"Naima" ( ) is a

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...

composed by

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of br ...

in 1959 that he named after his then-wife, Juanita Naima Grubbs. Coltrane first recorded it for his 1959 album ''

Giant Steps ''Giant Steps'' is the fifth studio album by jazz musician John Coltrane as leader. It was released in February 1960 on Atlantic Records. This was his first album as leader for Atlantic Records, with which he had signed a new contract the previou ...

'', and it became one of his first well-known works.

History

Coltrane recorded "Naima" many times. It appears on ''

The Complete Copenhagen Concert ''The Complete Copenhagen Concert'' is a 1961 album by jazz musician John Coltrane. It was recorded November 20, 1961 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Track listing :European CD releases: ''The Complete Copenhagen Concert'', (Magnetic MRCD 116), ''Complete ...

'' (1961), ''

Live at the Village Vanguard Again! ''Live At The Village Vanguard Again!'' is a live jazz album by saxophonist John Coltrane. Recorded in May 1966 during a live performance at the Village Vanguard jazz club in New York City, the album features Coltrane playing in the free jazz sty ...

'' (1966), ''

Afro Blue Impressions '' Afro Blue Impressions'' is an album of a performance by jazz musician John Coltrane that was recorded live in 1963. The album was originally released many years later, in 1977, on the Pablo label, as a double LP. Reception The AllMusic review ...

'' (1977), ''

The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings ''The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings'' is a box set of recordings by jazz musician John Coltrane, issued posthumously in 1997 by Impulse! Records, catalogue IMPD4-232. It collects all existing recordings from performances by the John C ...

'' (1997), and '' Blue World'' (2019). "Naima" has since become a

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive lis ...

Structure

According to Coltrane, "The tune is built on suspended chords over an E

pedal tone Pedal tones (or pedals) are special low notes in the harmonic series of brass instruments. A pedal tone has the pitch of its harmonic series' fundamental tone. Its name comes from the foot pedal keyboard pedals of a pipe organ, which are used ...

on the outside. On the inside – the channel – the chords are suspended over a B pedal tone." The composition, on that recording, is a slow, restrained melody, with a brief piano solo by

Wynton Kelly Wynton Charles Kelly (December 2, 1931 – April 12, 1971) was an American jazz pianist and composer. He is known for his lively, blues-based playing and as one of the finest accompanists in jazz. He began playing professionally at the age of ...

Chord changes

Chord changes for "Naima": ‖: B–7/E‖ E–7 ‖ Amaj7+5/E Gmaj7+5/E ‖ Amaj7/E:‖ ‖ Bmaj7/B‖ B79 ‖ Bmaj7/B ‖ B79‖ ‖ B-maj7/B‖ Bmaj7/B ‖ Amaj7/B ‖ Emaj711‖ ‖ B–7/E‖ E–7 ‖ Amaj7+5/E Gmaj7+5/E ‖ Amaj7/E‖ Scale associations: ‖: E

Mixolydian Mixolydian mode may refer to one of three things: the name applied to one of the ancient Greek ''harmoniai'' or ''tonoi'', based on a particular octave species or scale; one of the medieval church modes; or a modern musical mode or diatonic scal ...

, E Dorian , F Mel. Minor, E Mel. Minor , A Lydian :‖ ‖ B Phrygian , B Dim. Scale (H-W) , B Phrygian , B Dim. Scale , ‖ B Alt. (B Mel. Minor) , B Phrygian , B Mixolydian , E Lydian ‖ ‖ E Mixolydian , E Dorian , F Mel. Minor, E Mel. Minor , A Lydian ‖

Other versions

Les Double Six Les Double Six (also known as the Double Six of Paris) was a French vocal jazz group established in 1959 by Mimi Perrin. The group established an international reputation in the early 1960s. The name of the group was an allusion to the fact that the ...

