RB1, RB2 = Old Real Books; HL1, HL2, HL3, HL4 = Hal Leonard �6th Edition� Real

Books; NRB1, NRB2, NRB3 = New Real Books (Sher Music); POC = Pocket Changes (old
Aebersold one, not the newer commercial one); CP = Charlie Parker Omnibook; SRB =
Standards Real Book (Sher Music); TM = Thelonious Monk Fake Book; COLO = Colorado
Cookbook; LTR = Listen to the recording, and check what the chart might have
missed.

Top 50 Must-Know Tunes

All Blues HL1 (but change C7 to G- and LTR)
All of Me NRB1
All the Things You Are NRB1, HL1
Autumn Leaves NRB1 (Gm), RB1 (Em) (learn in both keys)
Billie�s Bounce CP, HL2 (as commonly played, but LTR) (solos over any standard
blues changes - see note at the bottom of this article)
Black Orpheus HL1, RB1 (slight diff.)
Blue Bossa NRB1 (includes shout chorus, nice but seldom-played), RB1
Blue Monk TM (solos over any standard blues changes - see note at the bottom of
this article)
Bluesette SRB (complete), RB1 (abridged)
Body and Soul HL1, RB1
Bye Bye Blackbird HL2 (but m.3 keeps F7, m.18 F7 for head E7 only for solos, m.23
is D7, m.30 C7 whole bar)
C Jam Blues HL2 (solos over any standard blues changes - see note at the bottom of
this article)
Cantaloupe Island HL2 (LTR)
Corcovado aka Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars RB1 (includes the intro)
Days of Wine and Roses RB1, HL4
Don�t Get Around Much Anymore NRB1, RB1 (bridge diff. in these charts; either is
correct)
Fly Me to the Moon HL2
Footprints RB1, NRB1, HL1 (different changes - RB1 easier, NRB1 and HL1 more
correct)
Four HL1 (bar 5 could be played Abmaj7) (RB1 has wrong changes)
Freddie Freeloader HL1 (LTR)(use printed changes for solos)
How High the Moon/Ornithology HL1/HL1 (changes to these tunes are similar, but not
identical)
I Got Rhythm SRB (many variations of the chords are possible - some, not all,
are listed here)
I�ll Remember April HL1, RB1
Impressions NRB2
In a Mellow Tone HL1
Just Friends NRB3
Lady Bird RB1
Lester Leaps In SRB (alternate head to �I Got Rhythm� - all variations of Rhythm
changes apply)
Misty NRB1
Mr. PC HL1
Night and Day RB1 (but bars 1 & 5 are Abmaj7), SRB (but play in C)
Now�s The Time HL2, CP (exact notes of head may vary depending on source) (solos
over any standard blues changes - see note at the bottom of this article)
On Green Dolphin Street RB1 (C), NRB3 (Eb) (learn in both keys)
One Note Samba RB1, HL1 (slightly diff. rhythms)
Out of Nowhere RB1, HL1
Recordame (aka No Me Esqueca) RB1 (abridged), NRB1 (as �No Me Esqueca� - includes
intro, shout chorus)
Satin Doll NRB1
Scrapple From the Apple HL1 (C7b9 on bar 4 of each A section)
So What HL1 (LTR)
Solar HL1, NRB1, RB1 (differences in head, chords compatible)
Song for My Father HL1
Stella by Starlight HL1, RB1
Straight, No Chaser HL1 (originally in Bb, often played in F) (Rhythm section
players should learn the head) (solos over any standard blues changes - see note at
the bottom of this article)
Summertime POC (but play in Am; intro and mm 1-3, 9-11 use Am to Bm vamp), HL4
