Blues March

For the New York Rhythm Machine (John Hicks) album, see Blues March: Portrait of Art Blakey.

"Blues March" is a composition by Benny Golson. It was first recorded for Blue Mitchell's Riverside album Big 6 on July 2 and 3, 1958,^[1][2] and has become a jazz standard.^[2]

"Blues March"
Song by Blue Mitchell
from the album Big 6
Recorded	July 2 and 3, 1958
Genre	Jazz
Label	Riverside
Composer(s)	Benny Golson
Producer(s)	Orrin Keepnews

Composition and recording

The composition is in 4/4 time.^[3] It was influenced by New Orleans marching bands, and "starts in long meter form and transforms back into regular time."^[4] Its straightforward harmony and separate sections make it ideal for improvisation.^[4] In the view of Leonard Feather, "the theme, with its slight bugle-call orientation, has a period quality that ties the work together".^[3]

Although some sources state that its first recorded version is the well known one by Art Blakey's band on his album Moanin'^[4] (recorded on October 30, 1958^[5]), the first version was on trumpeter Blue Mitchell's Big 6, which was recorded on July 2 and 3, 1958.^[1][2] This album was also Mitchell's first as leader.^[1]

Influence

"Blues March" is commonly played by military and other marching bands.^[4]