There are jazz standards that every pianist should know for various reasons. In addition to being fantastic tunes, they each help you explore and understand different elements of music, such as rhythm, harmony, and melody. These tunes will teach you more than any theory book and provide enough material for a lifelong lesson in jazz.
Round Midnight – Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk is my favorite jazz composer and one of the reasons I got into jazz as a student. “Round Midnight” is one of many Monk tunes considered a jazz standard and his most celebrated piece.
Depending on the source, Monk wrote “Round Midnight” in the late 1930s or early 1940s, but he didn’t record it till 1947 (the first recorded version was Cootie Williams in 1944). Monk’s 1947 single featured another of my favorites, “Well, You Needn’t” as the B-side.
Monk’s style is still misunderstood at times, and back in the 1940s, there was a time when people questioned why bandleaders hired him. Monk was a pioneer of the bebop era, and although he didn’t get widespread recognition till the 1950s, he became idolized by his peers in the late 1940s.
“Round Midnight” is a jazz ballad in C minor that explores unusual phrasing with the most beautiful harmonic tension and release. It became the tune that every jazz musician wanted to play, and despite Monk encouraging self-expression, they all wanted his approval.
Miles Davis famously commented on his happiness when Monk said he played “Round Midnight” well. Miles Davis later recorded a version inspired by a Dizzy Gillespie arrangement called “Round About Midnight.”
Round Midnight is also the title and theme song of a movie starring saxophonist Dexter Gordon, an American jazz musician living in Paris (scored by Herbie Hancock).
Watermelon Man – Herbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock can do it all, but it’s his tasteful and often simple approach that makes him so special. That “less is more” approach is never more prominent than in his iconic “Watermelon Man.”
Herbie Hancock released two significant versions of “Watermelon Man:” one on his 1962 debut album, Takin’ Off, and the other in 1973 with his Headhunters electric band.
Herbie played the original version in a hard-bop style with a simple F-blues structure (loosely). As Herbie recalls in many interviews, the idea came to him through a childhood memory of hearing a street merchant selling watermelons, touting for business.
The opening melody line translates to what Herbie recalls as “Hey, watermelon man.” That opening melody line has only three notes, yet it’s one of the most memorable melodies in jazz history, which is a valuable lesson to us all.
The melody never gets more complex, and the piece relies on a simple catchy tune, and fantastic rhythm section. What I like most about “Watermelon Man,” besides the melodic simplicity, is that it’s a great vehicle to practice soloing over. In part because it’s not too tricky but mainly because it teaches us not to overplay.
The later electric version is an excellent study of how instrumentation can change a tune.
Misty – Erroll Garner
Erroll Garner had such an immaculate touch on the piano. What I mean by immaculate is that he had sublime control of dynamics and unrivaled musicality to know when to use his famous light and dreamy touch. “Misty” is a great example of Garner’s sublime touch and one of the most played and requested jazz standards ever.
Garner apparently wrote “Misty” during a flight from San Francisco to Chicago. The flight is said to have passed through a thunderstorm when Garner spotted a rainbow running through the mist. If you listen to many live recordings of “Misty,” particularly with Garner’s trio, you’ll hear him explore dynamics as if mimicking the transition through a storm to calmer weather.
Erroll Garner recorded “Misty” the same year he wrote it, in 1954. Later that same year came a vocal version with lyrics by Johnny Burke. Misty became one of the early crossover hits when the pop star Johnny Mathis recorded and released it on his 1959 album, Heavenly.
Although many versions exist, spanning various sub-genres, “Misty” is a jazz ballad at heart with one of the sweetest melodies ever.
Waltz for Debby – Bill Evans
Bill Evans is another of my favorite jazz composers and pianists, which isn’t surprising as he’s one of the most celebrated jazz musicians of all time.
Bill Evans had an exceptionally varied repertoire throughout his career, ranging from his modal work with Miles Davis to bebop, blues, and classical music. “Waltz for Debby” is one of the very few tunes that stayed with Bill throughout his performing life.
