Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Moanin’ Piano Sheet Music

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Moanin’ is a song composed by pianist Bobby Timmons and first recorded by the Jazz Messengers in 1958. The song became one of the band’s most popular pieces and has been recorded by many other artists.

Introduction

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers was a jazz band founded by Art Blakey in 1955. The group was originally known as the “Bluenote Seven”, after the recording label Blue Note Records, for which they recorded their first album. As the group’s personnel changed over the years, they became known as “The Jazz Messengers”. The band was particularly notable for its string of talented musicians who went on to successful careers as bandleaders and sidemen.

Moanin’ is a composition by pianist Bobby Timmons, one of the band’s regular members in its early years. It was first recorded by the Jazz Messengers in 1959 and released on their album Moanin’. The piece quickly became one of the band’s signature tunes and has since been recorded by many other artists.

About the Song

“Moanin'” is a jazz standard composed by Bobby Timmons and first recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1958. The tune quickly became a jazz standard and has been recorded by a wide variety of artists.

History

The song was commonly played at a fast “blues” tempo in its early years, but by the 1960s it was often played faster, at a medium or up-tempo pace. “Moanin'” has been recorded many times since its inception, and it is considered a jazz standard.

The tune is built on a minor blues progression with a recurring stop-time figure on the dominant chord. The melody makes use of several jazz elements such as the blue note and the bebop scale. The main theme is stated twice by the horns in unison before handing off to Art Blakey’s drums, which play a solo based on the melody. The horns then state the main theme again before improvising on the chord changes. After another drum solo, each instrument takes a turn improvising over the form before Blakey brings the piece to a close with his trademark commentary on the form.

Composition

“Moanin'” is a jazz composition by pianist Bobby Timmons, first recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on January 7, 1959. The piece quickly became a jazz standard, having been performed by many notable artists since its inception.

The composition has a moderate tempo and is written in the key of F minor. It features a call-and-response format between the horns and rhythm section, with the former playing the melody and the latter playing an accompanying figure. The melody is based on the “blues scale”, with occasional chromaticism. The horn arrangement was written by Benny Golson.

The Jazz Messengers

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers was a jazz band formed in 1955 by Art Blakey. The band was originally composed of Blakey, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Kenny Dorham, and Doug Watkins. The band went through many lineup changes over the years, but they are best known for their recordings with Silver, Mobley, and Dorham.

Members

Art Blakey – drums

Wynton Kelly – piano
Paul Chambers – bass
Lee Morgan – trumpet
Benny Golson – tenor saxophone

Recordings

The Jazz Messengers were a jazz combo established in 1955 by Art Blakey. The group was originally composed of Horace Silver (piano), Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone), Kenny Dorham (trumpet), and Doug Watkins (bass). The band went through many iterations over the years with Blakey serving as the only constant member. Notable members of the group include Wynton Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton, and Keith Jarrett.

The Jazz Messengers were known for their hard-driving, swinging style and for their extended improvisations. They recorded extensively for Blue Note Records in the 1950s and 1960s, producing such classic albums as Moanin’ (1958) and Blakey’s Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk (1957). The group continued to tour and record into the 21st century, although Blakey passed away in 1990.

Piano Sheet Music

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Moanin’ is a song written by Bobby Timmons and recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers in 1958. This tune has been a jazz standard and has been recorded by many other artists. Piano sheet music for Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Moanin’ is available below.

Arrangements

Piano solo arrangements of the classic jazz standard “Moanin'” as performed by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. The arrangements are written at an intermediate level, and include chord symbols, walking bass lines and improvised solos.

Printable PDFs

Here you can find high-quality piano sheet music for “Moanin'” by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. The PDF files can be downloaded and printed or you can view the sheet music online.

The sheet music is available in two versions: a standard version and an easy version. The standard version is suitable for intermediate to advanced pianists, while the easy version is suitable for beginners.