40 Jazz Standards You Need to Know (by Category)

There are a lot of jazz standards to learn if you want to participate in jazz jam sessions and play gigs. If you're looking for a larger list to shoot for that will get you some great mileage, this is a good one.
In this video, I break down 40 jazz standards that I find get called quite often and have lots of lessons to teach us. I break them down by category to help you get organized.
Knowing what jazz standards to learn is one thing, but knowing how to learn them the RIGHT way, is completely different.
Make sure you get my free eGuide "Learn Jazz Standards the Smart Way" and get a fool-proof process for learning standards: www.learnjazzstandards.com/le...
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[@Learnjazzstandards]

Which jazz standards would you suggest learning? Share in the comments!

[@GritaThePig]

Wait a second you're not Adam Neely

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Not quite, ha!

[@Giselle1544]

😂😂😂😂

[@dapalca]

Start-up standars 1. Autumn Leaves 2. So What 3. Blue Bossa 4. Take the A Train 5. All of me 6. Song for My Father Advanced Essential 7. All the things you are 8. Stella by Starlight 9. Alone Together 10. Have You Met Miss Joness 11. It Could Happen to you 12. Days of Wine and Roses Jazz Ballads 13. Body and Soul 14. Misty 15. In a Sentimental Mood 16. My Funny Valentine 17. The Nearness of You Bossa Novas 18. The Girl From Ipanema 19. Wave 20. Corcovado 21. How Insensitive 22. Triste 23. Recorda Me Bebop tunes 24. Scrapple From the Apple 25. Blues for Alice 26. Ornithology 27. Anthropology 28. Confirmation Blues Tunes 29. Billie's Bounce 30. All Blues 31. Sonny Moon for two 32. Now's the Time 33. Straight No Chaser 34. Sandu Bret's Current Top 6 35. I'll Be Seeing you 36. Secret Love 37. Polka Dots and Moonbeams 38. My Shining Hour 39. Freinght Trane 40. Let's Cool One

[@nofood1]

good stuff

[@hankmerman1967]

Start-up standars 1:25 Advanced Essential 2:05 Jazz Ballads 2:50 Bossa Novas 3:22 Bebop tunes 4:10 Blues Tunes 4:51 Current Top 6 5:25

[@lovestoryccc]

Thank you!

[@kennethjenkins5676]

Thanks

[@hanfeicao9130]

Thank you, so much!

[@MacXpert74]

There so many great classic Jazz tunes. I like to add these: 1. Moanin 2. Fly me to the Moon 3. Black Orpheus 4. Desafinado 5. Nica's Dream 6. Work Song 7. Take Five 8. Love for Sale 9. West Coast Blues 10. Sumertime

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great list!

[@dillon2824]

Nica's Dream is the best jazz standard in my opinion

[@legaleagles3654]

MacXpert74, Some of my favourites on there ☝️✊

[@christophermichael5764]

Fly me to the Moon is in my top five!

[@kensword73]

Which moanin?

[@georgekourmou8075]

Donna Lee , Four on six , Airegin , Night in Tunisia and a blues like Tenor Madness :D

[@PAYOON07]

It’s a great list! Thanks for sharing

[@edmarplays]

Thank you for the list!

[@heliopousthomis2592]

Incredible work, love It!

[@purpliing7443]

I would also add: 1: I Cant Get Started 2: A Night In Tunisia 3: Summertime 4: My Favorite Things 5: Giant Steps 6: Autumn In New York 7: Fly Me To The Moon 8: Just Friends

[@pedronolascogamboa5034]

I Would Add: 1) The Way You Look Tonight 2) Someday My Prince Will Come 3) On the Sunny Side of the Street 4) Blue Monk 5) Oleo 6) Embraceable You 7) Summertime 8) Night and Day 9) Mambo Influenciado 10) My One and Only Love

[@jazzapv]

'If I should lose you' is a beautiful one,

[@likeyouiam5996]

thanks! Also great that you categorized those songs!!

[@Gearda002]

Hmm i think 41-50 should be: Steve Swallow - Falling Grace Miles Davis - Nardis Pat Metheny - Better Days A Head Benny Golson - Along came betty Benny Golson - Stablemates Harbie Hancock - Dolphin Dance Bill evans - time remember Chick Corea - Windows John Coltrane - Giant step Joe Henderson - inner urge No Mention: Djavan - Flor De Lis Pat Metheny - Bright Size Life John Coltrane - Countdown Benny Golson - Whisper Not

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Hey, those are all great ones, Gearda! The last 6 standards were just my current personal favorite.

[@famouswww]

You must be a guitarist too.

[@guitargod6997]

Three of my favorite composers. Victor Young - My Foolish Heart and Stella By Starlight (on the list already). Henry Mancini 's ballad - Two For The Road. Jimmy van Heusen (Chester Babcock) - Here's That Rainy Day and Darn That Dream.