The piece started as a piano solo for his debut album, New Jazz Conceptions (1957). Evans wrote the piece as a musical portrait of his niece, which explains his attachment to it throughout his career.
As a waltz, the tune starts in 3/4 time, a time signature that most jazz musicians love. I love this tune because it sounds more complex than it is, and it provides a fun (yet impressive) opportunity to explore waltz time. As an added bonus, the tune shifts to 4/4 time, which is typically easier to solo over.
“Waltz for Debby” is the perfect combination of beautiful melody and rhythmic exploration. Very few pianists blend melody, rhythm, and unusual phrasing as beautifully as Bill Evans (Dave Brubeck is another).
Maple Leaf Rag – Scott Joplin
Maple Leaf Rag isn’t universally considered a jazz standard, but I think it merits a place on the list. It’s my favorite Scott Joplin rag and something I consider a milestone piece in a student’s studies.
The early stride pianists like Willie “The Lion” Smith and James P. Johnson might not be household names, but they influenced the most prominent composers in the history of jazz. From Duke Ellington to Thelonious Monk to Art Tatum and Count Basie, all the greats studied the stride piano masters.
Scott Joplin and his Maple Leaf Rag offers a more forgiving entry into the world of stride piano. It’s not quite as physically demanding as Smith’s “Fingerbuster,” but it explores many of the same elements.
It develops hand independence and coordination while helping you understand elements like counterpoint. It’s also a great way to learn that a piano is a percussion instrument and not purely rooted in melody and harmony.
Most importantly, it sounds great and is so much fun to play!
Autumn Leaves – Joseph Kosma
“Autumn Leaves” is one of those standards that gets mixed reactions these days. It’s a standard that every jazz piano student should play, and every jazz piano student does play. So, it’s not unusual to hear one or two grumbles from the audience, as they may have heard too many times before. Nevertheless, “Autumn Leaves” remains a vital addition to any pianist’s repertoire.
The original version, “Les Feuilles Mortes,” was published in 1947 by Kosma. The concept came from his original ballet music, with inspiration from Tchaikovsky. A few years later, in 1950, Johnny Mercer wrote the English language lyrics for the piece we now know as “Autumn Leaves.”
“Autumn Leaves” was my first introduction to the circle of fifths progression. What I like most about “Autumn Leaves,” from a technical point of view, is that it’s a fantastic way to practice voice leading. The harmonic content isn’t too complex, and once you have the chords down, you can explore voicings and voice leading.
It’s also one of the most iconic melodies in jazz history.
Night Train – Jimmy Forrest
“Night Train” isn’t a tune that would make it onto everyone’s essential standards list, but it gets a place on mine. As I said earlier, all of these standards are fantastic tunes, but I also like to pick out tunes that provide a platform to learn and practice a particular technique or genre. In this case, “Night Train” was the tune that helped me realize that blues music isn’t just for guitarists.
Admittedly, I probably heard “Night Train” on the Back to the Future soundtrack before I knew who Jimmy Forrest was, but it quickly became one of my favorite tunes to play.
It’s not difficult to play, but like many blues songs, it’s more about how you play it. You can play the same blues hundreds of times, and when you least expect it, something clicks, and you feel it more. There’s nothing like playing the blues with attitude and not being afraid to highlight simple phrases.
Unfortunately, Oscar Peterson also loved to play “Night Train,” and once you hear him play it, everything else sounds, well, not as good (but I still enjoy it!).
Blue Monk – Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk first recorded “Blue Monk” in 1954 and often referenced the piece as one of his favorites. “Blue Monk” is a simple blues, yet it sounds no less innovative or unique than anything Monk played at Minton’s Playhouse during the height of the bebop era.
The lesson I took from Monk, and this track in particular, is that we should embrace our own sound, whatever it is. Monk was a genius; there’s no debate over that, but he expressed himself in a way that led many to question his technical ability.
