We are continuing to expand jazzleadsheets.com's Piano Corner with seven newly added songs by four of our great pianists. All but one of these songs have Solo Piano Arrangements. Cecilia Coleman, who celebrated a birthday yesterday (September 8), wrote The Man In The Brown Hat in tribute to Thelonious Monk. It's a quirky medium-up song that accurately captures that unique Monk bounce. In addition to our lead sheets we have a piano lead sheet showing the right-hand voicings on her recording; these are expanded to two hands in Cecilia's Solo Piano Arrangement. Cecilia also wrote an easy solo arrangement for I Deal, a swinging blues head by master hard bop pianist Sonny Clark. Sonny's comping on the in head as well as his solo are available - again transcribed by Cecilia Coleman. These detailed transcriptions are an invaluable resource for exploring the Sonny Clark sound.
From Bertha Hope we have A Wise And Wonderful Book, an appropriately deep ballad; Between Two Kings, which combines ballad and bossa sections, and Da La Senidras ("Sardine Salad" spelled backwards), an angular medium-up song. Bertha's solo piano arrangements are available with exclusive recordings by pianist Glenn Zaleski. Glenn also recorded his own interpretations of Between Two Kings and Da La Senidras; these recordings are available as well. We also have a melody transcription for one of Bertha's two recordings of A Wise And Wonderful Book.
Finally, we have two more by Bertha's first husband, Elmo Hope. Monique (named for Elmo and Bertha's daughter) and Three Silver Quarters are exquisitely beautiful songs, both in slow 3/4 with irregular forms. These songs originally come from Elmo's 1963 album "Sounds From Rikers Island" and were later recorded, combined as a medley, by Bertha with Don Sickler for the 1998 tribute album "Hope Is In The Air." Don's Solo Piano Arrangement of Three Silver Quarters is available but has not yet been recorded.