Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Oleo" is a hard bop classic composed in 1954 by tenor saxophone giant Sonny Rollins. The title reportedly references a margarine brand, reflecting Rollins's characteristic wit. It has become one of the most frequently called tunes at jam sessions worldwide.

The piece is a 32-bar AABA contrafact based on the chord changes of George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" — the progression commonly known as "rhythm changes" — and is played in Bb. The A sections cycle through I-vi-ii-V turnarounds, while the bridge features a chain of secondary dominants descending through the cycle of fourths (D7–G7–C7–F7). The opening three-note motif cleverly implies a 3/4 polyrhythm against the 4/4 meter. Mastering this tune is essential for any jazz musician seeking fluency over rhythm changes.

The first recording appears on Miles Davis's Bags' Groove (1954), featuring Sonny Rollins and Horace Silver. The version on Relaxin' (recorded 1956), with John Coltrane on tenor saxophone, is widely studied as a masterclass in rhythm changes improvisation.