December 2011
3 posts
new December 28, 2011
If You Could Love Me - Norman Simmons A beautiful Norman Simmons composition, with lyrics by Norman. Sung in a slow Latin tempo by Carmen McRae, later, at different tempos by other vocalists. You can also gain interesting insight into Carmen’s phasing from our vocal transcription of her performance, available separately. Email us (don@secondfloormusic.com) for different keys!
Another great...
new December 16, 2011
Chips - Elmo Hope Stars Over Marrakesh - Elmo Hope
We had a fun Elmo Hope experience in my rehearsal studio a few nights ago. I told pianist/composer Bertha Hope, Elmo’s widow and definitely the leading authority on Elmo’s music, that we needed to get together to play Elmo’s music with two special musicians. Bassist Putter Smith would be in NYC (he lives in California) and...
new to jazzleadsheets.com December 5, 2011
In addition to four new lead sheets (including a melody transcription) and a transcribed solo, jazzleadsheets.com introduces our new Drum Corner with an in-depth look at the artistry of master drummer Philly Joe Jones. Drum Transcription: Philly Joe Jones’ performance on No Room For Squares (the master take). Of course, drum solos are important to drummers, but equally important (if not more...
October 2011
1 post
October 15, 2011 ballads and more
I’m a sucker for a great ballad, and this time three out of the five new compositions on jazzleadsheets are exactly that, ballads. They’re written by three great pianists, from three different generations, who are all known for their sensitivity as artists. It’s not surprising that the music is wonderful. I encourage everyone to check out our audio excerpts.
Because the excerpts...
June 2011
1 post
New June 17, 2011
NEWS from jazzleadsheets.com June 17, 2011
We get quite a few orders from European musicians. European artists have certainly contributed greatly to the jazz world over the years, so I decided it would be fun to bring you two Belgian artists/composers from different generations, Bobby Jaspar and Jeanfrançois Prins.
Flute Bob by Belgian-born flutist Bobby Jaspar, who was active in the 1950s and...
May 2011
2 posts
Five new composers May 28, 2011
As I’m sure you’ve been able to see, we publish for a lot of great composers. This week we’re adding five new ones to jazzleadsheets.com. Except for Eddie Costa, who died five years before I got to New York, I’ve had the honor of knowing them personally.
Of these additions, guitarist Chuck Wayne was the first on the jazz scene. He emerged in the early 1940s and contributed...
new May titles (#1)
Dexter Gordon’s Le Coiffeur, a title with echoes of 1950s TV, but hipper
Ronnie Mathews’ Dorian, an exploration of the dorian mode, along with Ronnie’s solo piano arrangement
Basheer’s Dream by Gigi Gryce, from Kenny Dorham’s Afro-Cuban album
Sound Within An Empty Room, a beautiful ballad by Fritz Pauer, played by Art Farmer and Pauer. Pauer’s solo piano...
April 2011
1 post
finally, new music! April 2011
Una Mas - Kenny Dorham - A Kenny Dorham classic. Lead sheets and second parts from his Blue Note recording (complete with shout chorus). Also, solo piano arrangement by Ronnie Mathews.
Only You - Kenny Drew - A beautiful ballad that pianist Kenny Drew also recorded later at a medium swing tempo. Check out his original chord voicings.
A Night In Barcelona - Harold Land - A medium bossa with an...
February 2011
2 posts
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...
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...
January 2011
3 posts
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...
1/21/11 new from jazzleadsheets
Ronnie Mathews’ medium swing waltz Lament For Love. This composition was recorded as a trio by Ronnie in 1992, but the MP3 versions currently available for download are from two other CDs: Roy Hargrove’s “Family,” and Louis Hayes’ “Blue Lou.” Get Ronnie’s solo piano arrangement, too.
Ode To An Earth Girl by Bill Barron—a beautiful complex...
new titles January 6, 2011
For our first composition by tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, we’re bringing you Sweet Sucker, which he wrote for himself and trombonist Bennie Green to play on Bennie’s “Glidin’ Along” recording for Jazzland in 1961. Vocalist and lyricist Judy Niemack loved the instrumental, and wrote and recorded a lyric version which we’re also making available...
December 2010
3 posts
12/29/10 new from jazzleadsheets.com
Prince Albert - Kenny Dorham A classic melody by Kenny Dorham based on the chord progression of the standard All The Things You Are, plus classic solos (transcribed) by Kenny Dorham and Hank Mobley from the classic Blue Note recording of the then-new quintet ready to explode on the scene in 1955. The Jazz Messengers, with Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Blakey on drums.
...
12/17/10 jazzleadsheets.com additions
B’s A Plenty - Elmo Hope This is another great Elmo composition, the opening track on his classic 1959 Elmo Hope Trio album. We’re not really sure what the title means. However, a few nights ago I saw Bertha Hope while I was performing at the Jazz Standard. Bertha’s not sure, but during the period when B’s A-Plenty was written, Elmo was naming quite a few of his titles for...
