Ain't Misbehavin': Solo Guitar

This collection brings together 18 of the most essential American standards in arrangements that sound fully realized on solo guitar without overwhelming intermediate to advanced players. The pieces span the emotional and stylistic range of the jazz and popular music canon, from the laid-back groove of "Satin Doll" to the tender vulnerability of "My Funny Valentine," giving guitarists meaningful repertoire for recitals, competitions, or personal exploration.

These arrangements capture the warmth and sophistication of mid-20th-century jazz and popular song. Each piece breathes with melody, supported by thoughtful harmonies that honor the guitar's voice-leading strengths. There's an elegance throughout, from the bittersweet nostalgia of "Days of Wine and Roses" to the effervescent joy of "I Got Rhythm," making the collection feel like a conversation with some of the greatest songs ever written.

Intermediate to advanced guitarists seeking a diverse, accessible entry point into the Great American Songbook. This collection suits both solo recital players and musicians interested in understanding how standards are voiced and arranged for single instruments. It's also valuable for jazz and improvisation students who want to deepen their knowledge of melody, harmony, and form through studying real, singable tunes.

• Attend closely to the harmonic substitutions and reharmonizations in these arrangements; they're not the simple lead sheets you might know. Take time to voice chords smoothly and ensure bass lines move logically between changes.
• Use dynamics and touch to shape phrases rather than relying on tempo changes. The arrangement's sophistication lives in its voice leading, not in dragging the tempo through ballads.
• Study the original vocal or piano recordings of these standards alongside the arrangement to absorb the song's character and phrasing idioms before committing to a personal interpretation.
• Balance precision with swing. Even in the rubato sections, maintain the underlying pulse that gives these pieces their jazz DNA.

Build a solo guitar recital entirely around this collection, or draw from it to program standards alongside classical guitar works, contemporary art music, or other genre explorations. These pieces also work well in a "Great American Songbook" concert shared with jazz ensembles or vocalist collaborators, where guitarists can provide accompaniment or alternate in solo roles.

• Reading and interpreting harmonic substitutions and jazz voicings on guitar
• Voice leading smoothly across chord changes, especially in sus and extended harmonies
• Distinguishing and executing different jazz rhythmic feels (swing, straight eighths, Latin) within a single arrangement
• Phrasing and dynamics to convey the emotional arc of a standard melody
• Navigating chord-melody arrangement techniques and adapting fingerings for playability and tone