Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Bluesette" is a jazz standard composed by Belgian harmonica virtuoso and guitarist Toots Thielemans, first recorded in 1962. With English lyrics by Norman Gimbel, the song became an international hit and has been covered by well over a hundred artists.

The tune's defining innovation is its fusion of a jazz waltz feel in 3/4 time with a blues sensibility. Written in B♭ major with a 24-bar form, the chord progression features a series of ii-V cadences whose tonal centers descend chromatically, creating a sense of elegant harmonic motion. On his original recording, Thielemans simultaneously played guitar and whistled the melody in unison—a remarkable feat that became his signature. The result is a piece that is at once graceful and soulful, with wide intervallic leaps and recurring rhythmic motifs that make it both a joy to listen to and a rewarding challenge to improvise over.

The original 1962 recording by Toots Thielemans remains the benchmark, later compiled on Verve Jazz Masters 59. Notable covers include those by Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, and Hank Jones.