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By not quite popular demand, I am reviving this study group.
To paraphrase Peter/Pamosmusic's introduction in his first thread.....
We will be working on Moose the Mooche. We'll be covering four measures a week, and we'll discuss: fingerings, articulation, vocabulary, etc.
In other words, it will be a....
Here are the threads for the previous tunes we covered in this study group:
Bebop heads: Donna Lee
Bebop heads: Scrapple From the Apple
Bebop heads: Dewey Square
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03-14-2026 01:18 PM
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Here's a lead sheet from the Jazz Fake book, appears to agree with the Omnibook and Real Book charts but I have not compared it to the recording:
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Anyone have an elegant fingering/sweep for that first triplet?
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Some form of sweep picking, choose your poison - same challenge an octave higher.
First version could be up~up~up~down rather than down~up~up~down. Second one is a pull-off from Bb to G or same approach as version #1 if you'd rather pick every note.
If you want to go country, it is: Bb (G string) > G open string > Eb (D string) > C (A string), hammer them all on - works on my Tele, but probably only in this key.Last edited by Mick-7; 03-14-2026 at 03:36 PM.
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Yeah, I can’t get that fingering over 110bpm. If that’s what works for you I’ll keep hamming away.
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The posted chart is pretty good. A few things missed - the phrase in bar 7 kicks off with an Ab rather than Bb and the arpeggio in bar 12 is from the 3rd rather than the root.
This is a Parker head that I like playing up the octave to bring out its angular quality. Choice of register can be an issue with Bird's tunes as he played alto whereas tenor sits much closer to the guitar range. With Dexterity for instance, guitarists often transpose the bridge up or play the tune in F.
Anyway, here's my chart and a recording from a few years ago:
Last edited by PMB; 03-14-2026 at 11:21 PM.
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When I sweep pick arpeggios I just drag the pick up or down the strings, so it's a relaxed motion. Trying to pick the notes makes it more difficult - it's kind of a zen thing.
Originally Posted by AllanAllen
Bird doesn't play the bottom note C in the Cm7 arpeggio in this live recording, which would make it easier on the guitar - or not, because the tempo is faster, Miles wasn't there to slow him down.
Last edited by Mick-7; 03-14-2026 at 09:16 PM.
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It's the hardest bit of the head, IMO. Originally Posted by AllanAllen
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Well, that’s a relatively awkward piece of music to play on the guitar. Also, awkward to play in G (out of the Eb book). Good practice.
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This version is incredible in terms of speed and dexterity. Most lines in Parker's solos over the 'A' end with the same phrase but become ever more elaborate as he progresses: Originally Posted by Mick-7
When I sweep pick arpeggios I just drag the pick up or down the strings, so it's a relaxed motion. Trying to pick the notes makes it more difficult - it's kind of a zen thing.
Bird doesn't play the bottom note C in the Cm7 arpeggio in this live recording, which would make it easier on the guitar - or not, because the tempo is faster, Miles wasn't there to slow him down.
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"the phrase in bar 7 kicks off with an Ab rather than Bb" Originally Posted by PMB
The posted chart is pretty good. A few things missed - the phrase in bar 7 kicks off with an Ab rather than Bb and the arpeggio in bar 12 is from the 3rd rather than the root.
I'm hearing a Bb there (like the Jazz Fake and Omnibook charts)
"and the arpeggio in bar 12 is from the 3rd rather than the root"
I'm hearing an 8th note rest, followed by (8th notes) F-G-Bb-C-Bb-D-Ab (last 8th note tied over the bar), which is different from the fake book charts and yours.
That's from this recording, is there another one?
