ENDEIT

Standards

Liza chords & key

George Gershwin

Key
E♭ major
Form
AABA
Bars
32
Groove
Medium swing
Time signature
4/4

“Liza” is a jazz standard by George Gershwin. It is usually played in E♭ major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 7 major ii–V–I cadences and 4 minor ii–V–i, uses 17 different chords and moves between the key centres A♭ major, F minor and E♭ major. In this atlas it appears on 6 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

A
E♭6Fm7
G♭dim7E♭7/G
A♭maj7Adim7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭6
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
1.
E♭6
2.
E♭6G7♯5
B
Cm7
A♭maj7
Cm7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭6
Gm7♭5C7♭9
Fm7
B7B♭7
A
E♭6Fm7
G♭dim7E♭7/G
A♭maj7Adim7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭6
Gm7C7
Fm7B♭7
E♭6

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

Harmonic analysis

7Major ii–V–I
4Minor ii–V–i
11ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
0Dominant chains
17Different chords

Most used chords

  • Fm7×7
  • E♭6×6
  • A♭maj7×4
  • B♭m7×4
  • E♭7×4
  • A♭6×4

Key centres reached by ii–V

A♭ major, F minor and E♭ major

Characteristics

  • AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1953 Swedish American All Stars
Quincy Jones
1959 The Jazz Soul of Oscar Peterson
Oscar Peterson
1975 Fascinating Rhythm (Music Of The Thirties, Album 2)
Yehudi Menuhin, Stéphane Grappelli
2006 Quincy Jones + Harry Arnold + Big Band = Jazz!
Quincy Jones
2007 Stockholm Sweetnin'
Quincy Jones
— Fascinatin' Rhythm
Yehudi Menuhin, Stephane Grappelly

Historic 78 rpm recordings

  • LIZA McKenzie-Condon Chicagoans · Jimmy McPartland · Frank Teschmaker ·… archive.org ↗
  • LIZA Jimmy McPartland · Frank Teschmaker · Bud Freeman · Joe Sullivan ·… archive.org ↗
  • Liza Leo Mathisens Orkester · Gershwin archive.org ↗
  • LIZA BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton · Bill Harris · Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • LIZA BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton, Bill Harris, Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
  • LIza Earl Bostic and His Orchestra · E. Bostic · T. Scott · G. Parker ·… · 1949 archive.org ↗
  • LIZA (All The Clouds'll Roll Away) THE TEDDY WILSON TRIO · Teddy Wilson · Denzil Best · Aaron Bell ·… · 1953 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
Young And Foolish 22% Albert Hague C major ABAC · 32 Ballad
Strike Up The Band 20% George Gershwin E♭ major ABCD · 32 Up-tempo swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Liza in?

Liza is usually played in E♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is F major, for E♭ instruments C major.

Who wrote Liza?

Liza was written by George Gershwin.

What is the form of Liza?

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

How fast is Liza played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Liza?

The opening bars are Eb6 Fm7 | Gbdim7 Eb7/G | Abmaj7 Adim7 | Bbm7 Eb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.