Edgar Sampson, music · Andy Razaf, lyrics · First recorded by Chick Webb's orchestra in 1934
Stompin' at the Savoy
Stompin' at the Savoy is a 1934 swing tune by Edgar Sampson, named for the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem. The A sections stay close to D♭, and the bridge moves through a chain of dominant chords. You will hear it from swing bands, piano soloists, tenor players and singers such as Ella Fitzgerald.
The path starts with Chick Webb's 1934 record and Benny Goodman's quartet, in the studio and at Carnegie Hall. It then follows the tune through Charlie Christian's guitar, Erroll Garner's trio, Art Pepper's alto, Gene Ammons's tenor and Zoot Sims live in London.
“Stomping at the Savoy”, Single, with “Why Should I Beg for Love”
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Listen for
The whole orchestra plays the tune from the start. Wikipedia notes that the tenor saxophone hits a wrong note after the introduction.
Try this
Play the melody along with the record. Then play the A-section chords under the band, one per bar: D♭maj7 for four bars, then E♭m7, A♭7, D♭6, and E♭m7 A♭7. Leave out the quick passing chords at first.
“Stompin' at the Savoy (Take 2)”, Victor 25521 single
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Listen for
With only four players, each part is easy to follow: clarinet, piano, vibraphone and drums.
Try this
Play the melody. Then play the A-section chords under the band, one per bar: D♭maj7 for four bars, then E♭m7, A♭7, D♭6, and E♭m7 A♭7. Leave out the quick passing chords at first.
Guitar, piano, bass and drums play for about eight minutes, so you can follow the guitar through many choruses.
Try this
Play the A-section chords under the record for one chorus, one chord per bar. Transcribing the guitar solo takes more skill, so for a smaller task, follow the record with the bridge and say when it begins.
4 more, from 1936 to 1957. Tap a cover to play it here.
1930sBenny Goodman1936
1940s
1950sArt Tatum1953
Coleman Hawkins & His All Star Jam Band1954
Ella Fitzgerald with the Oscar Peterson Trio1957 · Bebop
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra
1936
Victor 25247 single
Goodman's first commercial release of the tune used his full orchestra on Victor 25247, recorded January 24, 1936, and it sold better than Webb's record.
The tune has 32 bars in four sections of eight, A A B A, in D♭ major. Each A section sits on D♭maj7, with a quick A♭7 at the end of bar 2 and a passing D°7 at the end of bar 4, then runs E♭m7, A♭7 and D♭6 to close. The bridge is a chain of dominant chords that move up by fourths, two bars each: G♭7, B7, E7 and A7. The first three each pass through the chord a half step above. A7 slides down to A♭7, which leads back to D♭ for the last A. Wikipedia writes the bridge chords as ninths and thirteenths, so players differ on the extensions.