Standards

Robbin's Nest chords & key

Key: C major
Form: AABA
Bars: 32
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Robbin's Nest” is a jazz standard by Thompson-Jacquet. It is usually played in C major as a medium swing, and the 32-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 5 major ii–V–I cadences, uses 10 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) — C major

C⁶

A♭⁷

E^m7E♭^dim7

D^m7G⁷

C⁶E♭^dim7

D^m7G⁷

C⁶

E⁷

A^7♭9

D⁷

G^7♭13

D^m7G⁷

C⁶

A♭⁷

E^m7E♭^dim7

D^m7G⁷

C⁶

D^m7G⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

5Major ii–V–I

0Minor ii–V–i

6ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

3Dominant chains

10Different chords

Most used chords

C⁶×10
A♭⁷×6
D^m7×6
G⁷×6
E♭^dim7×4
E^m7×3

Characteristics

Rhythm changes
AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1955	Rex Stewart Plays Duke Ellington Rex Stewart / Illinois Jacquet And His All Stars · “Robbins Nest”
1955	Rockin With Milt Milt Buckner · “Robbins Nest”
1958	Wheelin’ & Dealin’ Frank Wess / John Coltrane / Paul Quinichette / Mal Waldron / Doug Watkins / Arthur Taylor · “Robbins’ Nest”
1958	Encores in Hi Fi Erroll Garner · “Robbins Nest”
1960	The Mancini Touch Henry Mancini and His Orchestra · “Robbin’s Nest”
1964	Live! The Midnight Show Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Johnny Griffin, Junior Mance
1964	Stretchin' Out The Jazz Crusaders
1966	Mit Art Van Damme in San Francisco Art Van Damme · “Robbins Nest”
1966	Go Power! Illinois Jacquet With Milt Buckner & Alan Dawson
1968	Exclusively for my Friends - Vol. II: Girl Talk Oscar Peterson · “Robbins’ Nest”
1974	Newport Jazz Festival Japan Joe Newman, Art Farmer, Illinois Jacquet, James Moody, Gerry Mulligan, Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, Jack Six, Roy Haynes
1976	Bud Meets Buddy Bud Freeman and Buddy Tate
1980	Tuxedo Junction Jay McShann featuring Don Thompson · “Robbins Nest”
1982	Eximious Joe Pass · “Robbins Nest”
1982	Vol. 2 Opus Funk Harry Edison & Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis
1985	More Delights Tommy Flanagan And Hank Jones · “Robbins' Nest (Alternate Take)”
1986	Live at Fulham Town Hall The Charlie Watts Orchestra · “Robbins Nest”
1989	All That Jazz Ella Fitzgerald · “Just When We’re Falling in Love (Robbins’ Nest)”
1989	My Kind of Trouble Benny Carter / Joe Pass / Art Hillery / Andy Simpkins / Ronnie Bedford · “Robbins' Nest”
1989	Prez Conferences Lester Young
1992	Our Delights Tommy Flanagan & Hank Jones · “Robbins Nest”
1994	Songs for Ellen Joe Pass · “Robbins Nest”
1996	How High the Moon Ella Fitzgerald · “Robbin’s Nest”
1999	The Transcription Performances 1947 Claude Thornhill · “Robbins' Nest”

Historic 78 rpm recordings

ROBBINS NEST OSCAR PETERSON · Major Holley · Charles Thomas · Norman Granz archive.org ↗
Robbin's Nest Illinois Jacquet & His All Stars · Sir Charles Thompson · 1947 archive.org ↗
ROBBIN'S NEST ILLINOIS JACQUET & His All Stars · Illinois Jacquet · Joseph D… · 1947 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
That's Amore (That's Love) 41%	Warren-Brooks	B♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing
In A Little Spanish Town 35%	Wayne-Lewis-Young	G major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Perdido 35%	Juan Tizol	B♭ major	AABA · 32	Latin
Charleston 33%	James Johnson	B♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium-up swing
Straighten Up And Fly Right 30%	Cole-Mills	A♭ major	AACD · 32	Medium swing
Basin Street Blues 27%	Spencer Williams	B♭ major	AA · 32	Slow swing
The Birth Of The Blues 27%	Ray Henderson	C major	AABA · 32	Slow swing
Fran Dance 26%	Miles Davis	B♭ major	AABAB · 40	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Robbin's Nest in?

Robbin's Nest is usually played in C major. For B♭ instruments that is D major, for E♭ instruments A major.

Who wrote Robbin's Nest?

Robbin's Nest was written by Thompson-Jacquet.

What is the form of Robbin's Nest?

Robbin's Nest has 4 sections (AABA) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Robbin's Nest played?

The usual groove is Medium swing.

What are the chord changes to Robbin's Nest?

The opening bars are C6 | C6 | Ab7 | Ab7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.