(same advice for vamp) (Note: chords, key vary greatly in diff. versions)
Take the �A� Train NRB1
Tenor Madness HL2 (solos over any standard blues changes - see note at the
bottom of this article)
There Will Never Be Another You NRB1
Tune-Up NRB1
Watermelon Man HL3
What is This Thing Called Love RB1
The Next 50 Must-Know Jazz Tunes
Alone Together RB1
Anthropology CP, HL1 (alto players: don�t use NRB1 - it�s written 8va too
high) (use changes as written, or any standard rhythm changes variations)
Beautiful Love HL1, NRB1, RB1
Blue Train HL1, LTR (RB1 is very wrong) (solos on standard bop blues changes)
But Not for Me RB2 (chords vary a lot in diff. versions)
Cherokee NRB2, RB1
Confirmation CP (don�t use HL1)
Cool Blues HL2 (solos over any standard blues changes - see note at the bottom of
this article)
Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me NRB1
Donna Lee RB1, CP (alto players: don�t use HL1 - some notes wrong octave)
Doxy HL2 (LTR - printed and recorded sources differ on exact notes in head)
East of the Sun HL3 (but add C7 in bars 2 & 18, and delete D7 in bar 30)
Gentle Rain RB1
Georgia on My Mind HL2
Girl From Ipanema HL1, RB1
Groovin� High HL1 (LTR for breaks, intro, ending not in HL1)
Have You Met Miss Jones HL1, RB1
I Remember You RB2
It Could Happen to You HL2 (but also played in Eb. RB2 has it in Eb with some
wrong chords)
Laura NRB3
Like Someone in Love RB1, NRB1 (diff. keys, some diff. changes)
Moose the Mooche CP (changes as marked, or else just play rhythm changes
w/whatever variations)
My Little Suede Shoes CP
Night in Tunisia, A HL1 (LTR for form and which parts are swing/latin)
Oh, Lady Be Good SRB
Once I Loved HL1, RB1 (NRB1 has this in A, a bad key for horn players)
Pennies from Heaven HL2 (there are other OK ways to play chords in mm.1-2, 5-
6,17-18)
Perdido NRB2, RB2 (�Perdido Line� in RB2 is a nice shout chorus)
Poinciana POC (but try m3 of bridge as Dmaj7, m7 D7sus4, m8 D7)
Round Midnight TM, RB1, SRB (diff. charts differ a lot - chords prob. correct in
TM)(SRB has Dizzy�s intro, coda)
Samba de Orfeu HL3 (but LTR and simplify changes)
September Song POC (charts differ considerably; RB2 is quite wrong)
Shiny Stockings SRB (but play in Ab)
So Danco Samba HL3 (but m.2 could be F7)
Softly As In a Morning Sunrise SRB
Some Day My Prince Will Come NRB1, RB1, HL1 (NRB1 changes differ slightly)
St. Thomas NRB1
Star Eyes NRB3
Stolen Moments HL1, RB1
Sugar NRB3
Sweet Georgia Brown SRB
Take Five SRB
Tangerine HL2
The Theme COLO (use changes as written, or any standard rhythm changes
variations)
There Is No Greater Love HL1, NRB2, RB1
Wave HL1, NRB1, RB1
Willow Weep for Me NRB1
Work Song RB2 (LTR for head)
Yardbird Suite HL2, CP (HL2 has the original ending)
Yesterdays HL1
Comments on the �Must-Know� list
�Must�:
So what were the criteria in choosing these tunes? For what purpose �must� one know
them? For a jam with hard-core boppers, or for a casual gig at a retirement home?
I�ve tried to

