Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Bags' Groove" is a jazz standard by vibraphonist Milt Jackson (1923–1999), a founding member of the Modern Jazz Quartet (MJQ). "Bags" was Jackson's nickname, reportedly derived from the bags under his eyes. The tune was first recorded on April 7, 1952, by the Milt Jackson Quintet for Blue Note Records.

The composition is a 12-bar blues in F. Its melody is a deceptively simple descending riff—repetitive and instantly memorable—that sets the perfect mood for blowing. The changes hew close to a straight blues progression, and this unadorned framework is precisely the tune's strength: it invites soloists to dig deep into their blues vocabulary and personal expression rather than navigating complex harmony. Equally effective at a laid-back medium tempo or a brisk swing, it is one of the most frequently called blues heads at jam sessions worldwide.

The most celebrated recording appears on Miles Davis's 1957 Prestige album Bags' Groove, drawn from a Christmas Eve 1954 session featuring Thelonious Monk, Milt Jackson, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. The date is legendary in part for the anecdote that Monk did not comp behind Miles's solo—yielding one of Monk's most memorable piano solos in return.