scheme which is a fine example of what is known as "Bird Blues". It is written in the key of F major and usually begins with an F major seventh or F sixth chord. Parker's first recording of the piece is from August 1951 for Verve Records. The lineup consisted of Parker, Red Rodney (trumpet), John Lewis (piano), Ray Brown (bass) and Kenny Clarke (drums).
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Transcribed solos on Blues For Alice
| Charlie Parker alto saxophone | 169 BPM |
Standards with similar changes
Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.
| Title | Key |
|---|---|
| Freight Train 33% | A♭ major |
| Si Si 26% | F major |
| A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening 23% | F major |
| West Coast Blues 22% | B♭ major |
| Bluesette 20% | B♭ major |
Frequently asked questions
What key is Blues For Alice in?
Blues For Alice is usually played in F major. For B♭ instruments that is G major, for E♭ instruments D major.
Who wrote Blues For Alice?
Blues For Alice was written by Charlie Parker (1951).
What is the form of Blues For Alice?
Blues For Alice has 1 sections (A) with 12 bars in total.
How fast is Blues For Alice played?
The usual groove is Medium-up swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 169 BPM.
What are the chord changes to Blues For Alice?
The opening bars are Fmaj7 | Em7b5 A7b9 | Dm7 G7 | Cm7 F7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.