10 Jazz Ballads You Should Know
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Wherever jazz is heard, a setlist or playlist is bound to include a few timeless jazz ballads. In today’s Quick Tip, 10 Jazz Ballads You Should Know, John Proulx helps piano students identify ten of the most recognizable and most requested jazz ballads. You’ll discover:
- Top Ten Jazz Ballads to Learn
- The Timeless Appeal of Jazz Ballads
- Essential Jazz Ballad Techniques for Piano Students
Top Ten Jazz Ballads to Learn
Whether you’re a piano hobbyist who enjoys learning jazz standards or you’re a semi-pro looking to expand your functional jazz repertoire for gigs, John Proulx’s 10 Jazz Ballads You Should Know is a great place to begin. Certainly this list of jazz ballads does not represent the only slower jazz standards you should know. However, if you can play theses ten standard jazz ballads on piano, then it’s very likely that you’ll be able to connect well with most audiences.
Here are the standards on John’s list of jazz ballads to learn. You can click directly on each song title to learn about the composer, lyricist, date and common key for each song. In addition, we’ve selected a sample piano recording of each tune.
In the next section, we’ll discuss why jazz ballads are such a great way to connect with listeners.
The Timeless Appeal of Jazz Ballads
Many of the jazz ballads that we now consider standards were originally written for Broadway musicals and classic Hollywood films. In fact, at the time of this publication, the average ballad on John’s list is 76 years old! However, the association of these songs with the broader entertainment industry has helped to give them significant cultural recognition and mainstream popularity. Moreover, these jazz ballads continue to be reused in modern films and TV series. Simply put, these tunes have a multi-generational appeal that has stood the test of time.
Aside from popular recognition, there is another reason why jazz ballads connect so well with audiences. In particular, it is their melodies that audiences find so relatable. By contrast, some later styles of jazz, such as bebop and free jazz, are more difficult for audiences to understand. However, everyone seems to understand the tender melodies of jazz ballads and their familiar tales of human love and loss. Moreover, ballads also have an especially high capacity for complex and beautiful harmonies that are emotionally stirring.
As you listen to each of these jazz ballads, perhaps you’ll find one that you’d like to learn of the piano. Afterward, we’ll discuss some important techniques for playing jazz piano ballads.
#1: “Misty”
Composer: Erroll Garner
Lyricist: Johnny Burke
Date: 1954
Common Key: E♭ Major
Form: AABA
Erroll Garner
“Misty” (1954)
Erroll Garner originally composed “Misty” in 1954 as an instrumental tune. However, in 1955, Johnny Burke added the now familiar lyrics, which were popularized by Johnny Mathis on his 1959 album Heavenly. In 1971, director Clint Eastwood further popularized “Misty” with his directorial debut in Play Misty for Me. In this thriller, Eastwood stars as Dave Garver, a disc jockey whose life is turned upside down by an obsessed fan (Jessica Walter) who repeatedly calls in with the request, “Play ‘Misty’ for Me.”
🌟 Learn to play “Misty” (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) on piano.
#2: “My Funny Valentine”
Composer: Richard Rogers
Lyricist: Lorenz Hart
Date: 1937
Common Key: C Minor (E♭ Major)
Form: AABC
Hank Jones
“My Funny Valentine” (2005)
The jazz standard “My Funny Valentine” was written in 1937 by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. The song was part of the Broadway musical Babes in Arms. “My Funny Valentine” is frequently associated with Chet Baker, who was fascinated by the tune and made it his signature song. In fact, Baker recorded “My Funny Valentine” nearly 40 times and would rarely perform a show without including it.¹ “My Funny Valentine” has appeared in multiple movies and TV shows, including a Chet Baker inspired on-screen vocal performance by Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999). Other films that feature “My Funny Valentine” include Pal Joey (1957), Sharky’s Machine (1981), The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), When A Man Loves a Woman (1994), Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Company (2003).
🌟 Learn to play “My Funny Valentine” (Intermediate) on piano.
