quintet

• A better jazzleadsheets.com is coming. Stay tuned.

  We’ve grown so much over the last few years that our current website literally can’t handle us anymore: we can’t add any new composers or albums! So we’re keeping our fingers crossed that March will be the month we can unveil the new look and features of the new jazzleadsheets.com. The expanded and enriched new site has been close to three years in the making, and while it’s been a long road, the final product will be worth the wait.

  Fortunately, we still have more great charts from albums and composers that are already on our current site, so here are seven new additions.

  LUCKY THOMPSON: N R #1
  An angular blues with an unusual form, this quirky Lucky Thompson piece is pure fun. The melody twists through the blues scale in unexpected patterns, creating a memorable, modern sound. Sleek and sophisticated.

  LUCKY THOMPSON: N R #2
  The unusual name of this piece and N R #1 might imply that the two go together, but you’ll hear that they couldn’t be more different. It has a classic sound with Lucky’s charming melodic style. Lead sheets and second parts available.

  VALERY PONOMAREV: Mirage
  A contrast in snappy, punctuated riffs and long, lyrical lines. The striking interplay of the bold A theme and the soft B theme creates appealing drama. Lead sheets and second parts available.

  KENNY DREW, JR.: Passionata
  An evocative, masterful bossa which evolved from a manuscript fragment by Kenny Drew, Sr.,  completed by his son. We’re featuring two different clips of this tender bossa, both from the same album: one is Kenny Drew Jr.’s opening trio rendition and the other is his album-closing version with strings.

  NORMAN SIMMONS: Good Humors
  A laid-back, supremely cool swing from Norman Simmons. The call-and-response between the persistent groove in the rhythm section and the contrasting melody in the horns creates a great conversation. Lead sheets and second parts available.

  STEVE NELSON: For Wes
  A beautiful ballad dedicated to quitarist Wes Montgomery, from composer/vibist Steve Nelson. He performs the solo section with a double time feel a la Wes Montgomery. Wistful and heartfelt, the melody of this ballad is simply gorgeous.

  VALERY PONOMAREV: Means Of Identification
  Another Valery Ponomarev piece to expand your repertoire! This brassy piece is in 3/4 and combines hard-bop vocabulary and a hint of Latin influence. Valery sets a bright horn melody over a rich rhythmic background.

  Check out our new charts today!

• Add some fall spice to your repertoire with these charts.

  Hey jazz lovers,

  Have you missed us? We know it’s been a while! We’ve been hard at work putting together the beautiful new website. Soon, it will be easier than ever to find the music you love and to discover new gems you never knew you were missing.

  Until then, we’ve got some great compositions by some fantastic composers to tide you over until the new site goes live.

  LUCKY THOMPSON: Little Tenderfoot
  Looking for that perfectly classic sound? After an A section melody over rhythm changes, this charming, cheerful head takes some harmonic detours. The familiar changes make it a breeze to solo over and Lucky Thompson’s impeccable melodic writing is not only lovely to hear, but great fun to play.

  ROY HARGROVE: Ballad For The Children
  From the Grammy award-winning album HABANA, this Latin ballad is deeply emotional. Try the lead sheet on its own or get the full transcription of everything this jazz superstar plays — both the melody and the solo! Learn ballad phrasing from Roy Hargrove himself by studying exactly what he does.

  STEVE NELSON: Kirk’s New Delight'
  Go on a musical journey with Steve Nelson. Kirk’s New Delight is a laid back swing with a melody that tells a story through its developing melodic themes. A little extra flair comes from Steve’s embellishments on the melody, which we’ve included on all editions of the lead sheets.

  GRANT STEWART: Cyclops
  Angular and unflinching, Cyclops is equal parts bebop and modern jazz. Grant Stewart peppers the melody with #11ths and major sevenths that delight the ear. The harmonic progression is easy to pick up, which makes this a great choice to work on soloing over chord extensions.

  VALERY PONOMAREV: Fifteenth Round
  Don’t miss this explosive powerhouse! Your audience will be rapt with toe-tapping attention after the first line of this hard-bop infused quintet. We’ve made the second parts available as well as a concert condensed score for rhythm section players.

  Don’t settle for standards. Try something new at jazzleadsheets.com.

• new jazzleadsheets 2/21/11

  C.F.D. - Jack Wilson
  An exciting quartet piece (with vibes) that would be great for horns - technical but swinging - by the extremely elegant and meticulous West Coast pianist Jack Wilson. First and second parts.

