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Im starting to jam with some jazzist friends and I would like to know several tunes already, so Id really really appreciate if you guys could help me with a little list of 20 jazz standars that you consider to be essential. Of course its completely subjetive and of course you can add more than 20 (or just a few if you dont feel like 20) 
Last edited by Leandrusi; 05/03/17 09:33 PM.
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I'll take a stab at this.
I assume you're asking for a list of tunes most commonly called at gigs, as opposed to somebody's idea of tunes a player "should" learn.
My list would be... 1. all the things you are 2. autumn leaves 3. there will never be another you 4. rhythm changes 5. Cherokee 6. on green dolphin street 7. so what 8. blue bossa 9. take the a train 10. have you met miss jones 11. like someone in love 12. a night in Tunisia 13. my funny valentine 14. willow weep for me 15. take five 16. body and soul 17. softly as in a morning sunrise 18. east of the sun 19. all of me 20. scrapple from the apple (ok, maybe not that common, but I love the tune so it gets on my list)
"Wide awake, I can make my most fantastic dreams come true..." - Lorenz Hart
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Oh, and Au Privave. Can't believe I left that off my list.
"Wide awake, I can make my most fantastic dreams come true..." - Lorenz Hart
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20 more Stella by Starlight What is this thing called love. Ill remember april Night and Day I love you How hight the moon/Ornnithology What's new Donna Lee/Indiana It could happen to you Just friends Alone together My romance You stepped out of a dream Darn that dream A foggy day But not for me Speak Low Bye bye blackbird In your own sweet way Confirmation
The list goes on...
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And additionally (many I play or played are in the posts above):
All Blues Bemsha Swing Billies Bounce Blue Monk C Jam Blues Con Alma Freddie Freeloader Georgia On My Mind Killer Joe Laura Mr P C Nardis Nows the Time Round Midnight St Thomas Someday My Prince Will Come Straight No Chaser Walkin' Watermelon Man Well You Needn't
Cheers
Simon
Vox Continental 73, Casio PX-S3000 Yanagisawa AW01 (alto Sax) Yamaha YTS-475 (tenor Sax)
DipMus(Open) Play what you enjoy listening to, listen to what you enjoy playing. Retired!
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I'll probably get flamed for asking this, but no Misty?
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Perhaps when players say that they have "learned" pieces they should say whether they learned it sufficiently well to play with or without the sheet music?
Ian
I'm all keyed up 2016 Blüthner Model A
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There are really two questions about what it means to "learn" a piece: 1. Do you have to know the head? As piano player at a jam session with at least one horn, horn players assume it's a birth right to play the head. I generally learn the head if I'm learning a piece because it helps to understand what's going on. However, if I've got a gig and Donna Lee is on it (very fast, tough, head), I'm fine just being comfortable comping and soling over the chords.
2. With music or without: At a certain level, jam sessions and gigs I do people all use music. Then, you play with higher level people, and they rarely use music. If you are playing with people who use Real Books, you're probably O.K.. However, one of the best things I did for my playing was learning a good 30-40 common tunes without music. So much more fun to play that way!
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I certainly never learned all the pieces I listed. I used to play from lead sheets, when I was in a band. A few I could play from memory, which were mostly the blues based pieces. Terrible memory, and I'm not really a Jazz Pianist anyway.
I've seen professional Jazz musicians of the highest class using lead sheets, chord charts, as well as many who just played from memory. A couple of stories relating to that:
Three of us went to the Jazz Cafe in Camden (London) to see the Jazz Organist Barbara Dennerlein about 15 years ago. Before the musicians came on the 3 of us (all amateur musicians) were debating whether the trio would use sheet music of any description. My friend was adamant that they wouldn't. 5 minuets later the guitarist (a well known jazz guitarist whose name I can't remember) walks on with a music stand and a pile of sheet music. Much laughter at my friends expense ensued!
Around the same era I remember being at the 606 club in London, and seeing a Sax player (Patrick Clahar I think) write the chords to John Coltrane's "Crescent" in biro on a napkin for the Pianist, Gareth Williams. A friend of mine took the napkin later, and framed it. Its still on the wall in his kitchen to this day.
Cheers
Simon
Vox Continental 73, Casio PX-S3000 Yanagisawa AW01 (alto Sax) Yamaha YTS-475 (tenor Sax)
DipMus(Open) Play what you enjoy listening to, listen to what you enjoy playing. Retired!
