The Jazz Real Book

“502” Blues and Jimmy Rowles (117) “502 Blues (Drinkin’ and Drivin’)” is a composition by pianist and songwriter Jimmy Rowles that stands as a clever example of his harmonic imagination. Despite the title, the piece is not a traditional blues. Instead, it unfolds as a 32-bar tune in 3/4 with subtle structural variations and a melody that feels almost folk-like in its directness while still containing angular leaps. One of the tune’s most striking features is its opening progression—Am7 moving unexpectedly to DbMaj7(#5)—a colorful harmonic shift that immediately signals Rowles’s distinctive approach to harmony. The composition is most widely known through the recording by Wayne Shorter on the album Adam's Apple (1967), where Shorter’s lyrical tenor saxophone interpretation highlights the tune’s melodic clarity and unusual harmonic movement. Rowles, long respected as a “musician’s musician,” brought a deep harmonic sensitivity to both his playing and composing, and “502 Blues” remains one of his most enduring contributions to the jazz repertoire.Wayne Shorter Bill Holman  and Mel Lewis The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol 2

Simon Mogul is a young American jazz tenor saxophonist emerging from the New York jazz scene. In his mid-20s, Mogul has quickly developed a reputation as a technically strong and expressive improviser rooted in the post-bop tradition while remaining open to contemporary influences.Active on the New York circuit, he has performed at leading venues including Smalls Jazz Club, Birdland, Minton’s Playhouse, and The Django. His playing reflects a lineage that connects classic tenor voices such as John Coltrane, Joe Henderson, and Michael Brecker with the rhythmic flexibility and harmonic openness of today’s NYC jazz community.In 2026, Mogul released his debut album Simon Says, produced by bassist Curtis Lundy. The recording features Jeremy Pelt, Tyler Bullock, William Hill III, and Rodney Green, with Eric Kennedy appearing on several tracks. Mogul is part of a rising generation helping shape modern straight-ahead jazz.

"500 Miles High" and Return to Forever “500 Miles High,” composed by Chick Corea with lyrics by Neville Potter, is one of the defining works of Return to Forever and a centerpiece of Light as a Feather (1973). Built on an 18-measure form with a 9-bar coda, the tune features spacious melodic phrasing, subtle rhythmic mirroring, and Corea’s characteristic use of upper extensions that create a floating, unresolved quality. The harmony is economical yet sophisticated, favoring stepwise motion and shared tones over functional progressions. The original recording opens with an ethereal Fender Rhodes introduction before Flora Purim enters freely, leading into a relaxed Brazilian groove. Strong solos from Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke, and Corea highlight the group’s interplay. The impressionistic lyrics reinforce the music’s sense of lift, making the piece a lasting modern jazz standard.Return to Forever Chick Corea Trio The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol.2

Joe Lovano stands among the most respected saxophonists in modern jazz. Born in Cleveland in 1952, he emerged in the late 1970s and quickly became known for his powerful tenor sound, deep knowledge of the tradition, and adventurous improvisational language. Over the decades Lovano has worked with a remarkable list of artists including Woody Herman, Paul Motian, McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland, and John Scofield, while also building an extensive catalog as a bandleader and composer. A Grammy Award winner, he continues to explore new musical settings, often blending post-bop, free jazz, and global influences. Lovano remains highly active on the international stage. Recent and upcoming appearances include performances at Smoke Jazz Club in New York and a “Coltrane 100” program with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. In April 2026 he is scheduled to appear at venues including the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, the Moore Theatre in Seattle, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, with additional festival and touring dates continuing throughout the years.

“A Fine Romance” and Marian McPartland (115) “A Fine Romance,” composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields in 1936, quickly became one of the most enduring standards to emerge from the film Swing Time, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Built on a clear 32-bar A–A′ structure, the tune balances melodic simplicity with subtle sophistication. Kern’s writing combines singable lines with clever rhythmic devices and smooth chromatic harmonic movement, including diminished passing chords and cycle-of-fourths progressions that give the song both elegance and momentum. Fields’ lyric adds a distinctive twist, using wit and irony to describe a romance that lacks the excitement and affection one might expect. The piece has attracted countless interpretations, including a thoughtful reading by pianist Marian McPartland. A major figure in jazz as both performer and educator, McPartland brought clarity, harmonic imagination, and lyrical phrasing to standards such as this. Her version reflects her broader artistic legacy—an approach that combined deep respect for classic repertoire with sophisticated reharmonization and improvisational creativity, qualities that helped define her long and influential career in jazz.Marian McPartland Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol. 2

“Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum” and Rudy Van Gelder (114) “Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum,” the second track on Speak No Evil, captures both the compositional imagination of Wayne Shorter and the unmistakable sonic clarity of engineer Rudy Van Gelder. The tune unfolds over a relaxed swing feel following a brief piano introduction by Herbie Hancock, after which the syncopated melody is stated with striking precision. Van Gelder’s engineering plays a crucial role in the recording’s impact: the horns of Shorter and Freddie Hubbard sound vivid and immediate, while the rhythm section—Hancock, Ron Carter, and Elvin Jones—is captured with remarkable balance and depth. Each instrument retains clarity without sacrificing ensemble cohesion. The spacious acoustics and careful microphone placement typical of Van Gelder’s work allow the complex harmony and subtle rhythmic interplay of the piece to emerge with striking definition, helping make the performance one of the album’s standout moments.Wayne Shorter Louis Hayes The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol. 2

We're Only in It for the Money by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention (with Guest Steve DeLuca)  A 30 Albums For 30 Years Special! Release Date- March 4, 1969 -We're Only in It for the Money by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention stands as one of the most daring and influential records of the late 1960s. Arriving at the height of the psychedelic era, the album sharply critiqued both the commercial music industry and the idealism of the hippie counterculture. Through satire, rapid-fire editing, and studio experimentation, Zappa created a collage-like listening experience that blended rock, doo-wop, avant-garde composition, and musique concrète. The record’s famous parody of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band signaled its irreverent tone, but beneath the humor was pointed social commentary about conformity, politics, and youth culture. Though controversial at the time, the album became a landmark in experimental rock and helped expand the possibilities of what a rock record could be. Its influence can be heard in progressive rock, alternative music, and later avant-pop artists who embraced genre-blending and conceptual ambition. (S5-Ep9)

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum continues to affirm his place as one of contemporary jazz’s most expressive voices. A Grammy Award winner whose career spans more than four decades, Whalum has seamlessly blended jazz, gospel, R&B, and soul while collaborating with artists ranging from Whitney Houston to Luther Vandross. He is perhaps best known to mainstream audiences for his iconic, improvised saxophone solo on “I Will Always Love You,” featured in The Bodyguard, a performance that became one of the most recognizable sax moments in pop history. On March 14, he brings that signature sound to the Morris Museum in Morristown, New Jersey, performing longtime favorites alongside music from his new release, Epic Cool (Artistry Music, 2024). Epic Cool reflects Whalum’s embrace of what he calls the “second half of life”—a perspective shaped by experience, faith, and artistic maturity. The album also highlights his deep musical roots, featuring family members including his son Kyle and nephew Kameron.. As he tours behind Epic Cool, Whalum brings not only technical mastery but a message of resilience, gratitude, and enduring cool born of lived experience.

“Falling In Love With Love” and Helen Merrill (113) “Falling in Love with Love,” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart from the Broadway musical The Boys from Syracuse, is a waltz in B♭ major built on a clear 64–bar A–A’ form. Its melody is strikingly simple—largely stepwise and sustained—yet its arching ascents and descents give it expressive shape. The harmony relies on logical ii–V progressions and brief modulations, making it especially inviting for jazz improvisers. Beneath its graceful surface, Hart’s lyric delivers a gently ironic warning about romantic idealism. A defining jazz interpretation appears on Helen Merrill’s debut album with Clifford Brown and arrangements by Quincy Jones, Merrill’s cool, intimate phrasing and emotional restraint turn the song into a refined, modern jazz statement of understated poignancy. (113) Helen MerrillKenny Dorham The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol. 2

Steve Tibbetts (born 1954, Madison, Wisconsin) is an American guitarist and composer whose music blends jazz fusion, ambient soundscapes, experimental techniques, and global influences. Treating the recording studio as a compositional tool, he layers loops, field recordings, and highly textured guitar tones to create immersive sonic environments.A longtime collaborator with percussionist Marc Anderson, Tibbetts incorporates instruments such as kendang and kalimba alongside acoustic and electric guitar. His 1982 ECM debut Northern Song, produced by Manfred Eicher, introduced him to a wider international audience.Among his later works, Close (ECM, 2011) stands out for its intimate, spacious character. The album refines his signature blend of atmospheric guitar textures and subtle percussion, emphasizing restraint, detail, and emotional nuance. Across decades, Tibbetts has maintained a singular voice marked by cross-cultural curiosity and sonic exploration