Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Cotton Tail" is a 1940 composition by Duke Ellington, the towering composer, pianist, and bandleader who created over 1,000 works across jazz, blues, and orchestral music. Written during the fertile "Blanton-Webster" period of his orchestra, this piece helped point the way toward modern jazz.

The tune is based on rhythm changes—the chord progression from George Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm"—in the key of B♭ major, following the standard 32-bar AABA form. Yet beneath the familiar harmonic framework, Ellington crafted an angular, propulsive melody that sounded startlingly modern for 1940. The A sections present a jagged, rhythmically driving theme, while the bridge is left open for featured solos—a structure that brilliantly integrates composed orchestration with improvisation. The piece also showcased Ellington's innovative use of the full ensemble, including a celebrated saxophone soli section that has become a touchstone of big band writing.

The original recording was made on May 4, 1940, for RCA Victor. Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster delivered a legendary solo that became so iconic he was expected to recreate it at every subsequent performance. The rhythm section of Jimmy Blanton (bass) and Sonny Greer (drums) drives the performance with remarkable energy.