#3: “As Time Goes By”
Composer: Herman Hupfeld
Lyricist: Herman Hupfeld
Date: 1931
Common Key: E♭ Major
Form: AABA
Eddie Higgins
“As Time Goes By” (1986)
“As Time Goes By” was originally written and composed by Herman Hupfeld in 1931 for the Broadway musical Everyone’s Welcome. However, the tune is best known for its association with the 1942 classic film Casablanca. In the film, “As Time Goes By” is memorably sung by Dooley Wilson as Sam. Over 50 years later, the song returned to the big screen in Sleepless In Seattle (1993). In 2004, “As Time Goes By” was ranked #2 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs—a list of the 100 top movie songs of the 20th century by the American Film Institute.
#4: “Unforgettable”
Composer: Irving Gordon
Lyricist: Irving Gordon
Date: 1951
Common Key: G Major to C Major
Form: ABAC
Beegie Adair
“Unforgettable” (1951)
“Unforgettable” was composed in 1951 by Irving Gordon and recorded in the same year by Nat King Cole with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra. In 1991, Cole’s daughter Natalie Cole released a Grammy Award winning virtual duet of the tune the featured her father’s voice with the aid of digital technology. Additionally, Nat King Cole also recorded a non-orchestrated trio version of “Unforgettable” in 1952 which wasn’t released until 1998 with the deluxe edition re-issue of his 1952 album Penthouse Serenade.
Musically speaking, “Unforgettable” features some very clever harmonic prowess by composer Irving Gordon. Specifically, the A sections of “Unforgettable” are in G major, while the B and C sections are in C major. Nonetheless, these modulations are scarcely noticeable to the average listener.
#5: “When I Fall In Love”
Composer: Victor Young
Lyricist: Edward Heyman
Date: 1952
Key: E♭ Major
Form: ABAC
Jessica Williams
“When I Fall In Love” (2000)
“When I Fall In Love” was written by Victor Young and Edward Heyman in 1952. The timeless melody began as an instrumental selection for the Korean War film One Minute to Zero (1952). In fact, the song’s original title was “Theme from One Minute to Zero.” However, in April of 1952, before the film’s release, Victor Young arranged and conducted a vocal version of “When I Fall In Love” featuring vocalist Jeri Southern. However, the first hit version of the tune was that of Doris Day, which was released in July of 1952. The popular tune has also appeared in subsequent films, including an on-screen performance by Nat King Cole in Istanbul (1957). Additionally, a duet recording of “When I Fall in Love” by Celine Dion and Clive Griffin appeared in Sleepless In Seattle (1993).
🌟 Learn to play “When I Fall In Love” (Intermediate) on piano.
#6: “My Way”
Composer: Jacques Revaux
Lyricist: Paul Anka
Date: 1968
Common Key: C Major
Form: AABAB
Massimo Faraó
“My Way” (2004)
Singer, songwriter and actor Paul Anka wrote the lyrics to “My Way” specifically for Frank Sinatra in 1968. However, the tune was originally a song named “Comme d’habitude,” which was composed in 1967 by French songwriter Jacques Revaux with French lyrics by Gilles Thibault and Claude François. Anka had heard the tune while traveling in France and had negotiated publishing rights for the song before returning home. A year later, when Anka went to dinner with Frank Sinatra, he returned home, adapted the melody and penned the now famous words which became Sinatra’s signature song.²
#7: “At Last”
Composer: Harry Warren
Lyricist: Mack Gordon
Date: 1941
Common Key: C Major
Form: ABAC
Stephen Kummer
“At Last” (2006)
“At Last” was written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren in 1941 for the musical film Sun Valley Serenade. The original recording of the tune was by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra. The following year, the “At Last” reappeared on the big screen in Orchestra Wives (1942). In 1960, R&B singer Etta James score a crossover hit with “At Last,” which became her signature song. Etta James’ popular rendition of “At Last” appears in dozens of movies and TV shows including Rain Man (1988), Father of the Bride Part II (1995), Pleasantville (1998), A Star Is Born (2018) and The Little Things (2021).