consider various gig and jam situations, and make some �practical� choices.
Mainly, though, I have decided to exercise my teacher�s prerogative. That is, given
my personal experience, what is the basic knowledge that the next generation of
jazz musicians should have?
A further purpose was to include tunes that are easy enough that a student can take
his or her improv to a higher level, without getting too bogged down in remembering
and dealing with complex changes.
Another criterion was: Would most jazz professionals and teachers agree with these
choices?
This list attempts to take all of the above into consideration.

�Know�:
What does that mean? Let�s say that there are four stages of �knowing� a tune.

First, you should be familiar with at least one or two recorded versions, and be
able to play the head and a decent solo while reading from a lead sheet.

Xby tom

Second, you should be able to get rid of the printed music, and get through the
tune by ear and/or by memory (�winging it�). Rhythm section players must know the
changes, but can fake the head. Horn players must know the head, but can fake the
changes.

Third, everyone should know the head and chord changes precisely (using one
reasonably well-accepted version as a reference), without reading.

Fourth - our goal - you should have researched different printed and recorded
versions, and know different variations of the tune, as well as different solo
approaches - and know the lyrics, where that is applicable.

About different versions:

You will not find agreement on a �definitive� source for many, or most, of these
tunes. The original bootleg Real Books had plenty of errors, as well as some
�correct� but idiosyncratic versions. The �Sixth Edition� (Hal Leonard) Real Books
have continued the great tradition of imperfect fake books. The New Real Books
(Sher Publishing) are better, but not perfect either. There are many more fake
books available, both legal and illegal. All fake books, and even the �original�
sheet music, are suspect. You will have to make a choice for each tune, and go with
it. Again - you should research each tune as best you can, comparing different
recorded as well as printed versions, and then decide how you want to learn it.

Yes, we should all learn tunes by transcribing or copying a recording by ear - one
learns far more that way - but it�s not always practical, and that is why we have
fake books.

About standardization of standards:

When the first (bootleg) �Real Book� came out in the early 1970s, musicians
welcomed it as a great improvement over earlier fake books: jazz-friendly tune
selection, readable calligraphy, relatively correct changes. It was supplemented
over the next few years by Bb and Eb editions, and with �Old RB� volumes 2 and 3.
These books became standard in the world of the everyday jazz musician; those
versions of tunes, for better or worse, became commonly accepted. Since then, many
more sources have become available. While more and better information is always a
good thing, this can result in a lack of agreement between musicians as to the
correct changes, melody, or even the key of a given tune. Life is more complicated
now than in the early RB days. We just have to deal with it. As of today, Old RB
versions are still generally accepted, with the exception of charts with the
grossest errors (e.g., Desafinado, Four, Blue Train).

About memorizing:
You may ask, �Why should I? I�m not a pro, and no one else expects this out of me.�

It�s about putting away the fake book, and listening. It�s worth the effort. It
will open up your ears, and you will play more musically.

Xby tom

Playing from memory/by ear might be uncomfortable at first, if you have spent many
years with the music in front of your face - but as with anything else, the more
you do it, the better you get.

About interpreting melodies:

Heads of standards are often written in simple note values (quarter, half, whole),
but are usually not actually played that way, and need to be jazzed up
(interpreted). This will make it hard to play with more than one person on the
melody, unless you know each other�s preferences. Some heads are already �arranged�
for you, and can be played in unison, e.g. Have You Met Miss Jones (as presented in
HL1 and RB1), and most bop tunes.

About suggested sources:

I�ve tried to give preference to legal books like NRB and HL (buy them!), but this
was not always possible. If I left out NRB or HL as a source on some tunes, there
was a reason for doing so. All suggested sources are legal except RB1, RB2, and
Colorado Cookbook.

Not listed here, but often valuable, are the versions in the booklets that come
with the Aebersold play-alongs.

If more than one source is listed for a tune, then they are all acceptable - but
not necessarily compatible.

If you are researching changes, check out Ralph Patt�s �Vanilla Book� at
ralphpatt.com. Changes are not always what I�d use, but it�s an interesting take on
what constitutes a �basic� version.

Ten Easy (non-blues) Tunes to Memorize:

Here�s a good place to start, maybe even in this order.
Blue Bossa
Autumn Leaves
Take the A Train
So What
All of Me
Cantaloupe Island
Lady Bird
Solar
Tune Up
Black Orpheus
Eight Easy Blues Tunes to Memorize:
Maybe even in this order.

C Jam Blues (v)

Now�s the Time (v)
Blue Monk (v)
Freddie Freeloader
Tenor Madness (v)
All Blues
Billie�s Bounce (v)
Mr. P. C.
Note: There are a number of commonly-used sets of changes that are used in blues
tunes. The fake books will specify changes for the head. For solos, some blues
tunes seem to want pretty much the changes that are played for the head, while in
other tunes, soloists and/or rhythm section players are likely to alter the chords
(in various standard ways) if they feel like it. Tunes marked with a (v) are those
that I think are more often played in a �variable� way; the others need to have the
changes kept constant (more or less!).
� Copyright 2011-2017, Hope Street Music Studios. All Rights Reserved
Back to Top