Table of Contents:
What is a Jazz Standard?
A jazz standard is a musical theme that has acquired a certain notoriety in the jazz genre, which is known by many musicians and which has been the subject of numerous versions, interpretations and improvisations, and which is frequently used in jam sessions and performances.
There are standards from all eras of jazz, such as ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’, ‘I Got Rhythm’ or ‘How High the Moon’, ‘Take the ‘A’ Train’ to cite examples of the hot, swing and bop.
Many of the best-known standards were composed for films, or come from the so-called Great American Songbook, and have been incorporated into the genre, such as, for example, ‘Summertime’, by George Gershwin, while, for example, ”Round Midnight’, by Thelonious Monk, has been covered by, among others, Cootie Williams, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Pepper, and Miles Davis.
Best Sheet Music download from our Library.
The most recorded standard composed by a jazz musician, and one of the most covered songs of all time, is Duke Ellington’s and Juan Tizol’s “Caravan” with over 500 uses.
Originally, the most recorded jazz standard was W. C. Handy’s “St. Louis Blues” for over 20 years from the 1930s onward, after which Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” replaced it. Following this, the place was held by “Body and Soul” by Johnny Green.
Please, subscribe to our Library. Thank you!
Before 1920
At the beginning of the 20th century, jazz was still considered dance music. The first Dixieland groups remained influenced by this image: King Oliver and his Creole Jazz Band, the New Orleans Rhythm Kings and many other groups included Tin Pan Alley in their repertoires, and record companies sometimes dictated the list of titles that must be recorded by their artists.
Certain imposed songs have thus become standards, such as Darktown Strutters’ Ball or (Back Home Again in) Indiana, recorded by the Original Dixieland Jass Band at Columbia Records in 1917.
Also, among the standards of this era are the songs After You’ve Gone (Turner Layton and Henry Creamer, 1918) and Some of These Days (Sophie Tucker, 1910).
The 1920s
The Jazz Age began in the United States in the 1920s. Jazz became popular there, even though the older generation considered this music immoral and endangering their cultural values.
The first artist who allowed himself to freely choose his titles was Louis Armstrong, who popularized many standards during the years 1920 to 19301. The popular tunes of the 1920s were songs like Sweet Georgia Brown, Dinah or Bye Bye Blackbird.
Some compositions from this era written by jazz musicians have become standards such as Honeysuckle Rose (1928) and Ain’t Misbehavin’ (1929) by Fats Waller. The song Stardust by Hoagy Carmichael and Mitchell Parish is the most recorded jazz standard of the 1920s. Others are written by Broadway composers such as The Man I Love by George and Ira Gershwin (1924), Blue Skies by Irving Berlin (1927), or What Is This Thing Called Love? by Cole Porter (1927).
However, it was not until the 1930s that jazz musicians became comfortable with the complex melodies and sophisticated harmonic grids of Broadway tunes, and used them regularly in their repertoires.
The 1930s
Broadway contributed some of the most popular standards of the 1930s, including the famous Summertime from the comedy Porgy and Bess by George and Ira Gershwin (1935), My Funny Valentine by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart (1937), All the Things You Are by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II (1939), and Body and Soul by Johnny Green (1930). These standards are among the most recorded.
The 1930s saw swing establish itself in American music. Duke Ellington and his musicians composed many themes which would become jazz standards: It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) (1932), Sophisticated Lady (1933), Caravan (1936) among the most famous.
The swing era (1935–1946) is that of the greatest big bands, such as those of Benny Goodman and Count Basie, who also participated in the repertoire of jazz standards.
The 1940s
New themes became popular, such as Cotton Tail by Duke Ellington (1940) or Take the ‘A’ Train by Billy Strayhorn (1941). The Second World War was a difficult time for big bands, and small groups developed.
The arrival of bebop brought out a new audience sensitive to sophisticated harmonies, fast tempos, and the virtuosity of the musicians. Their repertoires largely use the standards of the 1930s, but their compositions will also enter the list of standards: Salt Peanuts (1941) and A Night in Tunisia (1942) by Dizzy Gillespie, Anthropology (1946), Yardbird Suite (en) ( 1946), Scrapple from the Apple (1947) by Charlie Parker, or ‘Round Midnight (1944) by Thelonious Monk.
The 1950s and beyond
Some modal jazz recordings became popular in the late 1950s, such as the albums Kind of Blue by Miles Davis in 1959 with the compositions All Blues and So What, Impressions (en) by John Coltrane in 1963, or Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock in 1965.
