Standards

Monk's Mood chords & key

Key: D♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Ballad
Time signature: 4/4

“Monk's Mood” is a jazz standard by Thelonious Monk. It is usually played in D♭ major as a ballad, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 1 major ii–V–I cadence, uses 28 different chords. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — D♭ major

F^m7B♭⁷C

C^maj7

D^m7♭5G^7♭9♯11

D♭^maj7♯11

B♭⁷A^7♭13

E^7♭9E♭^7♯9

D^7susE^7sus

D^m7B♭^7♭9♯11

A♭^7♯5G⁷

D♭^maj7♯11

G^m7_/CC^13♭9

G^m7_/CG♭^m7

G♭^m7B^13♭9

E⁶

A^m7♭5A♭⁷G^7susA♭^dim7

A^m7♭5F¹³

F^m7B♭^m♭6

D^m7B♭^7♭9♯11

F^m7B♭⁷C

C^maj7

D^m7♭5G^7♭9♯11

D♭^maj7

B♭⁷A^7♭13

E^7♭9E♭^7♯9

A♭^7♯5G⁷

D♭^maj7♯11

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

Harmonic analysis

1Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

8ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

2Dominant chains

28Different chords

Most used chords

B♭⁷×6
F^m7×4
D♭^maj7♯11×4
C×3
C^maj7×3
D^m7♭5×3

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1957	Thelonious Himself Thelonious Monk
1960	Jazz Contemporary Kenny Dorham
1975	School Days - A 1963 Live Session Released for the First Time Steve Lacy, Roswell Rudd, Henry Grimes, Dennis Charles
1977	’Bop Redux Hank Jones · “Monk’s Mood”
1980	Ivory Forest Hal Galper & John Scofield
1980	Evidence Steve Khan · “Monk’s Mood”
1981	Gaslini Plays Monk Giorgio Gaslini
1983	Regeneration Roswell Rudd - Steve Lacy - Misha Mengelberg - Kent Carter - Han Bennink
1984	Bebop & Beyond George Cables, Warren Gale, John Handy, Eddie Marshall, Mel Martin, Frank Tusa
1988	Monk: On Tour in Europe Thelonious Monk · “Crepuscule With Nellie”
1989	Reflections of Monk - The Final Frontier Gary Bartz
1991	Archie Shepp & The New York Contemporary Five Archie Shepp
1991	The Music I Like to Play, Volume 3: Let's Call This Tete Montoliu
1993	Invisible Threads Andy Summers & John Etheridge · “Monks Mood”
1994	Expressions Chick Corea
1996	PanaMonk Danilo Pérez · “Monk's Mood 1”
1997	A Portrait of Thelonious Bud Powell
1997	Master Class Hank Jones
1999	Standard Time, Volume 4: Marsalis Plays Monk Wynton Marsalis
1999	Friendly Fire Joe Lovano & Greg Osby
2000	From the Round Box Ravi Coltrane · “Monk’s Mood”
2001	Basics Paul Bley
2002	Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz Chick Corea
2004	I'm All for You Joe Lovano

Frequently asked questions

What key is Monk's Mood in?

Monk's Mood is usually played in D♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is E♭ major, for E♭ instruments B♭ major.

Who wrote Monk's Mood?

Monk's Mood was written by Thelonious Monk.

What is the form of Monk's Mood?

Monk's Mood has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Monk's Mood played?

The usual groove is Ballad.

What are the chord changes to Monk's Mood?

The opening bars are Fm7 Bb7 C | Cmaj7 | Dm7b5 G7b9#11 | Dbmaj7#11. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.