"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,Yanow, Scott "Blue Mitchell: Big 6". AllMusic. Retrieved December 21, 2013. and has become a jazz standard.Blumenthal, Bob (2004) In The Complete Argo/Mercury Art Farmer/Benny Golson/Jazztet Sessions [CD liner notes]. p. 3. Mosaic.
Composition and recording The composition is in time.Feather, Leonard In Moanin' [Liner notes]. Blue Note. It was influenced by New Orleans marching bands, and "starts in long meter form and transforms back into regular time." Its straightforward harmony and separate sections make it ideal for improvisation. In the view of Leonard Feather, "the theme, with its slight bugle-call orientation, has a period quality that ties the work together".
Although some sources state that its first recorded version is the well known one by Art Blakey's band on his album Moanin'Edelstein, Paula "Art Farmer/Benny Golson: Blues March". AllMusic. Retrieved December 21, 2013. (recorded on October 30, 1958In Moanin' [CD liner notes]. Blue Note.), the first version was on trumpeter Blue Mitchell's Big 6, which was recorded on July 2 and 3, 1958. This album was also Mitchell's first as leader.
Influence "Blues March" is commonly played by military and other marching bands.
References