“Humpty Dumpty” is a Chick Corea composition from his 1978 album The Mad Hatter, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s characters. It’s become a favorite of modern jazz players for its playful melody and challenging chord changes.
The tune moves through quick chord changes with unexpected shifts, and the melody follows the harmony closely with angular intervals. It’s usually played at a medium-up swing.
Section by section: in the opening section, outline each chord with arpeggios and guide tones. In the middle section, the harmony shifts more quickly; practice each change slowly. In the final section, quote the melody to bring your solo back to the theme. Corea’s own playing combines bebop language with modern harmonic ideas.
Practice slowly, learning the melody and changes thoroughly, then increase tempo.
Transposing tip: horn players should get a lead sheet in their key.
Arrangement idea: play the head in unison between piano and horn, then trade solos. End with the head played twice and a crisp final hit.
Memorizing the Humpty Dumpty Lead Sheet PDF: learn the form in sections, not all at once. Play the first eight bars until you can do them with your eyes closed, then add the next section. Within a week or two you won’t need the page at all, which is the real goal of any lead sheet.
Ear training with the Humpty Dumpty Lead Sheet PDF: before reading along, listen to two different recordings and try to hear where each section starts. Then follow the lead sheet while listening. Connecting what you see to what you hear is how lead sheets turn into tunes you truly know.
Is it hard to play? It’s advanced. Recordings to study: The Mad Hatter and Corea’s trio versions. Learn more about the composer on Chick Corea’s Wikipedia page, and find more modern jazz lead sheets on Minedit.