Doxy is an early jazz composition by Sonny Rollins, recorded in 1954 with Miles Davis for the 10-inch album Miles Davis with Sonny Rollins and later included on Bags’ Groove (1957). The original session features Miles Davis on trumpet, Rollins on tenor sax, Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. The tune’s harmony borrows from Bob Carleton’s 16-bar Ja-Da, and Doxy has since become a jazz standard that is frequently performed and recorded. There is some debate about its origin, with some sources saying Rollins wrote it during a stopover in England on a European tour, while others state that Rollins did not tour England until 1959. The title is described as a double entendre, referring to sacred and profane, and the name is linked to the Greek doxa meaning a form of partial knowledge. Doxy is associated with hard bop and is in B flat major; Sonny Rollins later named his own label Doxy Records. It is widely regarded as a compact, improvisation friendly vehicle and is often recommended for beginners and jam sessions.
