Alex's sheet music transcriptions, compositions, recordings

Transcribing is probably the best way to learn any piece, solo, or new musical style. It is time-consuming but makes you listen like never before. Since many excellent tunes are not in any Real Books (including the Latin Real Book), it's also a necessity.

Most of the charts below were written for various musical groups I've been involved in. None of them are in print to my knowledge. I hope you find them useful - please download (they're in GIF format), print, and play! You may need to form your own group to do play some of them. For the salsa, usually the singer already knew their stuff, so they don't include the lead vocal part.

Do respect the copyright of the original composers. Skip to bottom for my recordings.

Salsa

Cumbanchero, instrumental as played by pianist Ruben Gonzalez.
Mi Tierra, title track of Gloria Estefan's only latin album (some great musicians on it). Rhythm section pages 1, 2, and (squealing) horn section pages 1, 2.
Para Mi, from some old Mongo Santamaria LP, probably 1970s.
Preso (download mp3 11.5MB) from excellent Colombian band, Fruko y sus Tesos (singer Wilson Saoko), started in 1970 and still going. chorus, piano and bass, and horns.
Pedro Navaja by Ruben Blades. Bass pages 1, 2; piano pages 1, 2; horns pages 1, 2; percussion/chorus. Quite a complicated tune to play, and to sing.
Agua Dulce, instrumental from Poncho Sanchez album El Conguero (1985).
Fragments (piano and bass) from great tunes in album Willie (1974) by multifaceted Willie Colon.
Fragments of Descarga de Hoy, opening Cubanismo's excellent first album.
Examples of piano montunos from some favourite albums:
- El Sabor de Nacho (1973),
- Salsa Galactica, by BioRitmo (1997),
- notes including Snowboy's Latin Section, things I heard Alon Yavnai play at Wally's Cafe, own ideas.
- more scribbles, Eleggua by Mango Blue album Immigrant Blues (2001)...

Jazz

Un Poco Loco, as played by Bud Powell (1951), head and vamp.
Deep in a Dream, Sonny Clarke version.
Well You Needn't, a famous Thelonius Monk tune, is completely wrong in Real Book I (Berklee students' lazy ears?). This is closer to Monk's various recordings.
Adam's Apple by Wayne Shorter, album Adam's Apple (1966).
Joshua Fit De Battle Of Jericho, Grant Green version from album Feelin' the Spirit (1987).
Sacrifice from Brit-sax Courtney Pine album Destiny's Song (1988).
Dark Blue by John Scofield, album Hand Jive (1994). Larry Goldings' piano solo (first 5 choruses): pages 1, 2.
Do Like Eddie, from the same album.
Headin' Home from Joshua Redman's album Mood Swing (1994).
Tunes I've composed:
- Alex's Tune (1998).
- Alex's Funk Tune (1999).
- Flying (2002).
- Wedding Song for Liz (2006).

Funk

Gimme Some More (1971), three minutes of pure heaven, including a Fred Wesley solo, from James Brown's Funky People Volume 1.
Changes for Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai (1996).

Tango

Sur, Roberto Goyeneche version.
more to follow...

Recordings

Stella By Starlight, w/ Patrick Purdon (vocals), John Capello (bass), June 2001, Cambridge, MA, (mp3 5.7MB)
Insensatez, w/ Patrick Purdon (vocals), John Capello (bass), June 2001, Cambridge, MA, (mp3 5.7MB)
Watermelon Man, sitting in w/ Gusano, July 2006, Hanover, NH, (mp3 7.6MB). Overmodulated, scrappy, but fun latin version, especially on outgoing choruses...
Cocinando, sitting in w/ Gusano, July 2006, Hanover, NH, (mp3 6.5MB). Overmodulated again, but has that Fela-style distortion.
Gusano Hanover Inn gigs: June 27 2007 : Don Glasgo (trb), Carlos Ocasio (conga,vocal,gtr), Bob Sparadeo (dr), Scott Douglass (b), Alex Barnett (kbd), Dave Ellis (trp). Sitting in on set 2: Joe Bowie (trb).
Music in rehearsal:
- Maiden Voyage, w/ Steve Ferraris (conga), Aug 2006, Norwich, VT, (mp3 10MB).
- Evidence (solo, Rhodes kbd + cheesy tap beat) Sept 2006, Hanover, NH, (mp3 1.9MB)
- Un Poco Loco (solo, Rhodes kbd) Sept 2006, Hanover, NH, (mp3 3.3MB)
- Monk's Dream (solo, Rhodes kbd) Sept 2006, Hanover, NH, (mp3 2.9MB)
- Agua de Beber (solo, Rhodes kbd) Sept 2006, Hanover, NH, (mp3 3MB)
- So Danco Samba (solo, Rhodes kbd) Sept 2006, Hanover, NH, (mp3 1.9MB)