Standards

Rhythm-a-ning chords & key

Key: B♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium-up swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Rhythm-a-ning” is a jazz standard by Thelonious Monk. Most bands play it in B♭ major, medium-up swing; the tune runs 32 bars in AABA form. Harmonically it contains 4 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 11 different chords. The bridge uses the cycle of dominants known from Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” — so-called rhythm changes. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — B♭ major

×2

B♭G⁷

C^m7F⁷

B♭G⁷

C^m7F⁷

B♭⁷B♭⁷_/D

E♭⁷E^dim7

B♭⁷_/FG⁷

C^m7F⁷

D⁷

G⁷

C⁷

F⁷

B♭G⁷

C^m7F⁷

B♭G⁷

C^m7F⁷

B♭⁷B♭⁷_/D

E♭⁷E^dim7

B♭⁷_/FG⁷

C^m7F⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

4Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

9ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

9Dominant chains

11Different chords

Most used chords

G⁷×11
F⁷×11
C^m7×9
B♭×6
B♭⁷×3
B♭⁷_/D×3

Characteristics

Rhythm changes
AABA song form

History

The following is a list of compositions by jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk (1917–1982).

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

Recorded on these albums

1957	Mulligan Meets Monk Thelonious Monk and Gerry Mulligan
1958	Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk
1959	Taylor's Tenors Arthur Taylor, Charlie Rouse, Frank Foster
1960	Gettin’ Together! Art Pepper
1962	Lalo = Brilliance (The Piano Of Lalo Schifrin) Lalo Schifrin · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1963	Criss-Cross Thelonious Monk
1963	In Italy Thelonious Monk
1972	You Leave Me Breathless Johnny Griffin · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1981	The Maestro Cedar Walton · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1982	Live at the It Club Thelonious Monk
1982	Trio Music Chick Corea / Miroslav Vitous / Roy Haynes · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1982	At the Piano Kenny Barron · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1985	Half Note Clifford Jordan · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1986	Round Midnight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Herbie Hancock · “Rhythm‐A‐Ning”
1986	Double Trios McCoy Tyner · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1987	Swiss Nights, Volume 3 Dexter Gordon · “Rhythm-A-Ning / The Theme”
1987	Dexter Gordon at Montreux (with Junior Mance) Dexter Gordon, Junior Mance, Martín Rivera & Oliver Jackson · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1988	Vara Radio 1965 Clark Terry, Wes Montgomery · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1989	Live in Paris, 1964 Thelonious Monk · “Rhythm‐a‐ning”
1989	Hackensack Thelonious Monk
1989	Live in Paris, 1964 – Alhambra, Volume 1 Thelonious Monk · “Rhythm‐a‐ning”
1989	Rhythm-A-King Kenny Barron - John Hicks · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1989	Autumn Leaves Cindy Blackman Trio · “Rhythm-A-Ning”
1990	Live at the Village Gate Thelonious Monk

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
Flintstones 43%	Hoyt Curtain	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
Brotherhood Of Man 33%	Frank Loesser	E♭ major	AB · 16	Medium-up swing
Little Peace In C For You 32%	Michel Petrucciani	C major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
Creole Love Call 31%	Duke Ellington	B♭ major	AABB · 46	Medium swing
Crazy Rhythm 28%	Wolfe-Kahn-Meyer	F major	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
For Sentimental Reasons 27%	William Best	F major	AABA · 32	Slow swing
I Got Rhythm 26%	George Gershwin	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Up-tempo swing
Since I Fell For You 26%	Buddy Johnson	E♭ major	AABA · 32	Slow swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Rhythm-a-ning in?

Rhythm-a-ning is usually played in B♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is C major, for E♭ instruments G major.

Who wrote Rhythm-a-ning?

Rhythm-a-ning was written by Thelonious Monk.

What is the form of Rhythm-a-ning?

Rhythm-a-ning has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Rhythm-a-ning played?

The usual groove is Medium-up swing.

What are the chord changes to Rhythm-a-ning?

The opening bars are Bb G7 | Cm7 F7 | Bb G7 | Cm7 F7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.