Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Daahoud" is a hard bop standard composed in 1954 by Clifford Brown, the brilliant trumpeter who was just 23 years old at the time. Brown's tragically short life—he died in a car accident in 1956 at age 25—makes this exuberant composition all the more remarkable as a testament to his prodigious talent.

The tune is a 32-bar AABA form in E♭ major, characterized by harmonies that skillfully play with the listener's tonal expectations. The opening phrase outlines an E♭ minor chord before pivoting through a series of ii-V-I progressions to temporary key centers, while the bridge introduces two further modulations. The upbeat, swinging melody features wide intervallic leaps and driving rhythmic energy that are hallmarks of Brown's compositional style. Typically performed at a brisk tempo, "Daahoud" provides a rich harmonic landscape for improvisers exploring the bebop and hard bop vocabulary.

Brown recorded the piece twice in 1954. The first session, on July 12 for Pacific Jazz, produced a septet version arranged by Jack Montrose and released on the album Jazz Immortal. Less than a month later, on August 6, the Clifford Brown–Max Roach Quintet recorded what has become the definitive version, showcasing Brown's breathtaking improvisational brilliance alongside Harold Land (tenor saxophone), Richie Powell (piano), George Morrow (bass), and Max Roach (drums).