Just wondering if anyone has discovered tunes from the Real Book series (the illegal or the legalized series) that are very cool, but lesser known? Interesting chord changes? Memorable melodies? Outside of the typical songs people play?
I first came on Jobim's "If You Never Come To Me" in the old illegal Real Book. What a gorgeous tune. The melody goes up by half steps. The chords go down by half steps. Why didn't I think of that? Because I'm not Jobim!
I expect we'll have different experiences according to local culture, but here are some from RB1 that we've enjoyed working with and are rarely heard around here: Chelsea Bridge Come Sunday Conference of the Birds Ecclusiastics Follow Your Heart I Remember Clifford Little Waltz Nostalgia in Times Square Peggy's Blue Skylight Pussy Cat Dues Skating in Central Park
I love that tune! I play that with my folk-based 'Gospel' trio (arco bass droning the chord structure), & it's getting to where we can almost pull it off. "Nostalgia in Times Square" When I played with a jazz band a while back, this was one of our favorite tunes to play.
I love the song Jelly Roll by Charles Mingus, but it's the only song my band wouldn't play after I introduced it. We played it a couple times and the drummer and KB player both said they didn't like it. Which was odd for them. They said without the trombone part in the head the song lost its magic..
I always loved that this tune was included in the original real book. I'll also add "Afro Blue", although it's a fairly popular song, I don't seem to catch many covers of it.
