"Mr. P.C." is a twelve-bar jazz piece in minor blues form, composed by

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and rai ...

in 1959. The song is named in tribute to the

bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gu ...

player

Paul Chambers Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr. (April 22, 1935 – January 4, 1969) was an American jazz double bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, he has become one of the most widely-known jazz bassists of the hard bop era. H ...

, who had accompanied Coltrane for years. It first appeared on the album ''

Giant Steps ''Giant Steps'' is the fifth studio album by jazz musician John Coltrane as leader. It was released in February 1960 on Atlantic Records. This was his first album as leader for Atlantic Records, with which he had signed a new contract the previou ...

'' where it was played with a fast swing feel. Coltrane researcher

Lewis Porter Lewis Robert Porter (born May 14, 1951) is an American jazz pianist, composer, author, and educator. Education and career Porter was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, but raised primarily in the Bronx in New York City. Porter decided at age 10 that ...

has written about the composition's relationship to the melody of the 1931 popular song " Shadrack" by Robert MacGimsey, which is itself believed to be based on earlier folk songs. Saxophonist

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as ...

recorded "Shadrack" in 1951 for his Sonny Rollins Quartet 10" album, and Louis Armstrong can be seen singing "Shadrack" in the 1951 film The Strip.

Form and changes

"Mr PC" is a 12 bar minor blues. It has these chord changes: :, , : Cmin7 , Cmin7 , Cmin7 Bb/C Cmin7 , Cmin7 (C7) , , :, , Fmin7 , Fmin7 , Cmin7 Bb/C Cmin7 , Cmin7 , , :, , Ab7 , G9 , Cmin7 Bb/C Cmin7 , Cmin7 :, ,

Cover versions

"Mr. PC" has been

covered Cover or covers may refer to: Packaging * Another name for a lid * Cover (philately), generic term for envelope or package * Album cover, the front of the packaging * Book cover or magazine cover ** Book design ** Back cover copy, part of ...

by: *

Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Lambert, Hendricks & Ross were an American vocalese trio formed by jazz vocalists Dave Lambert (American jazz vocalist), Dave Lambert, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross. From 1962 to 1964, Ross was replaced by vocalist Yolande Bavan. History The grou ...

on ''

The Hottest New Group in Jazz ''The Hottest New Group in Jazz'', also known by its full title ''Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross!: "The Hottest New Group in Jazz"'' or alternatively considered self-titled, is the fourth album by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, released in 1960. The titl ...

'' (1960) *

Derek Trucks Derek Trucks (born June 8, 1979) is an American guitarist, songwriter, and founder of The Derek Trucks Band. He became an official member of The Allman Brothers Band in 1999. In 2010, he formed the Tedeschi Trucks Band with his wife, blues s ...

on ''

The Derek Trucks Band The Derek Trucks Band was an American blues rock group founded by young slide guitar prodigy Derek Trucks, who began playing guitar and touring with some of blues and rock music's elite when he was just nine years old. After experimenting as an ...

'' (1997) * Free Radicals (band) on ''Our Lady of Eternal Sunny Delights (album)'' (2000) *

Rahsaan Roland Kirk Rahsaan Roland Kirk (born Ronald Theodore Kirk; August 7, 1935Kernfeld, Barry.Kirk, Roland" ''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'', 2nd ed. Ed. Barry Kernfeld. ''Grove Music Online''. ''Oxford Music Online''. Retrieved February 1, 2009-. "The year ...

with

Jon Hendricks John Carl Hendricks (September 16, 1921 – November 22, 2017), known professionally as Jon Hendricks, was an American jazz lyricist and singer. He is one of the originators of vocalese, which adds lyrics to existing instrumental songs and r ...

on ''The Man Who Cried Fire'' (2002, recorded 1970s) * Eric Johnson on '' Europe Live'' (2014)

References

{{Authority control 1959 compositions 1950s jazz standards Compositions by John Coltrane