ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an analysis of Charlie Parker's "Moose the Mooche." It also suggests a pedagogy of rhythm changes improvisation. With the exception of the blues, the rhythm changes progression is probably the most important chord progression in jazz. A newly composed line based on the rhythm changes progression is known as a contrafact. The enormous popularity of rhythm changes has been well documented by an ever-increasing number of composed contrafacts and recordings. The melody of "Moose the Mooche" confirms the premise that contrafacts are far more dexterous than the tunes from which they borrow their chord progressions. The melodic rhythm of "Moose the Mooche" is typical of bebop syntax. With only dominant 7th chords, the bridge of rhythm changes has a relatively uniform chord–scale relationship. When improvising against a more complex harmonic accompaniment, the melodic lines—albeit with a single chromatic passing note and the diminished 7th chord—will balance the chromatic accompaniment with controlled melodic tensions.