In the mid-1960s, Miles Davis’ second major quintet with Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock recorded a series of albums which contained standards such as Footprints (Wayne Shorter, 1966) and Freedom Jazz Dance (Eddie Harris, 1966).
At the end of the 1950s, bossa nova appeared in Brazil, a mixture of samba and jazz, made popular by João Gilberto, Antônio Carlos Jobim and Luiz Bonfá. Gilberto and Stan Getz launched this trend in the United States in 1964 with the famous Getz/Gilberto album. Among the standards of the genre are compositions by Bonfá (Manhã de Carnaval, 1959), Marcos Valle (Summer Samba, 1966), and numerous songs by Jobim such as Desafinado (1959), The Girl from Ipanema (1962), Corcovado (1962).
In the mid-1970s, jazz fusion appeared, which was a mixture of jazz, funk and rock. Joe Zawinul with Weather Report, Chick Corea with Return to Forever, Herbie Hancock with The Headhunters, or John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra considerably broaden the jazz audience, and some of their successes have become standards: Spain (en) by Chick Corea (1971), Chameleon by Hancock (1973), and Birdland by Joe Zawinul (1977).
Jazz standards
Musical compositions that have become jazz standards.
Irving Berlin – Alexander’s Ragtime Band [1911]
“Alexander’s Ragtime Band” is a Tin Pan Alley song by American composer Irving Berlin released in 1911 and is often inaccurately cited as his first global hit. Although not a traditional ragtime song, Berlin’s jaunty melody nonetheless “sold a million copies of sheet music in 1911, then another million in 1912, and continued to sell for years afterward.
It was the number one song from October 1911 through January 1912.” The song might be regarded as a narrative sequel to “Alexander and His Clarinet”, which Berlin wrote with Ted Snyder in 1910. The earlier song is mostly concerned with a reconciliation between an African-American musician named Alexander Adams and his flame Eliza Johnson, but also highlights Alexander’s innovative musical style.
Berlin’s “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” was introduced to the American public by vaudeville comedienne Emma Carus, “one of the great stars of the period.” A popular singer in the 1907 Ziegfeld Follies and Broadway features, Carus was a famous contralto of the vaudeville era, renowned for her “low bass notes and high lung power.”
Carus’ brassy performance of the song at the American Music Hall in Chicago on April 18, 1911, proved to be well-received, and she toured other metropolises such as Detroit and New York City with acclaimed performances that featured the catchy song. The song as comically recorded by American singing duo Arthur Collins and Byron G. Harlan became the number one hit of 1911.
Nearly two decades later, jazz singer Bessie Smith recorded a 1927 cover, which became one of the hit songs of that year. The song’s popularity re-surged in the 1930s with the release of a 1934 close harmony cover by the Boswell Sisters, and a 1938 musical film of the same name starring Tyrone Power and Alice Faye. The song was covered by a variety of artists such as Al Jolson, Billy Murray, Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, and others. Within fifty years of its release, the song had at least a dozen hit covers.
Etta James – Stormy Weather
From the album is At Last.
Search in our Library by author, or song name.