– ''The Double Six of Paris: Swingin' Singin'' (1962) *

John Handy John Richard Handy III (born February 3, 1933) is an American jazz musician most commonly associated with the alto saxophone. He also sings and plays the tenor and baritone saxophone, saxello, clarinet, and oboe. Biography Handy was born in ...

– '' New View'' (1967) *

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– ''To You'' (1968) *

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

– ''

Four for Trane ''Four for Trane'' is a studio album by tenor saxophonist Archie Shepp released on Impulse! Records in 1965. Four of the five tracks were composed and originally recorded by John Coltrane (released on his albums ''Giant Steps'' and ''Coltrane Play ...

'' (1964) * Tom Scott – ''

The Honeysuckle Breeze ''The Honeysuckle Breeze'' is the debut album by American jazz saxophonist Tom Scott featuring performances recorded in 1967 for the Impulse! label.

'' (1968) *

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

– ''

Echoes of a Friend ''Echoes of a Friend'' is a 1972 album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner released on the JVC label, and later on the Milestone label. It was recorded in Tokyo, Japan, on November 11, 1972, and features Tyner in a solo piano tribute to John Coltrane. ...

'' (1972), ''

The Greeting ''The Greeting'' is a 1978 live album by jazz pianist McCoy Tyner, his thirteenth release on the Milestone label. It was recorded in March 1978 at the Great American Music Hall and features performances by Tyner with a sextet featuring tenor saxo ...

'' (1978), ''

Things Ain't What They Used to Be "Things Ain't What They Used to Be" is a 1942 jazz standard with music by Mercer Ellington and lyrics by Ted Persons. Background In 1941 there was a strike against the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, of which Duke Ellington ...

'' (1989), and other albums. *

Cedar Walton Cedar Anthony Walton Jr. (January 17, 1934 – August 19, 2013) was an American hard bop jazz pianist. He came to prominence as a member of drummer Art Blakey's band, The Jazz Messengers, before establishing a long career as a bandleader and com ...

– ''Naima'' (live) (1973) *

Jack Wilkins Jack Rivers Lewis (born June 4, 1944), known professionally as Jack Wilkins, is a jazz guitarist. Career A native of New York City, Wilkins grew up listening to his parents' music, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Billie Holiday. He ...

– ''Windows'' (1973) *

John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra * Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter * John McLaugh ...

– ''

Love Devotion Surrender ''Love Devotion Surrender'' is an album released in 1973 by guitarists Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin (musician), John McLaughlin, with the backing of their respective bands, Santana (band), Santana and The Mahavishnu Orchestra. The album was ...

'' (with

Carlos Santana Carlos Humberto Santana Barragán (; born July 20, 1947) is an American guitarist who rose to fame in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band Santana, which pioneered a fusion of Rock and roll and Latin American jazz. Its sound featured ...

, 1973), and '' After the Rain'' (1995) *

Lonnie Liston Smith Lonnie Liston Smith Jr. (born December 28, 1940) is an American jazz, soul, and funk musician who played with such jazz artists as Pharoah Sanders and Miles Davis before forming Lonnie Liston Smith and the Cosmic Echoes, recording a number of ...

– ''

Cosmic Funk ''Cosmic Funk'' is an album by keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith, featuring performances recorded in 1974 and released by the Flying Dutchman label. Jason Heller, in ''Strange Stars: How Science Fiction and Fantasy Transformed Popular Music'', poin ...

'' (Flying Dutchman) (1974) *

Arthur Blythe Arthur Murray Blythe (May 7, 1940 – March 27, 2017) was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer. He was described by critic Chris Kelsey as displaying "one of the most easily recognizable alto sax sounds in jazz, big and round, with a f ...

– '' In the Tradition'' (1979) and ''

Blythe Byte ''Blythe Byte'' is an album by the saxophonist Arthur Blythe, recorded in 2001 and released on the HighNote Records, Savant label. Reception In his review on AllMusic, arwulf arwulf called it "a well-balanced assortment". In ''JazzTimes'', Bill B ...

