The Jazz Real Book

(95) “Domino Biscuit” and Hotel Hello Steve Swallow’s “Domino Biscuit,” from Hotel Hello (ECM, 1975), is a concise yet characterful duet that epitomizes the minimalist charm of the album. Built on a simple 10-bar form in D♭, the piece unfolds with a brief two-bar introduction and a recurring rhythmic motif of dotted quarter, eighth, and quarter notes. Written in traditional piano score, the melody...

The 2026 Gilmore Bell Young Artist Award, accompanied by a $25,000 grant, recognizes two rising stars in jazz piano — Tyler Bullock II and Esteban Castro — both representing the vibrant next generation of the art form. Based in New York City and trained at the Juilliard School, Bullock and Castro share a commitment to honoring jazz’s deep traditions while advancing its creative boundaries. Bullock...

(94) Dolphin Dance and George Coleman  “Dolphin Dance,” f rom Herbie Hancock’s 1965 album Maiden Voyage (Blue Note Records), is a luminous example of modern jazz composition. Built on a 38-bar form, the tune flows with modal harmonies, shifting tonal centers, and a lyrical melody unified by rhythmic motifs. Hancock’s use of parallel motion, pedal tones, and deceptive resolutions creates a sound bo...

Marc Johnson, a distinguished American jazz bassist, rose to prominence in the late 1970s as a member of Bill Evans’ final trio. Renowned for his warm tone, lyrical phrasing, and rhythmic sensitivity, he has led groups such as Bass Desires and collaborated with Eliane Elias, Joe Lovano, and Pat Metheny. His 2025 ECM release Tramonto , recorded live in 2002 with pianist John Taylor and drummer Joey...

(93) “Dolores” and Tony Williams  Standard Rating 5 Difficulty Rating 6 “Dolores,” from Miles Smiles (1967), is a brisk, harmonically shifting Wayne Shorter composition that showcases the daring interplay of Miles Davis’s Second Great Quintet. Built on a 38-bar form (A–Interlude–B–Interlude–A), the tune moves fluidly through changing tonal centers and unexpected ii–V progressions, challenging solo...

(92) “Doin’ The Pig” and Bill Goodwin  Standards Rating 1 Difficulty Rating 8  “Doin’ the Pig,” composed by Steve Swallow and featured on Gary Burton’s Throb (1969), is a bold and funky example of early jazz fusion that blends jazz sophistication with rock’s rhythmic drive. The tune’s structure—divided into four sections (A, B, C, and D)—creates a constantly shifting landscape of rhythmic tension...

Spyro Gyra, led by saxophonist and composer Jay Beckenstein, has been blending jazz, R&B, Latin, and Caribbean influences for over 50 years, creating an instantly recognizable sound that has earned them fans worldwide. Known for radio hits like "Morning Dance," "Shaker Song," and "Catching the Sun," the band continues to make their music fresh and accessible while...

(91) “Django” and Modern Jazz Quartet  Standards Waiting 7 Difficulty Waiting 6  John Lewis’s composition “Django” (1954) stands as one of the Modern Jazz Quartet’s most enduring works. Written as a tribute to Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt, the piece blends a solemn, dirge-like opening with a swinging solo section, reflecting both Lewis’s classical training and the group’s jazz roots. Miles D...

Irish-born guitarist, arranger, and educator David O’Rourke has built a distinguished career bridging performance, composition, and mentorship. Mentored by jazz great Louis Stewart and later aided by Bucky Pizzarelli, he arrived in the U.S. in 1982, inspired by Pat Martino, with whom he would later collaborate. O’Rourke has performed with legends including Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton, and Jackie...

(90) “Dizzy Atmosphere” and Arturo Sandoval Standards Rating 7, Difficulty Rating 6  “Dizzy Atmosphere” (1945) is a bebop standard composed by Dizzy Gillespie and first recorded with Charlie Parker. Built on George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” changes, the tune exemplifies bebop’s innovation through angular melodies, rhythmic variety, and harmonic daring. The A section’s compact four-note triplet mot...

Braxton Cook is an American alto saxophonist, singer-songwriter, and one of the leading voices of his generation in jazz and beyond. Raised in Silver Spring, Maryland, he studied at Juilliard under Ron Blake and Steve Wilson before joining Christian Scott’s touring band. Cook has since performed with Christian McBride, Jon Batiste, Rihanna, and Mac Miller, and was hailed by Fader as a “jazz prodig...

(89) “Dexterity” and Barry Harris  Standards Rating 7 and Difficulty Rating 7   Charlie Parker’s 1947 composition “Dexterity” epitomizes bebop. Built on the chord changes of Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm,” its angular melody and flowing ii–V progressions reveal Parker’s genius for reshaping familiar structures into fresh, logical lines. The tune became a touchstone for generations, including pianist Ba...

