TERRIBLE BLUES - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"Terrible Blues" is an early jazz composition associated with pianist and composer Clarence Williams, first published in 1921. The initial recording was made in 1921 by Williams’ Blue Five in New York, featuring the distinctive interplay and blues-inflected phrasing characteristic of Williams’ small-group sessions.

The tune later appeared in revival recordings by traditional jazz ensembles and remains part of the classic blues-jazz crossover repertoire. With its expressive melodic lines and straightforward blues foundation, the piece blends early New Orleans influences with the emerging small-band jazz idiom. Its structure draws heavily on the 12-bar blues form, leaving ample room for improvisational dialogue among instruments.