'' (2001) *

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often served ...

– ''Hot'' (1979) *

David Grisman David Grisman (born March 23, 1945) is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music". He founded the record label Acoustic Disc, which issues his recordings and those of other acoustic mu ...

– ''

Quintet '80 ''Quintet '80'' is an album by American musician David Grisman, released in 1980. Track listing # Dawgma # Bow Wow # Barkley's Bug # Sea Of Cortez # Naima (John Coltrane) # Mugavero (John Carlini) # Dawgmatism # Thailand Personnel * ...

'' (1980) *

Massimo Urbani Massimo Urbani (8 May 1957 – 24 June 1993) was an Italian jazz alto saxophonist. He played principally in the bebop style. Life and career Urbani was born in Primavalle, Rome on 8 May 1957, the oldest of five brothers.Bailey, C. Michael (18 ...

– ''Dedications to A.A. & J.C. – Max's Mood'' (1980) *

Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...

– ''

Heart Is a Melody ''Heart is a Melody'' is a live album led by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders recorded in 1982 and released on the Theresa label.

'' (1983) *

Skywalk A skyway, skybridge, skywalk, or sky walkway is an elevated type of pedway connecting two or more buildings in an urban area, or connecting elevated points within mountainous recreational zones. Urban skyways very often take the form of enclos ...

– ''Silent Witness'' (1983) *

David Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received a N ...

and

Richie Beirach Richard Alan Beirach (born 23 May 1947) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Early life Beirach was born in New York City. He initially studied both classical music and jazz. While still attending high school, he took lessons from pianist L ...

– ''Double Edge'' (1985) * Steve Grossman – ''Love Is the Thing'' (1985) *

– '' Blues for Coltrane: A Tribute to John Coltrane'' (1987) *

– ''

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

'' (1987) *

Jamaaladeen Tacuma Jamaaladeen Tacuma (born Rudy McDaniel; June 11, 1956) is an American free jazz bassist born in Hempstead, New York. He was a bandleader on the Gramavision label and worked with Ornette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in Coleman's Pr ...

– ''

Jukebox A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media. The classic jukebox has buttons, with letters and numbers on them, which are used to selec ...

'' (1988) *

Art Ensemble of Chicago The Art Ensemble of Chicago is an avant-garde jazz group that grew out of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians ( AACM) in the late 1960s. The ensemble integrates many jazz styles and plays many instruments, including "little ...

– ''

Dreaming of the Masters Suite ''Dreaming of the Masters Suite: Music Inspired by and Dedicated to John Coltrane'' is an album by the Art Ensemble of Chicago released on the Japanese DIW Records, DIW label. It features performances by Lester Bowie, Joseph Jarman, Roscoe Mitchel ...

'' (1991) *

– ''Crescent with Love'' (1992) *

Joey DeFrancesco Joey DeFrancesco (April 10, 1971August 25, 2022) was an American jazz organist, trumpeter, saxophonist, and occasional singer. He released more than 30 albums under his own name, and recorded extensively as a sideman with such leading jazz perfo ...

– ''Reboppin'' (1992) *

Lonnie Smith Lonnie Smith may refer to: * Lonnie Smith (baseball) (born 1955), American baseball player * Lonnie Smith (boxer) (born 1962), American boxer * Lonnie Smith (organist) (1942–2021), American organist * Lonnie Liston Smith (born 1940), American jaz ...

– ''Afro Blue'' (1993) *

Norman Connors Norman Connors (born March 1, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, and producer who has led a number of influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads. He is pos ...

– ''Remember Who You Are'' (MoJazz) (1993) * David Murray – ''

Windward Passages ''Windward Passages'' is a live album by jazz pianist Dave Burrell that is considered "a widely acclaimed jazz-opera." It was recorded on September 13, 1979 in Sweden and released by hatART Records in 1980 on double-LP. hatART released the album ag ...