[@gabriel_levi]

Thanks so much for this. Been trying to figure out where to start and this really clears things up!

[@Learnjazzstandards]

That's great Gabriel, glad to help!

[@jedmarsillo]

Great stuff as usual Brent. Time to go learn a few more of these now. I would add round midnight and fly me to the moon & angle eyes. Love the list otherwise. Happy New year🎉

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Thanks for the additions, Jed!

[@jfickrow]

Nice list!! I personally would also add satin doll to one of the beginner lists.

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great suggestion, Jackson!

[@quintinharris1879]

Great list! Very accurate! Now I know a few to work on.. Thank you!

[@Learnjazzstandards]

My pleasure!

[@TheLadsonsouza]

Muito bom! Ótima lista.

[@J3unG]

Nice list and excellent categorization. Thank you.

[@Learnjazzstandards]

My pleasure!

[@luizoliveiraguitar]

Thank you for that. Love your vídeos. They até Very helpful

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Glad to help Luiz!

[@kevinmoabpachecosegura2298]

Amazing job dude!!! thanks a lot!!! greetings from Mexico!!!

[@MichaelGrecoGuitar]

really solid list! Thanks for the info!

[@Learnjazzstandards]

My pleasure Michael, glad to help!

[@curtpiazza1688]

Great Advice! Thanx!

[@Learnjazzstandards]

My pleasure!

[@dennisdeez123]

You forgot Donna lee in bebop

[@richardsorice4509]

Great list! I would add Beatrice, Black Orpheus, Satin Doll, On Green Dolphin Street, There Is No Greater Love, There Will Never Be Another You, The Theme, Things Ain't What They Used To Be, Four, Gentle Rain, Tenor Madness.

[@richardsorice4509]

Hey Brent, I went to your list of 50 and see some of these are on there. i should have checked. Concerning Sam Rivers's Beatrice... It's popular here in Cincinnati Ohio. Maybe not so popular other places, but has become one of my favorites. Way different feel and structure compared to other tunes. Nice one to play if you're in a rut and looking for something different.

[@oldbrassman2157]

Just stumbled onto your channel while looking to get a list of standard titles. Had a few trumpet lessons when I was about 11. Just decided about three years ago to start practicing again... after about 61 years! Anyway, your list was helpful, but let's not forget Hoagy Carmichael's "Stardust."

[@ATchouMeuMeu]

I think it's a good idea to learn standards that featured in movies and such for people who might not be well versed in jazz. Someday my prince will come, alice in wonderland, that kind of stuff. Maybe that's an idea for another time ? Thanks for the suggestion, gotta start bolstering up my jazz repertoire and you're a great help. Take care.

[@NelsonRiverosMusic]

Cool videos! Thank you. I would put some cool Jazz pictures/ colorful mural type decoration in the back. Shades on window :)

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Thanks, Nelson! You're so right. I could up my game on the studio!

[@rapanui6106]

Stolen Moments is one of my favorites, I guess it would be in your Blues section

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great tune Carl!

[@oogabooga4813]

God bless you, man

[@Learnjazzstandards]

And you as well!

[@brendaboykin3281]

Thank you, LJS🌹🌹🌹

[@Learnjazzstandards]

You are so welcome

[@faustobalboa2740]

"On green dolphin street"

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great suggestion!

[@USSRussia88]

Have you heard the Dan Buckvich arrangement? It’s fantastic but I can’t seem to find a recording anywhere

[@theaddictofgaming9174]

I would add Someday My Prince Will Come, Equinox, My Favorite Things.

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great ones to add!

[@RobCLightbourne]

Absolutely. And 'Round Midnight as well.

[@Simon.the.Likeable]

Plenty of 3/4

[@thezenbum]

good choices but we should really include round midnight :) i would include take 5 as well! and at least one of these: equinox or blue trane, giant steps, my favorite things. summertime or st louis blues. maybe might like to add also a new chapter for miles next generation; footprints, watermelon man, spain, birdland etc. some others i like; black orpheus, it don't mean a thing, the shadow of your smile, straight no chaser, beautiful love, desafinado, satin doll, green dolphin street, insensatez :), april in paris, i can't get started, django, cherokee in walked bud, all of me, don't get around much anymore, goodbye pork pie hat, these foolish things

[@pomatomapo]

my current top 5 (changes really frequently) 1. My favorite things 2. Sunny 3. There will be never another you 4. Oleo 5. On Green Dolphin Street

[@JohnA000]

Freight Train, Lyresto, Four On Six, West Coast Blues, Road Song, Daahoud, Here's That Rainy Day, Spain, Joy Spring

[@miguelmichel68]

Summertime, cantaloup island, C jam blues, take the A train, Caravan, Scarlett I love you ( Lol)

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great ones!

