PDF includes the chords the head dominant 7 arpeggios, mixolydian scales and minor pentatonic scales.
About
“All Blues” by Miles Davis is one of the standout tracks from his legendary 1959 album Kind of Blue, which is widely considered one of the greatest jazz albums of all time—and a cornerstone of modal jazz.
Here’s a deep dive into the track:
🎷 Basic Info
- Title: All Blues
- Album: Kind of Blue (1959)
- Composer: Miles Davis
- Genre: Modal Jazz / Blues
- Length: ~11 minutes
- Personnel:
- Miles Davis – trumpet
- John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
- Cannonball Adderley – alto saxophone
- Bill Evans – piano (Wynton Kelly plays on another track, but not this one)
- Paul Chambers – bass
- Jimmy Cobb – drums
🧠 Musical Structure
- Form: 12-bar blues, but with a modal twist
- Mode: G mixolydian (instead of a traditional blues scale)
- Time Signature: 6/8 (gives it a kind of swaying, hypnotic groove)
- Head Melody: Simple, repeated line with slight variations—cool and understated
Miles takes the basic blues form but changes the harmonic structure just enough to give it a more open, modal feel. It floats more than it drives.
🎧 Why It’s Special
- It’s blues, but not in the traditional, soulful, shuffle-based sense—it’s contemplative and atmospheric.
- The solos are lyrical and spacious, especially Coltrane’s and Evans’ contributions.
- It’s a masterclass in economy of notes—nobody’s showing off, but the depth is insane.
- The rhythm section locks into this hypnotic groove that never really lets up.
🎤 Cultural Impact
- Kind of Blue is the best-selling jazz album ever, and “All Blues” is one of its defining tracks.
- The song has become a jazz standard, covered and reinterpreted by countless musicians.
- It’s often used in films, commercials, and even taught in music schools to demonstrate modal theory and jazz improvisation.