The melody of “Moose the Mooche” confirms the premise that contrafacts are far moredexterous than the tunes from which they borrow their chord progressions. The melodicrhythm of “Moose the Mooche” is typical of bebop syntax. In m. 1, the Charleston rhythmis highlighted with an octave leap from F4 to F5. This rhythmic gesture appears in variousguises throughout the tune. Other rhythmic figures, such as 8th-note triplets in mm. 2and 8, and 16th-note triplet turn figures in mm. 14, 31, and 32, are idiomatic decorationsthat enhance the melodic surface.The presence of chromaticism is integral to the structure of bebop melodies. Some of thechromatic additions, such as the metrically accented C≥5s in mm. 2, 6, 26, and 30, makesubtle references to the blues. Other chromatic notes emphasize structurally importantharmonies. For instance, a carefully prepared A≤4 occupies beat 1 in mm. 5 and 29, andconstitutes the ≤7th of the underlying V7/IV harmony. The preparation of A≤4 in mm. 4and 28 features an upward stepwise ascent: F4–G4. The end of m. 12 illustrates anotheridiomatic preparation of this pitch. Here, the A≤4 anticipates V 7/IV by a half beat andoccurs at the “and” of 4 in m. 12. The downward tritone leap from D5–A≤4 furtherintensifies its status and injects yet another blues characteristic into the framework of themelody. Other chromatic notes, such as unaccented passing and pitch enclosures, haveprimarily ornamental functions. The chromatic passing note G≤4 in mm. 5 and 29 moves