[@danielabreu9264]

Thank you very much. This is really very helpful.

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Glad to help!

[@MarkRhodesSongs]

This is a fine list. I would add "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Satin Doll" becuase if you know the 40 tunes on this list but not those, it would surprise people. Also would prefer a better (!) rhythm head than "Anthropology", such as "Perdido" or "Oleo" or "Lester Leaps In."

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Thanks for the additions Mark!

[@logofwood6461]

I just created a list on Spotify :D

[@Defmusicman1]

Can you recommend 10 easy to play jazz standards on bass for a raw beginner like myself? Thanks.

[@josuetzunun6559]

100k around the corner!

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Hey Josue! You're right..sneaking on up.

[@Brucelectricmoose]

Cool

[@isaiah30v8]

I have been trying to get out of a straight up blues rut. . Think I'll start at the top. - Autumn Leaves. . Be nice to have Eva Cassidy sing it for me! . .

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Hey, blues rut not a bad place to be!

[@davidtardio9804]

Great list - My big goal was to learn 25 tunes for 2019 - I have more than enough to pick from here! By the way, Brent - do you have a podcast on soloing over a Bird Blues?

[@davidtardio9804]

Oh, I forgot! I'd add Solar to the list

[@Learnjazzstandards]

That's great David! So glad you're setting goals and ready to take action. Actually, I don't have one specifically on Bird Blues, but thanks for the suggestion. May hear that one in the future. But I did recently come out with one on the blues in general, in case you missed it: www.learnjazzstandards.com/blog/ljs-podcast/play-better-jazz-solos/ljs-146-3-strategies-for-improvising-over-a-jazz-blues/

[@Andrew-Gomez904]

Always thought Summertime would be here

[@Coderedpirate]

It’s so amazing that all the jazz greats lived in one generation, so they could all work with each other, but the only thing that bothers me is that there’s so many covers of jazz songs by other greats that you never know which one is the actual creator

[@jimsmart2522]

Hey, you should try this new website for searching, called Google - yeah, I know, bit of a silly name - but I think you’ll find it useful!

[@stephenleathley3895]

Perhaps you shouldn't think of them as "covers". Back in the day i.e. the golden age of jazz (pre- Beatles) songwriters wrote songs and performers performed them. Songwriters by and large, didn't write songs for themselves to perform as they do today. So, while some songs have become synonymous with the performer who produced the definitive version, it really doesn't matter. There is no "original" so there are no "covers".

[@kostasjazz]

Oleo?

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Oleo is a great one! Thanks for mentioning Kostas

[@jazzercaster4749]

Great lists! Unfortunately when ever you mention any kind of must know jazz tunes theres always people bringing up 50-100 or more that you must know too. These are a good place to start, picking tunes that you know people know in your area is good

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Thanks! Indeed, so many out there worth learning.

[@africanhistory]

i would have like to hear samples of them

[@cantorbarbarahaimowitz6678]

adding I didn't know what time it was, Solar, Green Dolphin Street.

[@luizoliveiraguitar]

I'd suggest Donna Lee, Wave (jobim's) , Something from Coltrane too...

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great additions!

[@ELHOMIE__]

Wave's in the video though

[@andremota4474]

how about 40 brazilian standards?? would love to help if u like :) blessings bredda and thx for the tunes and knowledge!!!

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Great suggestion Andre! And my pleasure. We have a pretty full content schedule at the moment, but I'll be sure to add that to our suggestions list, and remind myself to check back on this video to hit you up.

[@JiveDadson]

For a tenor sax players, Body and Soul is a rite of passage.

[@guitargentmick-tv8424]

Not bad. More Duke ?

[@hjubris]

Arteezy! :o

[@theloniouscoltrane3778]

2019 Dear Sir BRENT (The Man Behind LJS): Can you also upload a PLAYLIST of the original recordings so we can hear the song in its entirety. Please. Be considerate. Please. Thanks.

[@ccarington]

How about a "Soul Jazz" section? Sunny, Mr. Magic, Comin Home Baby, Breezin, that type of stuff.

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Hey Christophe, sure I'm not opposed! These are just ones I suggest to get down some classic jazz harmony.

[@thewinehouse4072]

What category would lullaby of birdland be in???

[@markatkinson299]

Stompin at the savoy.

[@Officialkingofallkings]

I’m liker number 666. Great video!!

[@gilesjazzguitar64]

What about Joy Spring 4 on 6 Twisted Blues Midnight Blue Meditation Red Clay Moanin' Killer Joe I hear a rhapsody Unit 7 Footprints Red Clay Angel Eyes etc

[@MomLAU]

*(singing)* "All of them, why not play all of them..." ;)

[@olebirgerpedersen]

Your sugestions are all fine. Ofcause I have some others of my preference. But a question: where do I find all these. I can hear them played by different musicians but then I will end up copying their frazing a.s.o.and I will still not have the right harmonies. Where do I find the Originals without being forced to buy tons of sheetmusic ?

