Standards

Where Or When chords & key

Key: E♭ major
Form: AABA
Bars: 40
Groove: Medium swing
Time signature: 4/4

“Where Or When” is a jazz standard by Richard Rodgers. It is usually played in E♭ major as a medium swing, and the 40-bar AABA form has 4 sections. Harmonically it contains 3 major ii–V–I cadences and 2 minor ii–V–i, uses 13 different chords and moves between the key centres E♭ major and C minor. In this atlas it appears on 24 album tracks and in 1 transcribed solo.

Chord changes

to key

Showing in: Concert (C) — E♭ major

E♭

E♭⁶

E♭^maj7

A♭^maj7

F^m7B♭^7sus

E♭^maj7

B♭^7sus

E♭^maj7

D^m7♭5G^7♭9

C^m7

F^m7

D^m7♭5

G^7♭9

C^m7

F^m7

B^7♯11

B♭⁷

E♭

E♭⁶

G⁷

C^m7

A♭^maj7

C^7♭9

F^m7

C^7♭9

F^m7

B♭⁷

E♭⁶

F^m7B♭⁷

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

Harmonic analysis

3Major ii–V–I

2Minor ii–V–i

6ii–V moves

0Tritone substitutions

0Dominant chains

13Different chords

Most used chords

A♭^maj7×7
F^m7×7
E♭^maj7×6
E♭⁶×4
E♭×3
B♭^7sus×3

Key centres reached by ii–V

E♭ major and C minor

Characteristics

AABA song form

Recorded on these albums

1942	Moanin' Low Lena Horne
1944	Piano solos Art Tatum · “Where or When”
1948	Benny Goodman and His Orchestra and Sextet; Vocals by Peggy Lee Benny Goodman and His Orchestra and Sextet, vocals by Peggy Lee · “Where or When”
1950	Dedicated to You Frank Sinatra · “Where or When”
1952	Lena Sings Your Requests Lena Horne Orchestra Conducted By Marty Paich · “Where or When”
1955	The Genius of Art Tatum #7 Art Tatum · “Where or When”
1955	With Strings Clifford Brown · “Where or When”
1956	Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Rodgers and Hart Song Book Ella Fitzgerald · “Where or When”
1956	Tenderly Oscar Peterson · “Where or When”
1956	It's Love Lena Horne with Lennie Hayton & His Orchestra
1956	Moonlight in Vermont Johnny Smith Quintet feat. Stan Getz · “Where or When”
1956	Lonely Girl Julie London · “Where or When”
1956	At Club “Baby Grand” Wilmington, Delaware, Volume 1 Jimmy Smith · “Where or When”
1956	Concert by the Sea Erroll Garner · “Where or When”
1956	Vib-Rations Cal Tjader / Don Elliott · “Where or When”
1956	Two by Two - Ruby and Ellis Play Rodgers and Hart Ruby Braff And Ellis Larkins · “Where or When”
1957	's Marvelous Ray Conniff · “Where or When”
1957	Dance Time Earl Bostic And His Alto Sax · “Where or When”
1957	A Jazz Band Ball: Second Set Marty Paich · “Where or When”
1959	The Night I Played 666 Fifth Avenue Paul Whiteman
1960	Don’t Go to Strangers Etta Jones · “Where or When”
1961	Tony Bennett Sings for Two Tony Bennett · “Where or When”
1962	The Nearness of You Red Garland · “Where or When”
1963	Happy Talk Shirley Scott · “Where or When”

Transcribed solos on Where Or When

Ben Webster tenor saxophone

82 BPM

Ab-maj

1956-09-11

Historic 78 rpm recordings

WHERE OR WHEN BEN LIGHT · Lloyd Sloop · Pete Di Maggio · Bill Markas · Jack Smith… archive.org ↗
WHERE OR WHEN BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton · Bill Harris · Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
WHERE OR WHEN BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton · Bill Harris · Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
WHERE OR WHEN BENNY MORTON'S TROMBONE CHOIR · Benny Morton, Bill Harris, Vic… · 1944 archive.org ↗
Where or When Herman Chittison · Rogers · Hart · 1945 archive.org ↗
Where or When Johnny Smith Quartet · Johnny Smith · Stan Getz · Sanford Gold · Don… · 1952 archive.org ↗
WHERE OR WHEN HARRY BABASON TRIO · Harry Babason · Hampton Hawes · Larry Bunker ·… · 1952 archive.org ↗

Standards with similar changes

Similarity of the chord progression, independent of key.

Title	Composer	Key	Form	Groove
I'll Be Seeing You 34%	Sammy Fain	E♭ major	AB · 32	Medium swing
Lullaby Of Birdland 28%	George Shearing	A♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
If I Loved You 24%	Richard Rodgers	C major	AABC · 36	Ballad
Love Me Or Leave Me 23%	Walter Donaldson	A♭ major	AABA · 32	Medium swing
For Once In My Life 22%	Orlando Murden	B♭ major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing
Nancy (With The Laughing Face) 21%	Jimmy Van-Heusen	E♭ major	BBAA · 32	Ballad
I Get Along Without You 20%	Hoagy Carmichael	B♭ major	AAB · 64	Ballad
I've Heard That Song Before 20%	Jule Styne	C major	ABAC · 32	Medium swing

Frequently asked questions

What key is Where Or When in?

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

Who wrote Where Or When?

Where Or When was written by Richard Rodgers.

What is the form of Where Or When?

Where Or When has 4 sections (AABA) with 40 bars in total.

How fast is Where Or When played?

The usual groove is Medium swing. Transcribed solos in our data were played at 82 BPM.

What are the chord changes to Where Or When?

The opening bars are Eb | Eb6 | Ebmaj7 | Ebmaj7. The full chart above can be transposed to any key.