I’m no Thelonious Monk, nor am I a Chick Corea or Herbie Hancock. As a young student, I wanted to emulate my idols, and I spent so much time trying to sound like others I had no idea what my sound was. When I learned to embrace the shortcomings in my playing, as well as the things I do well, I became a more confident musician with a more distinct sound.
“Blue Monk” is an excellent example of self-expression, particularly the early trio recording with Art Blakey on drums or Monk’s solo piano. It’s worth checking out Carmen McRae singing Monk, too.
Take Five – Paul Desmond
“Take Five” is the biggest-selling jazz record of all time; this Paul Desmond classic beats Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, John Coltrane, and every other giant of the genre.
Many people still assume that “Take Five” is Dave Brubeck’s composition because it appears on his Time Out album, but it was written by his supremely gifted saxophonist, Paul Desmond.
I’ve added “Take Five” not just for its popularity but because it’s the tune that encourages many jazz pianists to experiment with time signatures.
Time Out is an album that explores less common time signatures, inspired by Brubeck’s 1958 Eurasia trip. Ironically, despite Dave Brubeck’s fame and Paul Desmond writing the iconic melody, “Take Five” happened because Joe Morello (Dave’s drummer) asked for a solo in 5/4 time.
“Take Five” was released as a single in 1959 but didn’t reach hit status until 1961, and still generates ample radio play today.
Someday My Prince Will Come – Larry Morey and Frank Churchill
“Someday My Prince Will Come” is a song from Disney’s 1937 animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Beginners might wonder why a Disney classic features among the most important jazz standards ever, but it’s pretty common.
Jazz musicians like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Keith Jarrett loved to adapt songs from musicals for jazz arrangements. “Someday My Prince Will Come” is one of the most popular of those adaptations.
The tune is in waltz time (3/4), and my favorite version comes from the 1961 Miles Davis album of the same name. The album came during a time of transition for the Miles Davis Quintet, but it’s the only studio recording featuring Hank Mobley (tenor saxophone), which makes it special.
“Someday My Prince Will Come” is a tune that helped me focus on letting the melody sing. The lyrics and melody are so well-known it’s the perfect tune to practice phrasing your melody like a vocalist.
Blue Bossa – Kenny Dorham
Kenny Dorham wrote “Blue Bossa” in 1963, and it was first released by Joe Henderson on his Page One album.
For me and many others, “Blue Bossa” was the first venture into the world of Latin jazz. “Blue Bossa” is by no means as challenging as the most rhythmically complex Latin jazz, but it teaches the basic feel with a catchy melody that you can sing.
Since many musicians use “Blue Bossa” as a stepping stone into Latin jazz, it sometimes suffers the same fate as “Autumn Leaves.” Audiences sometimes tire of hearing it, but it’s an important tune to learn.
It allows you to learn and understand more about the typical phrasing patterns of Latin jazz without overwhelming you with hard-to-play rhythmic accompaniments.
“Blue Bossa” is a tune that you should spend a decent amount of time on because although many pianists play it, not all take the time to play it well. Once you know the notes, how you play them becomes the most important thing.
The Nearness of You – Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington
Hoagy Carmichael is one of the most important songwriters in jazz history, and “The Nearness of You” is one of his best-loved hits. Hoagy Carmichael composed this song in 1937, and Ned Washington added lyrics.
“The Nearness of You” is as pure a love song as you’ll find in the jazz genre. Although Carmichael composed many standards, like “Stardust,” “Georgia on My Mind,” and “Heart and Soul,” “The Nearness of You” remains one of his most covered works.
Its popularity lies in its simple melody and heartfelt lyrics. “The Nearness of You” has endured multiple revival periods, with notable artists like Glenn Miller (in the 1940s) and Norah Jones (in the early 2000s) covering the iconic record.
However, my favorite versions of the song come from the inimitable Oscar Peterson featuring Ray Brown (bass), Herb Ellis (guitar), and Buddy Rich (drums). And, the wonderful Roy Hargrove.
