Jazz lead sheet · Intermediate
Basin Street Blues
A Dixieland standard built on a 12-bar blues with a rocking I–IV–I opening.
- Composer
- Spencer Williams
- Form
- 12-bar blues
- Key
- B♭ major
- Style
- Dixieland
- Length
- 12 bars
BluesB♭ major
I6B♭ Ionian
IV7E♭ Mixolydian
I6B♭ Ionian
V7F Mixolydian
I6B♭ Ionian
IV7E♭ Mixolydian
I6B♭ Ionian
V7F Mixolydian
I7B♭ Mixolydian
IV7E♭ Mixolydian
I6B♭ Ionian
V7F Mixolydian
I6B♭ Ionian
For students
What to notice
- The first eight bars rock between B♭6 and E♭7, the I and IV chords.
- F7 in bar 4 is the V7; it and B♭6 keep trading to set up the middle of the form.
- B♭7 in bar 9 is I7, which leads to E♭7 before F7 turns the form back to the top.
Practice plan
Three steps to improvising
- Keep a bright two-beat feel: roots on 1 and 3, chords on 2 and 4.
- Play the guide tones and listen for the half-step moves.
- Improvise plainly with the B♭ blues scale, leaving space between phrases.
For teachers
Using this chart in class
- Project the chart with Play along running and loop one section while students find the guide tones.
- Choose Practice → Name the numerals for a whole-class quiz: students vote, then reveal the explanation.
- Mixed ensemble? Print the worksheet once per transposition: B♭, E♭, F and bass clef parts all line up bar for bar.
- Share a link: the key, instrument and view you choose are saved in the address bar.
Chord changes are common performance versions written out by Music Theory Lessons. No melodies or lyrics are reproduced. Names of songs and composers are used only to identify each tune.