Standards · 1953

Blues In The Closet chords & key

Key: A♭ major
Form: A
Bars: 12
Groove: Medium-up swing
Time signature: 4/4
Year: 1953

“Blues In The Closet” is a jazz standard by Oscar Pettiford from 1953. It is usually played in A♭ major as a medium-up swing, and the 12-bar A form repeats as one section. Its changes follow the 12-bar blues. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks and in 2 transcribed solos.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — A♭ major

A♭⁷

D♭⁷

A♭⁷

B♭^m7

E♭⁷

A♭⁷

Changes as commonly played (concert pitch). Your band's version may differ.

Harmonic analysis

0Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

1ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

4Different chords

Most used chords

A♭⁷×8
D♭⁷×2
B♭^m7×1
E♭⁷×1

Characteristics

12-bar blues

Recorded on these albums

1954	The Tal Farlow Album Tal Farlow · “Blues in the Closet”
1957	Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson at The Opera House Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson · “Blues in the Closet”
1959	Party Time Arnett Cobb · “Blues in the Closet”
1962	Chet Is Back! Chet Baker · “Blues in the Closet”
1965	My Kinda Groove Herbie Mann · “Blues in the Closet”
1965	Spanish Grease Willie Bobo · “Blues in the Closet”
1967	Portrait of Sonny Criss Sonny Criss · “Blues in the Closet”
1972	Hawk in Germany Coleman Hawkins & Bud Powell · “Blues in the Closet”
1978	IAI Festival Jimmy Giuffre, Lee Konitz, Bill Connors & Paul Bley · “Blues in the Closet”
1981	I Want A Little Girl Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson
1982	Live in the Netherlands Toots Thielemans, Joe Pass & Niels‐Henning Ørsted Pedersen · “Blues in the Closet”
1988	The Complete Essen Jazz Festival Concert Bud Powell · “Blues in the Closet”
1988	Vienna Blues: The Complete Session Oscar Pettiford · “Blues in the Closet”
1990	The Italian Sessions Chet Baker · “Blues in the Closet”
1991	For My Lady Toots Thielemans · “Blues in the Closet”
1993	Bud Powell Bud Powell · “Blues in the Closet”
1994	Petrucciani NHØP Michel Petrucciani & Niels‐Henning Ørsted Pedersen · “Blues in the Closet”
1994	Sylvia Vrethammar with Erik Petersens Quartet Sylvia Vrethammar with Erik Petersens Quartet · “Blues in the Closet”
1995	Rediscovered Masters, Volume 2 Red Garland · “Blues in the Closet”
1996	Hi-Fly Jaki Byard · “Blues in the Closet”
1997	White Blues Chet Baker · “Blues in the Closet”
2000	Blue Hour: The Complete Sessions Stanley Turrentine with The Three Sounds · “Blues in the Closet”
2001	Stardust Ron Carter · “Blues in the Closet”
2001	Swing Live Bucky Pizzarelli · “Too Marvelous for Words”

Transcribed solos on Blues In The Closet

J.J. Johnson trombone	234 BPM	Bb-blues	1957-09-29
Stan Getz tenor saxophone	243 BPM	Bb-maj	1957-09-29

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Misterioso 80%	Thelonious Monk	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
Trane’s Blues 80%	John Coltrane	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
Parker's Mood 67%	Charlie Parker	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
Tenor Madness 67%	Sonny Rollins	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium-up swing
Sonnymoon For Two 50%	Sonny Rollins	B♭ major	A · 12	Medium-up swing
Things Ain't What They Used To Be 50%	Duke Ellington	D♭ major	A · 12	Medium swing
Locomotion 29%	John Coltrane	B♭ major	AABA · 58	Up-tempo swing
Perhaps 27%	Charlie Parker	C major	AB · 14	Up-tempo swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Blues In The Closet in?

Blues In The Closet is usually played in A♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is B♭ major, for E♭ instruments F major.

Who wrote Blues In The Closet?

Blues In The Closet was written by Oscar Pettiford (1953).

What is the form of Blues In The Closet?

Blues In The Closet has 1 sections (A) with 12 bars in total.

How fast is Blues In The Closet played?

The usual groove is Medium-up swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 234 BPM and 243 BPM.

What are the chord changes to Blues In The Closet?

The opening bars are Ab7 | Ab7 | Ab7 | Ab7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.