Human Being, Being Human

Human Being, Being Human is a twelve-bar blues composed by Matt Zebley, a Grammy-winning alto saxophonist, composer, and educator who studied at the Berklee School of Music and later earned advanced degrees from the University of Southern California. The tune first appeared on Zebley's debut album Live at Moondog, recorded in 1998, where it was performed in a swing feel in the key of F major. The composition serves as a blues vehicle well suited to jazz improvisation, with its standard twelve-bar form providing a familiar framework for soloists to explore. Zebley, whose career has included performances alongside Dave Brubeck, Wayne Shorter, Bobby McFerrin, and the Brian Setzer Orchestra, brings a grounding in the jazz tradition to his original writing, and Human Being, Being Human reflects that sensibility. Its evocative title hints at a reflective or philosophical character, pairing the straightforward harmonic language of the blues with a more contemplative spirit. The tune remains closely associated with Zebley's own performances and has not entered the broader jazz repertoire as a frequently covered piece, functioning instead as a distinctive original within his body of work.