Round Midnight A little background Round Midnight is a 1944 jazz standard written by Thelonious Sphere Monk.

It is the most recorded jazz piece ever, Cootie Williams and Bennie Hanighen have both received co credits for their additions to the piece (Bennie added lyrics in 49). It does not share the same tempo as most bebop pieces and so is often labelled a jazz ballad. However it is the epitome of bebop harmony, characterised by tritone chords, sharpened and flattened 9ths and a melody which is angular, sometimes asymmetrical and disjunct. Mr Sayer interjection point. Jazz combos playing bebop were far smaller than the swing bands before, piano, bass, drums, sax and trumpet was the line up popularised by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Rhythmical features are notable upon listening to the drum kit, swing music was characterised by a steady bass drum beats on 1 and 3 whereas bebop drummers emphasised the back beats, 2 and 4. The time keeping moved onto the ride cymbal and so the bass drum was freed up to add embellishments. The bassist was also handed the task of keeping time with a steady walking bass line, this also underpinned the harmonic changes. Mr Sayer interjection point. A little harmonic analysis The form is: A1 A2 B A2 and is in common time with a swing feel. 32 bar form I assume though I havent counted. The piece begins with a short improvised (usually solo piano) introduction. Monk uses chromatic melodies and harmonies to create tension and resolution expertly. The intro establishes the key of E flat minor. I have only commented on the A1 section since I felt that was quite enough unless you want more. The chord progression for the first 4 bars: E flat minor 7, Cm7 flattened 5, Fm7 flattened 5, B flat 7, Which could be described as: i vi ii7 V7 In jazz it is important to note that chord ii (F minor etc in this case) functions as a IV chord, the subdominant, would in blues. Every chord in this sequence is coloured, flat 5ths produce a half dim sound. Mr Sayer interjection point. The next for bars are particularly meaty, i (E flat minor 7) leads to IV (A flat 7) which introduces a modulation progression to A flat minor. These four chords (B minor, E7, B flat minor, E flat 7) add unexpected tonal colour. The bass line moves in a zig zag pattern downwards to end up in our temporary key of Aflat minor (IV). The ascending motif is played again for a third time in the new Aflat minor key. The Aflat (now major) 7 jumps up to b natural. Monk did this before when entering the modulation sequence so it doesnt feel quite so awkward. Hanging on the B7 for an entire bar the tension is resolved with a semitone drop to the V7 chord of B flat 7. Mr Sayer interjection point.