Naima (song)

"Naima" is a ballad composed by John Coltrane in 1959, and named after his then-wife, Juanita Naima Grubbs. It first appeared on the album Giant Steps, and is notable for its use of a variety of rich chords over a bass pedal. It is mainly made up of a slow, restrained melody, though there is also a brief piano solo.

One of Coltrane's most famous compositions, he recorded it numerous times. "Naima" also appears on Live! at the Village Vanguard, The Complete Copenhagen Concert, Afro-Blue Impressions, Live at the Village Vanguard Again!, among other albums. "Naima" has since become a jazz standard.

Song form, lead sheet and harmony
Chord changes for 'Naima'.:

‖: B♭-7/E♭ | E♭-7 | Amaj7+5/E♭ Gmaj7+5/E♭ | A♭maj7/E♭ :‖

‖ Bmaj7/B♭ | B♭7♭9 | Bmaj7/B♭ | B♭7♭9 |


 * B-maj7/B♭ | Bmaj7/B♭ | A♭maj7/B♭ | Emaj7♯4 ‖

‖ B♭-7/E♭ | E♭-7 | Amaj7+5/E♭ Gmaj7+5/E♭ | A♭maj7/E♭ ‖

Scale associations:

‖: E♭ Mixolydian | E♭ Dorian | F♯ Melodic Minor, E Melodic Minor | A♭ Lydian :‖

‖ B♭ Phrygian | B♭ diminished scale (half-whole)| B♭ Phrygian | B♭ dim. scale |


 * B♭7 'alt' (B Melodic Minor) | B♭ Phrygian | B♭ Mixolydian | E Lydian ‖

‖ E♭ Mixolydian | E♭ Dorian | F♯ Melodic Minor, E Melodic Minor | A♭ Lydian ‖

Covered By
"Naima" has been covered by many other musicians including:


 * Tom Scott – Honeysuckle Breeze (1968)
 * McCoy Tyner – on Echoes of a Friend (1972), The Greeting (1978), Things Ain't What They Used To Be (1989), etc.
 * John McLaughlin – on Love Devotion Surrender (with Carlos Santana, 1973), and on After The Rain (1995)
 * Cedar Walton – on Naima (live) (1973)
 * Lonnie Liston Smith - Cosmic Funk (Flying Dutchman) (1974)
 * Maynard Ferguson – Hot (1979)
 * Arthur Blythe – on In the Tradition (1979) and Blythe Byte (2001)
 * Skywalk - Silent Witness (1983)
 * Art Ensemble of Chicago on Dreaming of the Masters Suite (1991)
 * Pharoah Sanders – Crescent With Love (1992), etc.
 * Lonnie Smith – Afro Blue (1993)
 * David Murray – with Dave Burrell, on Windward Passages (1993) and on Octet Plays Trane (2000)
 * Thom Rotella – Platinum Melodies (1996)
 * Derek Trucks Band – on his first album, (1997)
 * Victor Wooten – on What Did He Say? (1997)
 * 4hero - 2000 Black compilation "The Good Good" (2000)
 * Alex Bugnon – As Promised (2000)
 * Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker and Roy Hargrove – on Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall (2002)
 * Vato Negro live quartet of Juan Alderete, Adrian Terrazas, Money Mark and Cedric Bixler (2008)
 * Lionel Loueke – on Karibu (2008)
 * Aidan Baker – Passing Thru (2010)
 * Royce Campbell - "Solo Trane" (2010)
 * Jaco Pastorius – in the video Modern Electric Bass
 * Karrin Allyson - "Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane" (2001)