ENDEIT

Standards · 1953

Blues In The Closet chords & key

Oscar Pettiford

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 in 2 transcribed solos.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — A♭ major

A
A♭7
A♭7
A♭7
A♭7
D♭7
D♭7
A♭7
A♭7
B♭m7
E♭7
A♭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

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.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
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.