#8: “What a Wonderful World”
Composer: George David Weiss & Bob Thiele
Lyricist: George David Weiss & Bob Thiele
Date: 1967
Common Key: F Major
Form: AABA
Jason Moran
“What a Wonderful World” (2023)
“What a Wonderful World” is a pop standard written by George David Weiss & Bob Thiele in 1967. The song was specifically composed for Louis Armstrong, who recorded and released the song as a single in 1967. The song hit #1 in the UK in the first year, however it initially lacked traction in America because the head of ABC records at the time refused to promote the song over a disagreement. Nonetheless, twenty years later, American audiences rediscovered “What a Wonderful World” when it was featured in Good Morning Vietnam (1988) starring Robin Williams. Consequently, “What a Wonderful World” reached #32 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988.³
🌟 Learn to play “What a Wonderful World” (Intermediate) on piano.
#9: “The Nearness of You”
Composer: Hoagy Carmichael
Lyricist: Ned Washington
Date: 1938
Common Key: F
Form: AABC
Lynne Arriale
“The Nearness of You” (2001)
“The Nearness of You” was composed in 1938 by Hoagy Carmichael, the prolific American composer who gave us other timeless jazz ballads including “Stardust” (1927), “Georgia On My Mind” (1930) and “Skylark” (1941). The lyrics for “The Nearness of You” were written by Ned Washington, who also penned the words for “Stella by Starlight” (1944), “On Green Dolphin Street” (1947) and “My Foolish Heart” (1950). The first hit recording of “The Nearness of You” came in 1940 from Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with Ray Eberle on vocals. Subsequent hit versions of “The Nearness of You” include recordings by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald (1956) and Norah Jones (2001). However, piano students won’t want to miss recordings of “The Nearness of You” by George Shearing (1948), Jessica Williams (1992), Fred Hersch (1998) and Bill Charlap (2001).
#10: “Over the Rainbow”
Composer: Harold Arlen
Lyricist: Yip Harburg
Date: 1939
Common Key: E♭ Major
Form: AABA
Red Garland
“Over the Rainbow” (1982)
“Over the Rainbow” was written in 1939 by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for The Wizard of Oz in which the magical ballad is sung by Judy Garland as Dorothy. The song was voted #1 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs and was also ranked #1 on Songs of the Century, a joint project by The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). “Over the Rainbow” has appeared in over forty subsequent films⁴ and has been embraced and performed by musicians of virtually every genre since its inception. A sample of jazz pianists that have recorded “Over the Rainbow” includes Bud Powell (1951), Art Tatum (1953), Erroll Garner (1955), Oscar Peterson (1959), Keith Jarrett (1984) and David Hazeltine (2014).
🌟 Learn to play “Over the Rainbow” (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) on piano.
Essential Jazz Ballad Techniques for Piano Students
Jazz ballads are a great way for piano students of all levels to explore and experience the joy of playing jazz on piano. Even though jazz ballads are not necessarily easy to master, their slower tempos are often more easily accessible for beginners than medium or up tempo jazz swing tunes. In addition, ballads present a great opportunity for intermediate and advanced students to explore professional jazz piano techniques.
In this section, we’ll help you identify essential jazz piano skills appropriate for each playing level that you can apply to any of John’s 10 Jazz Ballads You Should Know.
Beginner Jazz Piano Skills for Ballads
Chord shells: these 2-or-3-note voicings are easy enough for beginners to learn, yet they are regularly used by professional jazz pianists as well. Chord shells equip pianists with a minimalistic approach for effectively implying a tune’s harmony with maximum efficiency. If you typically play root 7th chords in the left hand, then this technique will be a game-changer for you!
Legato pedaling: a technique in which a pianist applies the sustain pedal (also known as the damper pedal) immediately after a chord is played, but before the keys are released. The pedal is held down until the next chord is played, enabling the pianist to achieve a smooth, connected sound as they change chords. Legato pedaling is also called “delayed pedaling.” This is a must-have technique for students of all levels when playing jazz ballads on piano.
Parent scales: a harmonic framework that allows jazz musicians to improvise with just one scale over multiple chords from a common key.
Intermediate Jazz Piano Skills for Ballads
Chord extensions: additional color notes that can be added to 7th chords to provide more complex harmonic sounds.