  Fox Hunt - Bill Barron
  Recorded fifty years ago this month! Take a minute to explore the complexities and inner strengths of Bill Barron’s composition.

  Hipsippy Blues - Hank Mobley
  Everyone can enjoy this—swinging with the Jazz Messengers “live” at Birdland, “The Jazz Corner of the World.” Another Hank Mobley classic.

  Mo Is On - Elmo Hope
  Classic uptempo Elmo Hope. Recorded by Elmo’s trio, in 1953, on their first jazz trio recording together. In 1948 this same trio (Percy Heath on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums) recorded as the rhythm section for Joe Morris’ R&B group. Challenging, but also great for horn players.

  Why Not? - Johnny Griffin
  Composer/saxophonist Johnny Griffin’s experiment in sound: 2 basses, tenor sax, French Horn, drums. Why Not? First and second parts. Another 50th Anniversary recording. French Horn players - there’s a part for you!

  I hope you enjoy these.
  Don Sickler

• Two new composers: Mal Waldron and Gene Roland

  Mood Malody by Mal Waldron
  This is the first Mal Waldron composition on jazzleadsheets.com. It was recorded by Mal on piano, on what was Jackie McLean’s first album as a leader, with a young Donald Byrd on trumpet in the front line. As far as we can determine, it’s Mal’s first recorded jazz composition. Melody and second parts available.

  Rat Race Blues by Gigi Gryce
  This composition definitely brings to mind the tension and discord of modern life in a big city. Although the melody starts out simply, it is eventually played simultaneously by three instruments, each in a different key. Gigi expanded the composition into a larger form for a film project, and it became the soundtrack of a prize-winning film. See details on jazzleadsheets.com.

  Same To You by Johnny Griffin
  A playful Johnny Griffin title that gives you a good technical workout. It was recorded by an unusual ensemble: tenor sax, drums, and two basses, on Johnny’s “Change Of Pace” album. This album is having its 50th anniversary this month.

  Good Old Soul by Tina Brooks
  We feel it’s very important that everyone has the opportunity to buy the original track. This arrangement appears twice (with an added alternate take) on the original Blue Note session, but they’re both long tracks. At iTunes, you have to get the whole album. Amazon makes longer takes available, so I’ve now added this arrangement to jazzleadsheets.com along with the other two shorter Tina Brooks compositions that we already have online. “True Blue” is a great album, played by an important cast of jazz artists assisting Tina Brooks: Freddie Hubbard, Duke Jordan, Sam Jones and Art Taylor.
  Latin bridge, swing solos. Great to play. Second parts available.

  Opus In Chartreuse by Gene Roland
  We have the honor of publishing quite a few Gene Roland gems. Opus In Chartreuse was an important mainstay of the Stan Kenton band. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to see this master, Gene Roland, at work, doing what he did best, which was write music. I can’t remember who called me, or exactly when it was, but it had to be sometime in the 1970s. I was living in New York, in the theater district, and I got a call to make a rehearsal band. When I arrived I was introduced to Gene Roland, who handed out a few charts, and we rehearsed. I knew who Gene was, and I knew he was a trumpet player, but at this rehearsal he also played tenor sax. After the rehearsal, we were asked if we could make another rehearsal in a week, and we all agreed to come back. The following week, to my utter amazement, Gene passed out a whole book, 20 or 30 complete arrangements for the band. It wasn’t a full big band, but there were seven or eight horns and rhythm section. Gene had not only written the entire book of arrangements that week, but he’d also written out all the parts himself. I was blown away!

  Enjoy the music.
  Don Sickler

• end-of-January music from jazzleadsheets

  Click on the links to get more info and to hear the music.

  Bevan’s Birthday - Tadd Dameron
  Another Tadd Dameron composition from the famous Magic Touch album - a lilting melody enhanced by Tadd’s complex harmonies that starts Latin and then goes into swing.

  Early Bird - Carl Perkins
  An easy-going and fun swinger from the talented, unfortunately short-lived composer/pianist Carl Perkins.

  Hank’s Tune - Hank Mobley
  Recorded by Horace Silver, with Hank on tenor and Donald Byrd on trumpet.

  Splittin’ - Ray Bryant
  Three different C treble clef lead sheets for a very popular Ray Bryant title: two from trio recordings where Ray was the pianist, and the third from a quintet recording with Hank Jones on piano. Melody and second parts for horns.

  Transition Blues - Hank Mobley
  Hank Mobley’s tribute to the Transition label finally gets the correct title. Check the Historical Notes to read about it.

  Thanks!
  Don Sickler

5 Items