Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Bittersweet" is a jazz composition by tenor saxophonist Charlie Rouse (1924–1988). Born in Washington, D.C., Rouse began his professional career while still a student at Howard University. He is best remembered as the longtime tenor saxophonist in Thelonious Monk's quartet, a position he held from 1959 for nearly a decade.

As its title suggests, the piece balances lyrical sweetness with a wistful, bittersweet quality. The composition showcases the angular phrasing Rouse developed through years alongside Monk, combined with his own warm, distinctive tone. Written for small combo performance, it has an intimate character well suited to reflective, unhurried interpretation. The harmonic language draws on modern jazz vocabulary while maintaining a singing melodic quality that reflects Rouse's ability to communicate emotion directly through his playing.

The tune was recorded for Rouse's 1988 album Soul Mates, a sextet session featuring Sahib Shihab on baritone saxophone and Claudio Roditi on trumpet. Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder's studio in Englewood Cliffs, the album captures Rouse in excellent form during the final year of his life, and stands as a testament to his considerable artistry beyond the Monk association.