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