[@astrani]

hard to say. I think "jazz standards" is just a word jazz lovers created to define what songs are nice to improvise over by stealing the chord progression. In that way you can "find" them best by having contact with jazz musicians. Or the internet I guess

[@mica2003]

I'm a jazz enthusiast, but I don't know how to distinguish between smooth jazz and instrumental jazz. Sorry I don't know how to categorize it. I'm looking for a song that goes like this "oh I love you and these are the reasons why..." I hope somebody can help me.

[@tylerpons5887]

Some basic tunes like Giant Steps

[@gustavoblues]

"Just Friends"

[@lautaroquipildor5199]

C jam blues

[@b3yourself91]

St. Thomas by Sonny Rollins and Mercy Mercy Mercy

[@jakubskyba7946]

As I am quite new to jazz (I got to it through music theory), the very word 'student of jazz' resembels to me rather theoretical views on principles within formation of the music. Obviously, there are many more jazz tunes that one would be assumed to know but so called 'standards you have to know as a student' sounds ridiculous to me. :D I don't mean it bad, just saying that since you like jazz, you go and listen to songs you like, you go to concerts and jams where songs are played and that's the way you got to know them. I study jazz harmony on my own but never attended a musical school, that is probably the reason for misunderstanding the concept on my side.. :/

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Hi Jakub! I suppose the title of the video may sound a bit more dire than it should. When I say "need to know", I moreso mean these are good ones to check out and have some great lesson on jazz harmony packed in them. Like you said, you should learn ones that inspire you or interest you.

[@jakubskyba7946]

It was just my two cents I said here, you do a great job here, nothing against that! ;)

[@mjfproductions9008]

what about take five? does the 5/4 rythm bother u?

[@Learnjazzstandards]

No sir, just didn't quite make my list. But a good one to include!

[@wildnites558]

Mercy, mercy, mercy needs to be on that list somewhere.

[@blueeyedsoulman]

Little Sunflower

[@chih-shengcheng1130]

And Giant Steps for tilting every one

[@wckoek]

There is a difference between jazz standards you should know and standards people wanted to listen. I mean not much people would request All The Things You Are in real world but My Funny Valentine, Summertime and Wonderful World do actually get requested a lot.

[@FrantzesElzaurdia]

Giant steps?

[@serenadesilhout]

Giant Steps! Swahililand! Fly me to the Moon?

[@saxofof]

Have you heard Secret Love by Dexter Gordon ?

[@Learnjazzstandards]

Yes love Secret Love! Although Dexter Gordon only did a rendition of this song. Secret Love is written by Sammy Fain

[@saxofof]

Yes of course, I meant Dexter’s version on an album called A Cantata.

[@flare2000x]

There Will Never Be Another You On Green Dolphin Street Doxy Softly as in a Morning Sunrise

[@sequoyahcisneros8719]

Just Friends?

[@dsjndn1dsdad594]

Blue In Green Should be there

[@macetenchu]

Blues walk

[@saxofof]

Alone Together

[@salim6800]

Is it you rtz?

[@MrChong-sc2gk]

ok how is cherokee not on here

[@AnsiloPlaysGames]

Sunny side of the street

[@o-prot]

Recorda Me isn't Bossa Nova.

[@docbobster]

I appreciate what you are trying to do, but the arbitrariness of the list is illustrated by the fact that half of the songs in your top 40 video list (All Blues, Anthropology, Blues for Alice, Corcovado, How Insensitive, Now's the Time, Ornithology, Sandu, Song for My Father, Sonnymoon for Two, Straight No Chaser, The Nearness of You, Triste, Wave and your current Top 6) don't actually appear in your Top 50 pdf.

[@uhb3017]

Where is Spain??

[@marcostapia7541]

Where is Take Five?

[@raphaelfeldman4989]

*G I A N T S T E P S*

[@matthewgales3057]

Skip to 1:39

[@merman11112222]

Suprised Donna Lee wasn’t an essential Bebop one

[@abelsanchezjr5930]

GIANT STEPS, NIGHT IN TUNISIA, and SPAIN

[@12345origamimaster]

no donna lee ):

[@McOuroborosBurger]

I’d have added Sky Dive and Chicken, but that’s just me.

[@Simon.the.Likeable]

Then you should also have Little Sunflower or Red Clay and Chameleon.

[@McOuroborosBurger]

Simon the Likeable but I do.

[@aikisato7852]

Spain by chick Korea

[@oluwabunmiadeyemo6705]

Equinox Moaning Hit the road Jack Take 5 Blue train

[@madrums007]

you look a little like miles teller

[@Learnjazzstandards]

ha!