Chord alterations: tension notes added to chords that result in rich and complex jazz harmonies. There are four potential alterations to choose from: the♭9, ♯9, ♯11 and ♭13. In simple terms, a chord alteration is a chord extension with an accidental. Alterations are most commonly used on dominant chords.
Rootless voicings: a stylized chord sound popularized in the mid-to-late 1950s by jazz pianists like Bill Evans, Red Garland and Wynton Kelly. If you are an intermediate piano student, rootless voicings will help you include beautiful harmonic colors in your left hand for a truly professional sound.
Chord substitution: when an anticipated chord is replaced with an unexpected or transformed chord. The substitute chord usually shares one or more notes in common with the original chord. More advanced chord substitutions may replace a single chord with two or more chords.
Advanced Jazz Piano Skills for Ballads
Block chords / Locked hands: a voicing technique in which a pianist uses both hands to accomplish a unique 5-note harmonization of the melody. Specifically, this technique arranges the melody in octaves with 3 notes in between. Usually, the right hand plays the top 4 notes while the left hand plays the bottom note.
Drop 2 voicings: 4-note open position voicings in which the outer notes are a primarily spaced a 10th interval apart. The specific drop 2 spacing is accomplished by first beginning with a 4-note closed position voicing and then dropping the 2nd note from the top down an octave. Jazz pianists frequently use drop-two voicings when playing chord melodies and comping.
Quartal voicings: a contemporary jazz voicing approach that uses stacks of two or more 4th intervals. Quartal voicings can be played in one hand with three notes or in two hands with four, five or even six notes. Ideally, quartal voicings seek to maximize perfect 4th intervals, although some common quartal voicings included tritones or 3rd intervals as well.
Inner voice movement: an advanced arranging technique, especially on ballads, in which a pianist introduces countermelodies for the purpose of embellishment or personal expression.
Passing chords & reharmonization: a harmonic approach in which a jazz pianist adds or alters the standard chords of an familiar melody resulting in rich personal expression.
Conclusion
We hope you have enjoyed today’s Quick Tip on 10 Jazz Ballads You Should Know. Hopefully, you have picked out which of these popular jazz ballads you’d like to learn next…even if it’s your first!
To help you in your jazz piano journey, be sure to check out the following PWJ resources:
Courses
- Jazz Ballad Challenge (Int, Adv)
- Jazz Ballad Soloing Challenge (Beg–Adv)
- 6 Jazz Ballad Harmonic Approaches (Int, Adv)
- Play Piano Lead Sheets with 7th Chords (Int)
- Play Piano Lead Sheets with Shells & Guide Tones (Int)
- Play Piano Lead Sheets with Extensions & Alterations (Int/Adv)
- 32 Colorful Jazz Endings (Int)
Quick Tips
- Play Shell Chords On A Jazz Piano Ballad (Int)
- Play Rootless Voicings On A Jazz Piano Ballad (Adv)
- Jazz Piano Chord Voicings–The Complete Guide (Int)
- Chord Extensions – The Complete Guide (Int)
- Jazz Piano 10 Steps from Beginner to Pro (Beg-Adv)
- Create Inner Voice Movement for Jazz Piano (Int)
- Scales for Improv on 7th Chords (Int, Adv)
- 7 Beautiful Endings for Jazz Tunes (Int)
Jazz Ballad Learning Tracks
Jazz Swing Learning Tracks
Thanks for learning with us today! We’ll see you next time.
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¹ Inman, Davis. “Chet Baker, ‘My Funny Valentine.’” AmericanSongwriter.com, 2 Oct. 2018.
² McCormick, Neil. “Paul Anka: One Song the Sex Pistols Won’t Be Singing.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 8 Nov. 2007.
³ “What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.” Songfacts.com.
⁴ “Over the Rainbow.” ClassicJazzStandards.com.
Writer
Michael LaDisa
Michael LaDisa graduated from the University of North Texas with a major in Music Theory & Composition. He lives in Chicago where he operates a private teaching studio and performs regularly as a solo pianist. His educational work with students has been featured on WGN-TV Evening News, Fox 32 Good Day,...
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