"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.
Coltrane recorded "Naima" numerous times. "Naima" also appears on The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Recordings, The Complete Copenhagen Concert, Afro-Blue Impressions, Live at the Village Vanguard Again!, among other albums. "Naima" has since become a jazz standard.
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
♯ 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 ‖
"Naima" has been covered by many other musicians including:
David Grisman on Quintet '80. (1980)
Archie Shepp on Four For Trane (1964)
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.
Joey DeFrancesco on "Reboppin'" (1992)
Lonnie Smith – Afro Blue (1993)
David Murray – with Dave Burrell, on Windward Passages (1993) and on Octet Plays Trane (2000)
James Carter – with Hamiet Bluiett, on Conversin' With The Elders (1996)
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)
Les Double Six - "The Double Six of Paris: Swingin' Singin'" (1962)
George Benson – Guitar Man (2011)
Kindred Spirits Ensemble – Love Is Supreme (2009)