Artist or Composer / Score name | Cover | List of Contents |
---|---|---|
Evita The Musical Songbook | Evita The Musical Songbook | |
Evolution Of Blues Piano (Book) by Ron Drotos | Evolution Of Blues Piano (Book) by Ron Drotos | |
Ewan Mcgregor ft. Nicole Kidman – Come What May | ||
Exercises For The Jazz Musician by Charles McNeal | ||
Exodus Ernest Gold (Piano Solo Arr. By Richard Clayderman) | ||
Exodus – Ernest Gold Arr. By Richard Clayderman (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Expanding Walking Bass Lines With Embedded Audio Mp3 | Expanding Walking Bass lines | |
Eyes On Me (From Final Fantasy Viii) Nobuo Uematsu (Musescore File).mscz | ||
F. Sor Introduction To Guitar Study (25 Etudes) Op. 60 (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Fabrizio De Andre Sheet music | Fabrizio De Andre Sheet music | |
Fabrizio Paterlini Dawn | Fabrizio Paterlini Dawn | |
Fabrizio Paterlini Broken | ||
Fabrizio Paterlini Conversation With Myself | ||
Fabrizio Paterlini Silent Eyes | Fabrizio Paterlini Silent Eyes | |
Fabrizio Paterlini Wind Song | Fabrizio Paterlini Wind Song | |
Fado A Minha Casinha Arr Silvestre Fonseca | ||
Fado Foi Deus Arr Silvestre Fonseca | ||
Fado Madragoa Arr Silvestre Fonseca arr. for guitar | Fado Madragoa Arr Silvestre Fonseca arr. for guitar | |
Fado Nem As Paredes Confesso Arr Silvestre Fonseca for guitar | ||
Fado Rosinha Dos Limoes arr. for Piano (für Klavier) by Wilfried Wachter) | ||
Fado – Amalia Rodrigues Foi Deus Arr. Guitarra & TAB por S.R. Cavaco | Fado – Amalia Rodrigues Foi Deus Arr. Guitarra & TAB por S.R. Cavaco | |
Fado – Tudo Isto E Fado Arr Silvestre Fonseca for guitar | Fado – Tudo Isto E Fado Arr Silvestre Fonseca for guitar | |
Fado Portuguese Folk Song Arr. For Guitar | ||
Fados (original) arr. for guitar by Duarte Costa | Fados (original) arr. for guitar by Duarte Costa | |
Faith Hill – There Youll Be | ||
Faith Hill – Where Are You Christmas | ||
Faith No More – Easy Like Sunday Morning | ||
Fake Book – 150 American Jazz Standards | Fake Book – 150 American Jazz Standards | |
Faking Your Own Arrangements From Melodies and Chords HOW TO PLAY FROM A FAKE BOOK by Blake Neely | Music Theory – Arranging – Fake Book – Faking Your Own Arrangements From Melodies and Chords | |
Fall Out Boy – Dance Dance | ||
Fall Out Boy – Golden | ||
Fall Out Boy – This Aint A Scene Its An Arms Race | ||
Fall Out Boy – Thnks Fr Th Mmrs | ||
Fallout 4 – End of the world | ||
Fallout 4 – Main theme | ||
Fallout 4 Main Theme piano solo sheet music | ||
Fallout 4 Trailer | ||
Fame The Musical | Fame The Musical | |
Family Guy Theme (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Family Guy Theme by Walter Murphy Piano Solo and Guitar chords | ||
Famous Jazz Guitar Solos | ||
Famous Ragtime arranged for Guitar Solo | Famous Ragtime guitar | |
Fandango (Concierto Madrigal) Joaquin Rodrigo | ||
Fantasia 2- The Final Challenge – Richard Harvey | ||
Fantasia On A Theme By Thomas Tallis Keyboard (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Far Cry 5 When The Morning Light Shines in by Dan Romer Piano Solo | ||
Far Cry 5 – Help Me Faith | Far Cry 5 – Help Me Faith | |
Far Cry 5 – When The Morning Lights Shines In (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Far from the Madding Crowd – End Credits (Craig Armstrong) | ||
Farm Boy FF VII (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Fats Domino Little Richard Raised On Rock and Roll Songbook | Fats Domino Little Richard Raised On Rock and Roll Songbook | |
Fats Navarro – Anthropology Solo Transcription Jazz Standard | ||
Fats Waller – Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Guitar Tablature TABs | ||
Fats Waller – Bach Up To Me Jazz piano Transcription | Fats Waller – Bach Up To Me Jazz piano Transcription | |
Fats Waller – Bach Up To Me Jazz Piano Transcription.mscz | ||
Fats Waller – Bach up to me | ||
Fats Waller – Honeysuckle Rose | ||
Fats Waller – Stride The Music Of Fats Waller (book) | ||
Fats Waller Album Of Fats Waller The Mills | Fats Waller Album Of Fats Waller The Mills | |
