To put it in simple terms, jazz standards are a selection of well-known musical compositions that have stood against the evolution of time and have been covered by multiple generations of jazz musicians. These compositions have proven to be the foundation for study and performance in the jazz genre.
Many musicians have been able to use popular jazz standards to collaborate and communicate through a unique musical language. In this blog, we provide a list of jazz standards and give you an inside look into how jazz standards have influenced jazz compositions.
The Most Popular Jazz Standards Every Musician Should Know
Below, we have listed the top jazz standards for you to consider and maybe even add to your playlist today.
- Autumn Leaves
“Autumn Leaves” was a song whose musical lyrics were crafted by Jacques Prévert and Johnny Mercer, and the music was composed by Joseph Kosma. Initially, it was a French song called “Les Feuilles Mortes,” but once it gained traction, an English variation was created. “Autumn Leaves” is one of the most famous songs since the Hard Bop era. It’s worth a listen if you want to learn more about jazz standards and begin playing them yourself.
- Fly Me to the Moon
This popular jazz standards list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning “Fly Me to the Moon.” Bart Howard wrote this popular song, and since its release, it has crept its way up the pop charts many times when current artists have covered it. This song’s romantic lyrics, harmonic progression, and memorable melody have stood the test of time. They embody elegance, charisma, and romance–a side to jazz music that many forget exists.
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- Have You Met Miss Jones?
Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart wrote the ever-charming song “Have You Met Miss Jones?” With its ensnaring melody and harmonic complexity, it has sat in the ears of many jazz fans, always niggling at the back of their minds. Although it is a fantastic jazz standard, the bridge sequence of key changes has made it a challenging song for jazz musicians who are looking to hone their craft.
How Do Jazz Standards Influence Modern Jazz Compositions?
Jazz standards provide the essential foundation and framework for jazz musicians’ innovation. Nothing new can be molded without clay–consider jazz standards the clay. Many popular compositions created over the years have been built on these jazz standards’ harmonic structures and forms.
The process of reinvention of these jazz standards allows for the exploration and birth of new harmonies, melodies, and rhythms. Suffice it to say that without jazz standards, jazz would be a very different genre today.
The Wrap-Up on Jazz Standards
As with anything that evolves, there needs to be a blueprint from which to draw. The same can be said for jazz compositions. This is why jazz standards are so important. While they are a good blueprint, they remain flexible for artists to use and mold into something new and fresh–keeping jazz alive, no matter what era we step into next.
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