Kenny Dorham · 1963
Origins
Trumpeter Kenny Dorham wrote Blue Bossa, and it was first recorded in 1963 on Joe Henderson's album Page One, for Blue Note. It blends hard bop with bossa nova, possibly inspired by Dorham's trip to a jazz festival in Rio de Janeiro in 1961.
Context
The tune is only 16 bars: eight in C minor, a short trip to D flat, then home. The melody is one little phrase that comes back a step lower each time, so once your hands know the first four notes, they know most of the song.
Piano Guide & Structure
Chords in this arrangement:
Practice tip: Learn the left hand alone first: root, fifth, fifth, root, on 1, the and of 2, 3 and the and of 4. That one pattern is the whole bossa feel. Then add the melody slowly.
Interactive challenge to practice before playing:
🎯 Feel the Pulse →Free, in your browser: follow the falling notes, slow it down, and add it to your learnings.
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Melody in the right hand, bass in the left. Watch the notes fall in Live Piano and play along at your own speed.
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