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I'm getting "video is unavailable" when I go to YouTube. Is it the same as this one? What a tempo! Originally Posted by PMB
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No, a different performance but also up there in tempo! I'll see if there's another copy of the video I posted (I'm in Oz so maybe different legal rights). Originally Posted by Mick-7
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We expect to hear Bb but Parker definitely plays Ab on both the opening and closing heads. It's not helped by Miles slightly fluffing his note on each occasion. Mark Voelpel's Charlie Parker for Guitar book is generally the most accurate source I've come across and he has the Ab. Originally Posted by Mick-7
As for the other phrase, we concur apart from the opening note - I have Eb and you have F. I just isolated and slowed down the phrase and he plays neither, coming in on the second quarter note with the G-Bb-C-D-Ab. From memory, I originally wrote the Eb in brackets as ghosted but changed it as the transcription was used for my trio recording lead sheet.Last edited by PMB; 03-15-2026 at 03:11 AM.
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I really love the live at Storyville version of this tune.
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This is bar 7 of the recording, the second note after the F is definitely a Bb (a tritone from Ab to D would be hard to miss).
Moose the Mooche; Bar 7 - Box.com
Also, you have a rest in bar 2, on the second half (8th note) of the 3rd beat (after the Bb), don't hear a rest there but instead the note G - as shown in the fake books.Last edited by Mick-7; 03-15-2026 at 02:30 PM.
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I transcribed this a few years ago without using isolating and slow-down software but I just ran those phrases through both and here's confirmation of the rest in bar 2 (no G) and the Ab in bar 7.
Stream Moose The Mooche (Bar 7) by PMB | Listen online for free on SoundCloud
As I said earlier, it's easy to hear what we think the notes should be to form a common or idiomatic phrase (I've been guilty of the same) or pitches and hits coming from other instruments.
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Here's a different link to try for that wild Montreal 1953 performance:
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Good Stuff.
I'm carefully listening to the track slowed down, so I can hear what licks I'd can steal for long term use.
"Stealing Licks", personally, I find that's the main purpose of me learning these heads.
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stealing licks and exposing my technical shortcomings Originally Posted by GuyBoden
Good Stuff.
I'm carefully listening to the track slowed down, so I can hear what licks I'd can steal for long term use.
"Stealing Licks", personally, I find that's the main purpose of me learning these heads.
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That sounds fantastic! Originally Posted by PMB
The posted chart is pretty good. A few things missed - the phrase in bar 7 kicks off with an Ab rather than Bb and the arpeggio in bar 12 is from the 3rd rather than the root.
This is a Parker head that I like playing up the octave to bring out its angular quality. Choice of register can be an issue with Bird's tunes as he played alto whereas tenor sits much closer to the guitar range. With Dexterity for instance, guitarists often transpose the bridge up or play the tune in F.
Anyway, here's my chart and a recording from a few years ago:
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I hope you experts can iron out the Bb/Ab issue. But I, a mere guitarist of 60 years but no expert, can hear the Ab.
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In your slowed down copy of bar 7, I hear both an Ab and Bb, i.e., slurring into the Bb from Ab. And sometimes it's hard to hear the lines with Bird and Miles playing in unison, especially since Miles intonation is off at times. Originally Posted by PMB
It sometimes sounds like he's playing one of these instead of a trumpet.....
FYI, the correct bebop term is "mooching" licks. Originally Posted by GuyBoden
Last edited by Mick-7; 03-15-2026 at 02:06 PM.
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Thanks Cliff. It was a fun session recording that album. Everything went down live so I really had to be relaxed but on my toes! Originally Posted by CliffR
I'm lucky to have such a great trio. We've been together for a decade and still play every month.
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Agreed Mick, it can get a bit fuzzy. I haven't had a chance to comb through the whole isolated track but there are other notes which are ghosted or a bit unclear. Originally Posted by Mick-7
In your slowed down copy of bar 7, I hear both an Ab and Bb, i.e., slurring into the Bb from Ab. And sometimes it's hard to hear the lines with Bird and Miles playing in unison, especially since Miles intonation is off at times.
It sometimes sounds like he's playing one of these instead of a trumpet.....
FYI, the correct bebop term is "mooching" licks.
The tune was written by Parker in a car on the way to the session so it was new to everyone. My transcription is more an attempt to reconstruct what the original chart may have looked like using the head out as well as other live recordings.
BTW, did that Montreal performance come through this time?
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