LearnJazzPiano.com archives: Chattanooga Choo Choo

Brotherdavies -- 12/22/2006, 03:08:47 -- #31864

I want to play Chattanooga Choo Choo as swinging boogie-woogie - it sounds as if it lends itself to this treatment. All the leadsheets I have seen include about 2 billion chord changes - surely there is a more straight foward arrangement of the song? Other similar stuff such as American Patrol and In the Mood have simple changes - so why not the Choo Choo? Can any one help? Bro'

jaledin -- 12/22/2006, 13:33:59 -- #31864

I think I have the original sheet music -- if I remember right, it's about as simple a song as it gets.  I have no idea what other leadsheets are out there, nor do I have the inclination to do much research on this particular tune, but if you know the melody, just play it with a boogie bass line -- isn't that how most of those "novelty tune boogies" got off the ground, anyway?

Brotherdavies -- 12/29/2006, 09:58:22 -- #31864

Choo Choo Chattanooga, there you are! Cheers! Bro

jaledin -- 12/29/2006, 12:04:22 -- #31864

Congrats!  I'm sure it's a fun one to play boogie-style.  Were the changes actually simple, or was I completely wrong about that (I can't remember the whole tune)?   What key did you settle in on?

Brotherdavies -- 01/02/2007, 06:00:19 -- #31864

My changes are simple - based on a Floyd Cramer boogie treatment. I just looked at the chart on www.realbook.us and I can not understand those changes. Not to worry - it's sounding good. Cheers Bro'

Elssa -- 01/05/2007, 21:09:54 -- #31864

Tom Roed has a great boogie-woogie arrangement of "Chattanooga Choo-Choo". :) It's in his Advanced Piano Solos Volume I book.

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