THE HUCKLE-BUCK - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"The Huckle-Buck" was written by Andy Gibson and published in 1949, though its melody is derived from Charlie Parker’s earlier tune "Now’s the Time." The first commercially released recording was made on December 30, 1948, in New York by Paul Williams and His Hucklebuckers, whose performance turned the song into a major rhythm-and-blues hit.

The tune was later recorded by Frank Sinatra, Tommy Dorsey, and Chubby Checker, each contributing to its long life as both a dance number and a jazz staple. Built on a 12-bar blues form, the song combines a driving backbeat with a memorable riff-based melody, inviting improvisation and crowd response while capturing the exuberance of postwar dance culture.