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{{about|the composition by Thelonious Monk|the album by Woody Shaw|Bemsha Swing (album)}}
#REDIRECT [[List of compositions by Thelonious Monk#Bemsha Swing]]


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"'''Bemsha Swing'''" (also known as "'''Bimsha Swing'''") is a jazz standard co-written by [[Thelonious Monk]] and [[Denzil Best]].
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The tune is 16 bars in the form of AABA. It is in 4/4 meter but is often played with a 2-feel.<ref>''The Thelonious Monk Fake Book,'' Steve Cardenas (transcriber), Don Sickler (editor). Hal Leonard, 2002, p. 9.</ref> The melody consists of a motif around a descending C [[Spanish phrygian scale]] (the A section) and a chromatic [[Sequence_(music)|sequencing]] of the same motif a fourth higher on an F Spanish phrygian scale (the B section). The chordal movement by contrast suggests a C Major tonality rather than C Spanish phrygian, its relative minor f (melodic or harmonic), or its relative Major, A♭ Major. However, the song ends on a D♭maj7 (#11) rather than a C chord, a displacement which is characteristic of Monk compositions.


The song was first recorded by Monk on the sessions for the album ''[[Thelonious Monk Trio]]'' in 1952. It was later recorded with Monk as a sideman on the [[Miles Davis]] album ''[[Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Giants]]''. Monk revisited the song on his acclaimed 1957 LP ''[[Brilliant Corners]]''.

[[Free Jazz]] pianist [[Cecil Taylor]] covered the tune on his 1956 album ''[[Jazz Advance]]''.

The rock band [[Red Hot Chili Peppers]] covered the song durng their 1989-90 [[Mother's Milk Tour]], renaming their version "F.U." and adding some lyrics. A live version can be found on their ''[[Out In L.A.]]'' album. Their bassist, [[Flea (musician)|Flea]], is a huge fan of Thelonious Monk.

In 1993, American jazz trio [[Medeski Martin & Wood]] covered the song with “Lively Up Yourself” by Bob Marley in one track, “Bemsha Swing-Lively Up Yourself,” for their album ''It's a Jungle in Here''.

In 2002, [[jazz fusion]] guitarist [[Larry Coryell]] covered the song from his album ''Cedars of Avalon''.<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r608274|pure_url=yes}}|title=Cedars of Avalon overview |work=[[Allmusic|Allmusic.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/review_print.php?id=10713|title=Cedars of Avalon|work=[[All About Jazz]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Jazz standards]]
[[Category:Jazz compositions]]
[[Category:Songs with music by Thelonious Monk]]
[[Category:Songs with music by Thelonious Monk]]
[[Category:1952 songs]]
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Latest revision as of 22:45, 15 July 2021