Two new composers 12/10/10
—- Jackleg - Jack Wilson, Jr. If you aren’t familiar with Jack Wilson, Jr., listen to our audio excerpt. There’s only a small handful of jazz pianists with technique like Jack! This isn’t his only side, and we’ll be exploring more of his great compositions in the near future. For now, check out his dexterity at the keyboard and try his composition for yourself....
three new composers
Hello, music fans. For this week’s jazzleadsheets.com releases, I decided it would be fun to compare compositions by two gifted pianist/composers from Second Floor Music. The compositions start out with some definite similarities, but develop very differently. A TOUCHING AFFAIR by James Williams (first recorded in 1984) vs. FLAMANDS by Don Friedman (first recorded in 1995) —- melodic...
November 2010
2 posts
pre-Thanksgiving jazzleadsheets.com additions
The Breakdown - Hank Mobley Last Saturday (November 13), I was trying to decide what to put on jazzleadsheets.com next. We have so many great Hank Mobley titles to choose from. Then I realized it was the 50th anniversary of Hank’s “Roll Call” album (recorded November 13, 1960), so it was easy for me to pick “The Breakdown” (lead sheets and Hank’s transcribed...
June 2010
1 post
New titles and composers at jazzleadsheets.com!
Enjoy the music of two new composers, both pianists and well-known jazz artists. Composer and pianist Don Friedman and a trio composition, Almost Everything, based on the changes of the standard “All The Things You Are.” C treble clef, B-flat, E-flat and C bass clef editions are available, as well as Friedman’s own solo piano arrangement. Richard Wyands, also a composer and...
March 2010
1 post
Jazzleadsheets is back! March 3, 2010
Thanks for being patient with our absence from the scene. Unfortunately, due to problems beyond our control, we had to shut down during the last month to solve some technical problems. Now we’re back on the web bigger (by 5 new titles) and better! We have new additions this week and we’re preparing to add several more important compositions next week. The Waiting Game (Tina Brooks)...
January 2010
2 posts
50th anniversary titles & more
This week marks the 50th anniversary of two great recording sessions for Riverside Records. On January 11, 1960, Julian Priester recorded his “Keep Swingin’” album, and on January 13 and 14, Bobby Timmons recorded his trio date “This Here Is Bobby Timmons.” These 50th anniversary sessions were also each artist’s first album as leaders. The End by Julian Priester...
5 new titles, with alto sax, trumpet and piano...
Nica’s Tempo is a significant Gigi Gryce composition that he revisited several times during his career. We’ve posted lead sheets for two different quintet arrangements by Gigi that were recorded almost 5 years apart, and I’ve explained some important differences between the two. Melody and second parts are available for both. Also, Gryce’s and Farmer’s solos are...
December 2009
2 posts
2 solos and a new Harold Land composition
In the week before Christmas, check out two new transcribed solos for one of Gigi Gryce’s most popular compositions, Social Call. Learn Art Farmer’s trumpet solo and Gigi’s alto sax solo. C treble clef editions for both, as well as E-flat and B-flat for Gigi’s solo, and B-flat for Art’s. This is the first Gigi Gryce solo on jazzleadsheets.com. More coming soon. The...
West Coast and East Coast
West Coast bassist Curtis Counce’s album “Landslide” is represented by two compositions, one by pianist Carl Perkins, Mia, and one by pianist Gerald Wiggins A Fifth For Frank. The album, if you don’t have it, is available from the Concord Music Group (also individual tracks). Plus, we’ve posted a second version of the Wiggins title, as recorded by Cal Tjader (also...
November 2009
3 posts
Two new composers plus one new Kenny Drew Jr....
Composer/pianist Kirk Nurock’s first contribution is a vocal ballad set to poetry by Emily Dickinson, Will There Really Be A Morning? The first released recording, by Nurock’s Quartet and vocalist Theo Bleckmann, is available only on jazzleadsheets.com. Austrian pianist and composer Fritz Pauer and his first composition here, Passos, recorded by Art Farmer on his Mirage album. Art...
two new composers this week
Pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., an inventive virtuoso with a modern sound and style, and trumpeter Bill Hardman, one of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the 1950s and ’60s, with a groovy Latin offering.
Two more great Ronnie Mathews titles from his Doin’ The Thang recording.
Another addition in our two versions series (like Filide last week), a Tom McIntosh composition with two...
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
New this week: This week we start something new. Two different arrangements of the same composition. Scroll down to see “Description” and “Historical Notes” for each recording as well as to hear a sample of each. Ray Draper - Filide Two different Ray Draper arrangements. One is a quintet recording with John Coltrane. The second is a piano-less Max Roach quintet recording (3...