Bemsha Swing is a compact jazz tune co written by Thelonious Monk and drummer Denzil Best. It was first recorded in 1952 by Monk with Gary Mapp on bass and Max Roach on drums, and released in 1953 on Thelonious Monk Trio. The canonical version appears on the 1957 album Brilliant Corners, with Monk backed by Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Paul Chambers, and Roach on timpani. The melody and harmony show Monk’s playful approach to blues and harmony, blending major and minor elements in a 24 bar form that feels like two thirds of a blues, with unusual chords and an unresolved cadence. It has become a beloved standard with many covers, including Miles Davis with Monk in 1954, Cecil Taylor in 1957, and Don Cherry with John Coltrane in 1960, illustrating its enduring influence in jazz.