'' (with

Dave Burrell Herman Davis "Dave" Burrell (born September 10, 1940) is an American jazz pianist. He has played with many jazz musicians including Archie Shepp, Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown and David Murray. Biography Born in Middletown, Ohio, United Sta ...

, 1993) and ''

Octet Plays Trane ''Octet Plays Trane'' is an album by the David Murray Octet, released in 2000 on Justin Time. The musicians include Murray, Rasul Siddik, Hugh Ragin, Craig Harris, James Spaulding, Ravi Best, D. D. Jackson, Mark Johnson and Jaribu Shahid. The ...

'' (2000) * James Carter – ''

Conversin' with the Elders ''Conversin' with the Elders'' is the fourth album by saxophonist James Carter recorded in late 1995 and early 1996 and released on the Atlantic label.

'' (with

Hamiet Bluiett Hamiet Bluiett (; September 16, 1940 – October 4, 2018) was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer. His primary instrument was the baritone saxophone, and he was considered one of the finest players of this instrument. A membe ...

, 1996) * Thom Rotella – ''Platinum Melodies'' (1996) *

Derek Trucks Band The Derek Trucks Band was an American blues rock group founded by young slide guitar prodigy Derek Trucks, who began playing guitar and touring with some of blues and rock music's elite when he was just nine years old. After experimenting as an ...

– ''

The Derek Trucks Band The Derek Trucks Band was an American blues rock group founded by young slide guitar prodigy Derek Trucks, who began playing guitar and touring with some of blues and rock music's elite when he was just nine years old. After experimenting as an a ...

'' (1997) *

Victor Wooten Victor Lemonte Wooten (born September 11, 1964) is an American bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He has been the bassist for Béla Fleck and the Flecktones since the group's formation in 1988 and a member of the band SMV with two other ...

– '' What Did He Say?'' (1997) * Sonny & Perley, ''East of the Sun'' (2000) *

4hero 4hero are an electronic music group from Dollis Hill, London, comprising producers Mark "Marc Mac" Clair & Denis "Dego" McFarlane. While the band is often cited as ''4 Hero'' or ''4-Hero'', the name is stylised as ''4hero'' on their albums and ...

– 2000 compilation ''The Good Good'' (2000) *

Alex Bugnon Alex Bugnon (born October 10, 1958) is a jazz pianist and composer from Montreux, Switzerland. He is a nephew of Donald Byrd. Bugnon studied at the Paris Conservatory and the Mozart Academy in Salzburg. At age nineteen, he moved to the U.S. and ...

– ''As Promised'' (2000) *

Karrin Allyson Karrin Allyson (pronounced ''KAR-in''; born Karrin Allyson Schoonover on July 27, 1963) is an American jazz vocalist. She has been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has received positive reviews from several prominent sources, including the ' ...

– ''Ballads: Remembering John Coltrane'' (2001) *

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and composer. Hancock started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. He shortly thereafter joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he help ...

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of M ...

, and

Roy Hargrove Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved worldwide acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles ...

– '' Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall'' (2002) * Vato Negro live quartet of

Juan Alderete Juan Alderete de la Peña (born September 5, 1963) is an American musician, best known as the longtime bassist of Racer X, the Mars Volta and Marilyn Manson. Biography Alderete was born in Los Angeles, California the fourth of five children. ...

Adrian Terrazas Adrian is a form of the Latin given name Adrianus or Hadrianus. Its ultimate origin is most likely via the former river Adria from the Venetic and Illyrian word ''adur'', meaning "sea" or "water". The Adria was until the 8th century BC the main ...

Money Mark Mark Ramos Nishita (born February 10, 1960), known professionally as Money Mark, is an American producer and musician, best known for his collaborations with the Beastie Boys from 1992 until 2011. Early life Born in Detroit to a Japanese-Hawai ...

, and

Cedric Bixler Cedric Bixler-Zavala (born November 4, 1974) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of the progressive rock band The Mars Volta and the only constant member of the post-hardcore group At the Drive-In, for which h ...

