daveandersonjazz

Original Sheet Music

I have a growing cataglog of over 40 original compositions for jazz performance. Below are some free samples for you to view, print, save or play.

All you need is free Adobe Acrobat Reader to see these PDFs. Parts are in Concert key (C) unless other instruments are noted, using jazz "lead sheet" format (melody and chord changes). Enjoy!

New! Several new tunes have been added as part of a Student promotion from my quartet performances.

Song	Form	Style	Sheet Music	Audio Sample	Comment
Blues for Chas	"Bird" blues	bebop	lead sheet	not yet	Blues for Chas is the result of composing with restrictions. I set out to dedicate a song to my grandfather, Charlie, using the "Bird blues" chord progression of another famous Charlie (Parker). Sitting at the piano, I also tried to reference two of my grandfather's favorite melodies, Sibelius' "Finlandia" (first three measures) and an old waltze called "Melody of Love" (not recognizable in the final tune). I added a coda with slash chords that remind me of "Chas" strongly singing bass notes in church on Sunday mornings. The chord progression is identical to Parker's "Blues for Alice" except that this one uses a IV major chord in measure five instead of a dominant-seven.
Lost City	16-bar	ballad	score	not yet	Lost City was first performed after a very impactful trip to Leningrad when that city was in a state of decay from government neglect (today it has been returned to its prior name, "St. Petersburg"). Years later I updated the chord changes and added lyrics for a vocal part.
Resurgence	32-bar AABA	post-bop	lead sheet	not yet	The line for Resurgence came one day when I picked up the tenor sax after a long layoff from playing. It was one of those days when it feels good to play. The bridge melody was added much later to "finish" the tune.
Free	double-length blues	post-bop	lead sheet w/ ending and harmony part	Available here	People enjoy blowing on this one -- the sus chords and double-length form give this a free blowing feel.
Juror #2	16-bar AABC	post-bop	arrangement	not yet	Sometimes the simplest tunes turn out the best, another tune people seem to like improvising over.
Troubled Angel	mixed	mixed	score	not yet	Starts dirge-like, acclerates into a fast solo section, ends where it started.
One for Vienna	10-bar	?	lead sheet with ending	not yet	This is a 12-tone tune (melody based on a row of 12-non-repeating chromatic tones), melody repeats in retrograde (backwards). The chords seek to minimize the dissonance in the melody and provide a platform for improvising (solos move to 4/4 time).
Osbyan Osbyan - bass part	16-bar AABA	avant-garde	bass and piano parts	Available here	Tune in 6/4 with a bridge. The ostinato bass line reminded me of something Greg Osby would play. I don't think this tune is that weird, but musicians keep calling it "avant garde".
44 Dunfield	32-bar AABA	bebop	lead sheet w/ into and ending	not yet	This tune is a "contrafact" (a new musical composition built out of an already existing one) based on the chord changes to Dizzy Gillespie's Woody 'n You.