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Simon:
First, I'm jealous you got to see Barbara Dennerlein. She is awesome! As to sheet music, usually that's when a group is doing some one's original compositions. Every top jazz musician knows most of the standards without the need for music. That doesn't mean, however, that people at the good amateur level need to do that. I suggest learning a good number of standards without music because it changes your relationship to jazz; curiously, getting rid of the music enables you to see things you don't otherwise see.
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Hi jjo
Yes she is a wonderful musician and I'm sure you're right, the trio were probably playing a lot of her compositions. I honestly can't remember the set now.
Here is an interesting parallel with what you say about freeing you up, if you play without music. Until about 3 or 4 years ago I used to play with a very good Vibes player, sadly now dead, mostly in a trio with a bass player. On occasions we would swap and I'd play Vibes on a couple of tunes. Over a period of years I became a passable Jazz/Blues Vibes player. What was interesting was the fact that because you are in effect only playing a RH line (when soloing) and don't have to think about left hand chords and harmony so obviously, my solo lines were quite different from what I would have played in my RH on the Piano. I'm sure there are other reasons for the difference, just the physical mechanics of playing Vibes would probably change the way you solo. It sort of relates to what you say about being freed up when playing without music - I think!
Just a final story. I'd been playing with Terry (the Vibes player) for about 20 years when this happened. He was a very modest, quiet man, and aside from our common interest in music I knew very little about what he had done in the past. We were doing a gig and in our break / interval I happened to mention Dudley Moore for some reason. And Terry says "Oh I played with him". Well my head nearly fell off.
Anyway I've hijacked the thread now. Back to the 20 Jazz Standards, of which there are a lot!!
Cheers
Simon
Vox Continental 73, Casio PX-S3000 Yanagisawa AW01 (alto Sax) Yamaha YTS-475 (tenor Sax)
DipMus(Open) Play what you enjoy listening to, listen to what you enjoy playing. Retired!
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Personally I'm always on the lookout for old standards that almost no one plays anymore, but are still very pretty. My recent favorite is Moanin' Low.
I almost want to say it's against my nature to play the common ones because they're so common, but it's not true because I happen to really like playing the tunes in those first two lists too. It turns out one reason they're such classic standards is that they are great to play and improvise on, and not every song is.
Anyway, here's 50 I have listed because 20 isn't enough. (I got the list from somebody else. I'd add Night in Tunesia and Gershwin & Cole Porter tunes.)
All of Me All The Things You Are Alone Together Autumn Leaves Billie’s Bounce Black Orpheus Blue Bossa Body and Soul But Not For Me Bye Bye Blackbird Cherokee Confirmation Days of Wine and Roses Doxy Fly Me To The Moon Footprints Four Have You Met Miss Jones How High The Moon I Hear a Rhapsody I Love You I Remember You I’ll Remember April I’m Old Fashioned If I Should Lose You If I Were A Bell In A Mellow Tone In A Sentimental Mood It Could Happen To You Just Friends Misty My Funny Valentine Night and Day Oleo On Green Dolphin Street Recorda Me Satin Doll Stella By Starlight Scrapple From The Apple So What Solar St. Thomas Sweet Georgia Brown Take The A Train The Girl From Ipanema There Is No Greater Love There Will Never Be Another You Up Jumped Spring What Is This Thing Called Love Yesterdays
Edit. When you're starting to learn them, you can memorize a few you like, but it's good IMO just to spend time going down a longer list like this (or flashcards), playing the head and then playing around with the chords just to get used to them for the time being, and pick a few at a time to learn seriously over the longer term.
Last edited by Cade; 05/07/17 10:04 AM.
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cmajornine: I use that site a lot; those guys know what they're doing and I think think they have an excellent list of the most commonly called tunes.
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I'll have to bookmark this thread. Now I just need a Real / Fake book with the changes.
Steinway A3 Boston 118 PE YouTubeWorking OnChopin Nocturne E min Bach Inventions "You Can Never Have Too Many Dream Pianos" -Thad Carhart
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Come to think of it, what materials will we need to begin the study?
1. List of songs. 2. Real book. 3. Chord book with LH/RH voicings 4.Jazz Theory study 5. Improvisation Study
Anyone want to suggest some materials that measure up?
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iTunes amazing slow downer pen paper a pair of ears lots of patience
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Steinway A3 Boston 118 PE YouTubeWorking OnChopin Nocturne E min Bach Inventions "You Can Never Have Too Many Dream Pianos" -Thad Carhart
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I watch her all the time lately. Her ii-V-I video was good, and her All The Things You Are improv video was also very good.
Steinway A3 Boston 118 PE YouTubeWorking OnChopin Nocturne E min Bach Inventions "You Can Never Have Too Many Dream Pianos" -Thad Carhart
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