(2008) *

Lionel Loueke Lionel Loueke (born 27 April 1973) is a guitarist and vocalist born in Benin. He moved to Ivory Coast in 1990 to study at the National Institute of Art. Biography Loueke grew up in what he has described as a family of poor intellectuals in the W ...

– ''Karibu'' (2008) * Kindred Spirits Ensemble – ''Love Is Supreme'' (2009) *

Aidan Baker Aidan Baker (born 1974/75) is a musician from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who has released numerous records both as a solo artist and as part of various side projects, including Nadja, ARC, Caudal and Mnemosyne. He has also written several books ...

– ''Passing Thru'' (2010) *

Royce Campbell Royce Campbell (born June 7, 1952) is a jazz guitarist from Indiana who was a member of the Henry Mancini orchestra for twenty years. Musical career He was born in North Vernon, Indiana. When he was five, his mother married a career Navy man, a ...

– ''Solo Trane'' (2010) *

Jaco Pastorius John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bass guitar, bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1 ...

– in the video ''

Modern Electric Bass John Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III (; December 1, 1951 – September 21, 1987) was an American jazz bass guitar, bassist, composer and producer. He recorded albums as a solo artist and band leader and was a member of Weather Report from 1 ...

'' *

George Benson George Washington Benson (born March 22, 1943) is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He began his professional career at the age of 19 as a jazz guitarist. A former child prodigy, Benson first came to prominence in the 1960s, pla ...

– '' Guitar Man'' (2011) *

Scott Fields Scott Fields (born September 30, 1960 in Chicago, Illinois) is a guitarist, composer, and bandleader. He is best known for blending music that is composed with music that is written and for his modular pieces (see ''48 Motives'', ''96 Gestures'' ...

and Jeffrey Lependorf – ''everything is in the instructions'' (2013) *

Paula Cole Paula Cole (born April 5, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter. After gaining attention for her performances as a vocalist on Peter Gabriel's 1993–1994 Secret World Tour, she released her first album, ''Harbinger (Paula Cole album), Harbing ...

– ''Ballads'' (2017) *

Jesse Fischer Jesse may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jesse (biblical figure), father of David in the Bible. * Jesse (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Jesse (surname), a list of people Music * ''Jesse'' ( ...

– ''Flipped II'' (2018) *

Chrissie Hynde Christine Ellen Hynde (born September 7, 1951) is an American musician. She is a founding member and the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of the rock band the Pretenders, and one of the band's two remaining original members alon ...

with the Valve Bone Woe Ensemble – ''

Valve Bone Woe ''Valve Bone Woe'' is the second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Chrissie Hynde. The album consists entirely of cover versions, and was released on September 6, 2019, by BMG Rights Management. Critical reception ''Valve Bone Woe ...

'' (2019)

Cultural references

* "Naima" is featured in a scene in the 2013 Polish movie ''

Ida Ida or IDA may refer to: Astronomy * Ida Facula, a mountain on Amalthea, a moon of Jupiter *243 Ida, an asteroid *International Docking Adapter, a docking adapter for the International Space Station Computing *Intel Dynamic Acceleration, a techn ...

'', in which the title character is intrigued by the jazz and its player. *

Kamau Brathwaite The Honourable Edward Kamau Brathwaite, CHB (; 11 May 1930 – 4 February 2020), was a Barbadian poet and academic, widely considered one of the major voices in the Caribbean literary canon.Staff (2011)"Kamau Brathwaite." New York University, D ...

's poem "Naima for John Coltrane" was included in the

Poems on the Underground Poems on the Underground (POTU) is a project, started in 1986, to bring poetry to a wider audience by displaying various poems on the London Underground rapid transit network and participating websites. Poems on the Underground displays poems by ...

project.

References

{{Authority control 1959 compositions 1950s jazz standards Compositions by John Coltrane 1950s ballads Jazz compositions in B-flat minor