ENDEIT

Standards · 1939

Frenesi chords & key

Alberto Dominguez · Lyrics: Alberto Domínguez

Key
A♭ major
Form
AABA
Bars
32
Groove
Latin
Time signature
4/4
Year
1939

“Frenesi” is a jazz standard by Alberto Dominguez from 1939. It is usually played in A♭ major as a latin, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 6 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 5 different chords.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — A♭ major

A
×2
B♭m7E♭7
B♭m7E♭7
B♭m7E♭7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭maj7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭maj7
A♭maj7
B
Cmaj7
D♭9♯11
Cmaj7
Cmaj7
Cmaj7
B♭m7
E♭7
E♭7
A
B♭m7E♭7
B♭m7E♭7
B♭m7E♭7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭maj7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭maj7
A♭maj7

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

Harmonic analysis

6Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
16ii–V moves
1Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
5Different chords

Most used chords

  • E♭7×17
  • B♭m7×16
  • A♭maj7×9
  • Cmaj7×4
  • D♭9♯11×1

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

History

"Frenesí" (Spanish for 'frenzy') is a 1939 musical piece with music composed by Alberto Domínguez Borrás for the marimba. The first recordings of the song, released in 1939, were by the Mexican singer Lupita Palomera (Victor 76161), who was accompanied by the composer's own band, Orquesta De Los Hermanos Domínguez, and by the Mexican singer and actor Ramón Armengod (Decca 21035). No separate credit for the original Spanish language lyrics appear on the 1939 recordings by Armengod and Palomera or in original sheet music publications, which credit Domínguez for music and Spanish lyrics. Some sources including Gran Cancionero Mexicano (2005) and Bolero: Clave del Corazón (2004) cite Rodolfo “Chamaco” Sandoval as the co-author. U.S. swing bandleader Artie Shaw recorded an instrumental version that topped the U.S. popular music charts in December, 1940, and helped the song become a jazz standard.

Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • FRENESI THE GERRY MULLIGAN QUARTET · Gerry Mulligan · Chet Baker · Bob… archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
That's Amore (That's Love) 38% Warren-Brooks B♭ major AB · 32 Medium swing
In A Little Spanish Town 25% Wayne-Lewis-Young G major AB · 32 Medium swing
La Vie En Rose 25% Guglielmi-Piaf-David C major ABC · 20 Ballad
He's A Tramp 24% Lee-Burke G major AABA · 32 Medium swing
If I Knew Then (What I Know Now) 24% Jurgens-Howard E♭ major AB · 32 Medium swing
Get Me To The Church On Time 22% Alan Lerner G major AAB · 54 Up-tempo swing
I Like The Likes Of You 22% Vernon Duke E♭ major AABA · 32 Medium swing
My Baby Just Cares For Me 22% Walter Donaldson A major ABCD · 32 Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Frenesi in?

Frenesi is usually played in A♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is B♭ major, for E♭ instruments F major.

Who wrote Frenesi?

Frenesi was written by Alberto Dominguez (1939).

What is the form of Frenesi?

Frenesi has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Frenesi played?

The usual groove is Latin.

What are the chord changes to Frenesi?

The opening bars are Bbm7 Eb7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | Bbm7 Eb7 | Bbm7 Eb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.