Chimes blues – Free Jazz Lead Sheet
C Major – King Oliver 1923
Composed by King oliver, Chimes blues is a classic in the 20's style. Many great lines can be lifted of the recordings featuring double trumpets with King Oliver and Louis Armstrong.
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Support the projectAbout this song:
Chimes Blues, recorded in 1923 by King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band featuring Louis Armstrong, is a foundational early New Orleans jazz blues. This free online lead sheet reflects its classic 12-bar structure, ensemble interplay, and signature chime-like piano effects.
View this lead sheet online to study authentic collective improvisation and traditional-jazz phrasing.
About the composer: King Oliver
Joseph Nathan "King" Oliver (1881–1938) was an American jazz cornet player and bandleader known for his innovative use of mutes and pioneering role in New Orleans jazz. His band, the Dixie Syncopators, helped popularize the Dixieland style, and his compositions, including "Dippermouth Blues," remain influential. He mentored Louis Armstrong and shaped the early jazz sound.
Musical strucutre and form
This song has 2 parts with different harmonies following the horn lines and is heavily blues inspired.
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