ENDEIT

Standards

Tickle-Toe chords & key

Lester Young

Key
D♭ major
Form
ABAB
Bars
32
Groove
Up-tempo swing
Time signature
4/4

“Tickle-Toe” is a jazz standard by Lester Young. Most bands play it in D♭ major, up-tempo swing; the tune runs 32 bars in ABAB form. In this atlas it appears on 2 album tracks.

Chord changes

Showing in: Concert (C) — D♭ major

A
B♭m7F7
B♭m7F7
B♭m7
B♭7
E♭m7B♭7
E♭m7B♭7
E♭m7
A♭m7D♭7
B
G♭7
B7
D♭maj7
Fm7B♭7
E♭7
B♭m7E♭7
A♭7
F7
A
B♭m7F7
B♭m7F7
B♭m7
B♭7
E♭m7B♭7
E♭m7B♭7
E♭m7
A♭m7D♭7
B
G♭7
B7
D♭maj7
B♭7
E♭7
A♭7
D♭maj7
Cm7♭5F7♭9

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

Harmonic analysis

0Major ii–V–I
0Minor ii–V–i
5ii–V moves
0Tritone substitutions
8Dominant chains
14Different chords

Most used chords

  • B♭7×8
  • B♭m7×7
  • E♭m7×6
  • F7×5
  • D♭maj7×3
  • E♭7×3

Characteristics

  • ABAB form

Recorded on these albums

1959 The Birth of a Band
Quincy Jones · “Tickle Toe”
2010 The Birth Of A Band - Complete Edition
Quincy Jones · “Tickle Toe”

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

TitleComposerKeyFormGroove
Bright Mississippi 21% Thelonious Monk A♭ major AA · 32 Up-tempo swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Tickle-Toe in?

Tickle-Toe is usually played in D♭ major. For B♭ instruments that is E♭ major, for E♭ instruments B♭ major.

Who wrote Tickle-Toe?

Tickle-Toe was written by Lester Young.

What is the form of Tickle-Toe?

Tickle-Toe has 4 sections (ABAB) with 32 bars in total.

How fast is Tickle-Toe played?

The usual groove is Up-tempo swing.

What are the chord changes to Tickle-Toe?

The opening bars are Bbm7 F7 | Bbm7 F7 | Bbm7 | Bb7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.