All Blues – Miles Davis
“All Blues,” from the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue, is a standard that changed the entire landscape of jazz music in 1959. There’s nothing complex about “All Blues;” it’s a 12-bar blues in 6/8 time.
One of the first things we need to acknowledge about “All Blues” is that it features one of the greatest sextets ever. In addition to Miles, the lineup included Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers, and Jimmy Cobb. Every one of those names is a giant of jazz music and a master of their craft.
This period of Miles’ career was far removed from the bebop days playing with Charlie Parker’s band. This music was more about space, no wasted notes, and making everything count (Miles might have said it more like if you have nothing to say, shut your mouth).
As pianists, we need to focus on the role of Bill Evans here. The modal style of “All Blues” introduced us to those quartal voicings from Bill Evans; stacking fourths instead of thirds. Pianists like McCoy Tyner are famous for using quartal voicings, generating a very angular sound, but Evan’s was different. Evan’s weaved between harsh angular lines and delicate singing melodies over those voicings.
It’s a true masterpiece.
All the Things You Are – Jerome Kern
If you attend any jam session, you’ll inevitably have to play Jerome Kern’s “All the Things You Are,” so you might as well learn it now.
Jerome Kern wrote “All the Things You Are” in 1939 for a new musical, Very Warm for May. Musical theatre titan Oscar Hammerstein II added lyrics to the composition.
Upon its release, the most famous bandleaders in America couldn’t wait to record it with their orchestras, including Tommy Dorsey and Artie Shaw. It also became a mainstay on setlists for social and formal events all over the country.
The song doesn’t have the “cool” status that many standards on my list achieved, but it’s no less important. It’s almost a challenge now to find a new way to perform the standard; get it wrong, and you’ll hear about it fast. But get it right, and you’ll turn an overplayed standard into the hippest thing since sliced bread.
Take the ‘A’ Train – Billy Strayhorn
Billy Strayhorn was a composer, pianist, bandleader, and seminal figure in jazz history. Strayhorn’s 1939 standard, “Take the ‘A’ Train,” is the signature sound of Duke Ellington.
It’s remarkable to think that the Duke’s signature sound comes from someone else’s composition, but Ellington took Strayhorn under his wing. Anything they collaborated on was very much a product of that relationship and mentorship.
“Take the ‘A’ Train” gets its name from the first line of travel instructions that Ellington gave Strayhorn to get to his house. The ‘A’ train refers to the ‘A’ subway service in New York City.
“Take the ‘A’ Train” has one of the most famous introductions of all jazz standards. Strayhorn was a massive admirer of the arranger Fletcher Henderson and almost binned “Take the ‘A’ Train” for fear that it sounded too much like a Henderson arrangement.
Fortunately, Ellington and his orchestra recorded the song in 1942, and it remains a prime example of the golden age of big-band jazz in New York City.
Summertime – George Gershwin
“Summertime” is a George Gershwin composition from the opera Porgy and Bess. Gershwin composed the song in 1934, with the opera coming a year later.
“Summertime” is one of my favorite standards because you can do anything with it. It’s a simple aria that you can play as a blues, a spiritual piece, in a modern modal style, and everything in between.
It’s a great song to practice singing while you play. Now, you don’t have to be a good singer; I’m certainly not. But, the more you get used to singing melodies as you play, the more familiar you become with pitch, and the more freely you can play. After a while, you can start to sing your improvised lines because you’ve developed that connection between your ideas and the instrument.
Another reason I love “Summertime” is that it’s an introduction to Porgy and Bess, and all of the wonderful music it features.
One of my favorite recordings of “Summertime” comes from the late Keith Jarrett, live in Japan (1987).
Final thoughts
You’ll notice that many of these standards aren’t composed by pianists, and that’s OK. One of the best things you can do to develop your technique is to learn from other instruments. These standards highlight essential elements of music showcased by different instruments at the forefront, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
