On Green Dolphin Street is one of our 10 Mother Tunes. This famous tune was made for a 1947 movie, “Green Dolphin Street,” and is known for switching back and forth between latin and swing feels, and for the pedal I underneath changing harmonies for the first 7 bars of the A section. The form is basically ABAB, with the second B being different than the first B. It’s a 32 bar song form, as is so common in the jazz idiom. It’s normally called in C or Eb, although I heard Benny Green call it in Bb to test out a young bass player at a jam session one time. The poor guy couldn’t quite hang, so Benny graciously bumped it up to C for him.
Check out also On Green Dolphin Street in Eb. You should know the tune in both keys.
Play Along
Videos to learn the melody/changes
On Green Dolphin Street in (C)
As is written here, this tune changes back and forth between latin and swing beats. Yet, in the "Play Along" version here, it stays with a latin beat the entire tune.
I am amazed at the generosity of this site, the content is so high quality and thorough. Good on you for opening up this community, I’m stranded in a city with no musicians for the next 7 weeks but this sight will keep me going!
Wow! Thanks. Just learnt this from Tim Richard’s great book, but he only gives the pedal section. Now I can play along to Miles’ ’58 version, which you’ve got here too. Wow Red Garland grooves doesn’t he. I think he drives it better than Bill Evans. But Bill is a genius too. Thanks for all the great resources. Will definitely return.
It’s our pleasure Martin! Glad your finding the site useful. Always feel free to pass it on!
Thank you so much for these play-alongs, much appreciated!