Fats Waller Baby Oh Where Can You Be | ||
Fats Waller For Piano | FATS WALLER PIANO | |
Fats Waller Inimitable Piano Styles | ||
Fats Waller Original Piano Conceptions 1 | Fats Waller Original Piano Conceptions 1 contents | |
Fats Waller Original Piano Conceptions 2 | Fats Waller Original Piano Conceptions 2 contents | |
Fats Waller Piano solos | Fats Waller Pianosolos | |
Fats Waller Tea For Two piano solo transcription sheet music | ||
Fats Waller The Cheerful Little Earful (Book) | ||
Fats Waller The Music Makers | Fats Waller The Music Makers | |
Fats Waller Wallers Own Original Tunes | ||
Fauré Cantique De Jean Racine, Op. 11 | ||
Fauré Dolly Suite, Op. 56 (Trans. Cortot Solo Piano) | ||
Fauré Gabriel In Paradisum Piano & Organ Transcription | ||
Fauré – Cantique De Jean Racine Op. 11 Piano Solo Arr. (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Fauré – Cantique de Jean Racine Op. 11 Piano Solo arrangement | ||
Fauré – Cantique De Jean Racine Op. 11 Piano Solo Transcription By Ruoshi Sun | Fauré – Cantique De Jean Racine Op. 11 Piano Solo Transcription By Ruoshi Sun | |
Fauré – Dolly Suite Op. 56 À 4 Mains 4-Hands 1. Berceuse (Partition Sheet Music) (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Fauré – Pavane for piano op. 50 | ||
Fauré – Pelleas et Melisande Op. 80 Suite arr. piano- No. 3 – Sicilienne | ||
Fauré 2 Songs Op. 27 | Fauré 2 songs | |
Fauré Gabriel Cantique de Jean Racine trans. piano solo | ||
Fauré Op. 11 Cantique de Jean Racine choeur satb organ or piano | ||
Fauré Pelleas et Melisande Op. 80 Suite arr. piano- No. 1 – Prélude | Faure Pelleas et Melisande Op. 80 Prélude | |
Fauré Pelleas et Melisande Op. 80 Suite arr. piano- No. 4 – La mort de Melisande | ||
Fauré Pelléas piano solo transc. | ||
Fauré Pie Jesu | ||
Fauré Pie Jesu (soprano) | Faure-Pie-Jesu-soprano | |
Faure Pie Jesu Guitar TABs arr. | Faure Pie Jesu Guitar TABs arr. | |
Fauré-Pelleas et Mélisande,Op.80 (trans.Roger-Ducasse-piano 4hands) | ||
Favorite Classic Melodies – Level 1 James Bastien (Very Easy Piano) | Favorite Classic Melodies – Level 1 James Bastien | |
Favorite Classic Melodies – Level 2 James Bastien (Easy Piano) | Favorite Classic Melodies – Level 2 James Bastien | |
Favorite Jazz For Solo Piano arr. by Tom Roed | Favorite Jazz solo piano | |
Favorite Pop Piano Solos 27 Hits, Standards & Themes | Favorite Pop Piano Solos 27 Hits, Standards & Themes | |
Fazil Say – Black earth Piano Solo | ||
Feist – Now At Last | ||
Felipe Villanueva – Vals Poetico arr. for Guitar | ||
Felipe Villanueva – Vals Poetico para Piano | ||
Felix Jaehn – Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better) Piano Solo arr. | ||
Felix Jaehn – Ain’t Nobody (Loves Me Better) Sheet Music (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Ferdie Grofé – Grand Canyon Suite piano solo arr. sheet music | ||
Ferdie Grofé – The Cyclone (piano solo sheet music) | ||
Fergie The Dutchess songbook piano-vocal-guitar | ||
Fernando Sor 20 Études – Estudios | ||
Fernando Sor 30 Etudes – Estudios De Guitarra | ||
Fernando Sor Método Completo De Guitarra (Español-Spanish) | ||
Fernando Sor Obras Completas | ||
FF X-2 Paine’s Theme | ||
Fibich Poem (Poemat) | Fibich Poem | |
Fibich Moods Impressions and Souvenirs Op 47 Book 1 | Fibich Moods Impressions and Souvenirs | |
Field 18 Nocturnes (Ed. Peters) | ||
Fifty Years Experience of Pianoforte Teaching and Playing (Piano) Book by Oscar Beringer | ||
Film Favorites Piano (solos and Band arrangements) | Film Favorites Piano sheet music book | |
Film Music A History 2009 by James Wierzbicki | ||
Film Music for Solo Piano | Film Music for Solo Piano | |
Film Themes Of The Nineties Songbook | Film Themes Of The Nineties Songbook | |
Film Themes Piano Solos Songbook | Film Themes Piano Solos Songbook | |
FILMTUNES AND ACTION Film Tunes Klavier Und Keyboard (How to Play)Book by Peter Lautscher | Film tunes | |
Final Fantasy – Prelude | Final Fantasy – Prelude | |
Final Fantasy – Symphony (Musescore File).mscz | ||
Final Fantasy Guitar Solo and TAB Collection | ||
Final Fantasy I – II – III Piano Collections |