Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Birk's Works" is a jazz standard written in 1951 by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (1917–1993), one of the co-founders of bebop. The title references Gillespie's middle name, "Birks"—his full name was John Birks Gillespie.

The composition is a 12-bar minor blues, typically performed at a medium swing tempo. What sets it apart from a standard minor blues is a distinctive harmonic substitution: where the iv chord would normally appear, Gillespie replaces it with a bVI dominant chord (Db7 in the key of F minor), lending the progression a unique color. The riff-based head features the kind of playful articulations and rhythmic buoyancy characteristic of Gillespie's style. Note that the Real Book simplifies the changes to a standard minor blues, so performers should be mindful of this discrepancy when playing with others. The tune serves as both an accessible entry point to minor blues playing and a rewarding vehicle for experienced improvisers.

Gillespie first recorded the tune on March 1, 1951. The 1957 Verve album Birks' Works features a big-band arrangement with Lee Morgan among the trumpet section and received a five-star rating from AllMusic. The tune has also been recorded by Mary Lou Williams and numerous other artists.