Love, Life, and Jazz: Abena Koomson Davis and Steve Davis The jazz world has long celebrated couples who share both life and the stage. Vocalist Abena Koomson Davis and trombonist Steve Davis now join that tradition with their first jazz album together: Where Is Love? (WJ3 Records), Abena’s debut as a leader. With roots in theater, funk, and soul—including a starring role in Broadway’s Fela! —Aben...

(88)” Desert Air” and ECM Standards Rating 2 and Difficulty Rating 7   Founded in Munich in 1969 by bassist-producer Manfred Eicher, ECM Records quickly established itself as one of the most distinctive and influential modern music labels. With its crystalline sound, minimalist visual design, and commitment to artistic freedom, ECM became a home not only for exploratory jazz but also for contempor...

Emilio Castillo is the soulful saxophone maestro who co-founded the legendary funk-soul powerhouse Tower of Power in 1968. Raised in Fremont, California, Castillo was drawn from a young age to the rich rhythms of R&B, guided by early musical mentors and inspired by Bay Area soul bands. As the band’s co-leader, second tenor saxophonist, and prolific songwriter alongside Stephen “Doc” Kupka, Cas...

(87) “Desafinado” and Herbie Mann  Standards Ratings 7 Difficult Rating 7  Herbie Mann (1930–2003) was a pioneering jazz flutist whose openness to global sounds helped shape the spread of bossa nova in the United States. At a time when the flute was not widely recognized as a primary jazz voice, Mann’s technical agility and adventurous spirit set him apart. In the early 1960s, he traveled to Brazi...

 Guitarist and composer Anthony Wilson has long been celebrated for his versatility and creative reach, both as a solo artist and through his longtime role in Diana Krall’s quartet, where his warm tone and subtle swing have made him an essential collaborator on stage and in the studio. His latest project, House of the Singing Blossoms , released in August 2025 on Sam First Records, finds him retur...

(E 86) “Deluge” and Reggie Workman  Reggie Workman, born in Philadelphia in 1937, is one of jazz’s most versatile and influential bassists. Best known for his work with John Coltrane he helped shape some of the most important recordings of the 1960s, balancing hard bop drive with avant-garde exploration. His collaborations with innovators like Cecil Taylor, Sam Rivers, and Archie Shepp reveal a fe...

Fred Hersch, born in Cincinnati in 1955, is a renowned American jazz pianist, composer, and educator whose career spans over four decades. A prodigy who began piano at age four and composing by eight, he studied at the New England Conservatory with Jaki Byard before emerging as a distinctive voice in jazz. Hersch was the first pianist to play weeklong solo engagements at New York’s Village Vanguar...

“Detour Ahead” and Herb Ellis  Standards Rating 6 Difficulty Rating 6  Herb Ellis (1921–2010) was a seminal American jazz guitarist best known for his tenure with the Oscar Peterson Trio in the 1950s. Known for blending bebop fluency with a blues-infused swing style, Ellis was praised for his rhythmic precision, melodic clarity, and ability to seamlessly complement virtuoso ensembles. A native of...

Seth Abramson has been appointed as the inaugural Director of Jazz Awards at The Gilmore, where he will oversee the newly established Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Awards for outstanding jazz pianists. A celebrated producer, presenter, and musician, Abramson brings decades of experience discovering and supporting major artists including Jon Batiste, Robert Glasper, Esperanza Spalding, and Jason Moran....

(E85) “Dedicated To You” and Johnny Hartman  Standards Rating 5 Difficulty Rating 6  Johnny Hartman, born in 1923 in Chicago, was a jazz vocalist known for his smooth baritone and emotional delivery, particularly on romantic ballads. Though underrecognized in his lifetime, he earned deep respect from jazz musicians and critics. His defining moment came in 1963 with the release of John Coltrane and...

Marel Hidalgo is a 17-year-old jazz guitar prodigy based on the Jersey Shore, already making waves on the global jazz scene. With a sound that blends deep tradition and youthful innovation, Marel has performed at top jazz clubs and festivals around the world. Despite his young age, he’s already collaborated with jazz luminaries such as drummers Billy Hart, Roger Humphries, organist Pat Bianchi, ea...

(E84) “Dearly Beloved” and Stanley Turrentine  Standards Rating 5, Difficulty Rating 5  “Dearly Beloved,” composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Johnny Mercer, is a graceful 32-bar standard known for its memorable melodic patterns and rich harmonic turns. The tune opens with a classic ii–V progression, but cleverly delays resolution, creating subtle tension and release. Its balanced A–A′ form, mot...

Eric Alexander, is widely recognized as one of today’s foremost tenor saxophonists, deeply rooted in the hard-bop tradition. He first gained national attention after placing second in the 1991 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition and went on to study at William Paterson University, where he was mentored by jazz great Harold Mabern. Known for his robust tone, harmonic sophistica...