Don't You Know? Sheet Music Preview

Don't You Know?: E-Z Play Today

As performed by Della Reese

Item: 35-DS00460054

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Description

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Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 2
SKU: 35-DS00460054

More about this title

About the Artist: Della Reese

Della Reese (1931-2017) was a vocalist, actress, and ordained minister whose career spanned seven decades. Her warm, sophisticated contralto voice made her a fixture in jazz clubs, concert halls, and on television, where she became known for her interpretations of American standards and popular songs of the 1950s and 1960s.

For music educators, Reese's legacy offers a masterclass in stylistic nuance and emotional directness. She approached every lyric with clarity and purpose, making her recordings valuable references for students learning how to shape phrases with intention and connect text to melody.

Why we love this

This arrangement captures the sophistication that made Reese's original so listenable, with a melody that sits naturally under the hands and chord changes that reward careful voicing. It's exactly the kind of mid-century standard that gives pianists practice with jazz harmonies without requiring advanced harmonic vocabulary.

What to expect

Warm and inviting, with the kind of easy elegance that mid-century popular music does so well. The melody floats naturally, and the harmonic movement feels inevitable rather than forced.

Who it's for

Piano students who are ready to explore American standards with melodic sophistication beyond beginner level. Teachers looking for accessible yet stylistically rich material that opens doors to jazz-influenced voicing and interpretive singing technique.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the melody with rubato in the opening phrase; this song breathes better when you're not metronomic about the timing.
  • Voice the left hand chords to let the top note sing, especially on the chorus where the harmony supports the emotional peak.
  • Listen to Reese's original recording to absorb the phrasing before settling on your own interpretation; her pacing will inform how you balance tempo and expression.

How to use it

Pair this with other standards from the Great American Songbook for a concert celebrating vocal jazz traditions, or use it as a bridge piece between classical repertoire and contemporary pop arrangements in a mixed recital.

Skills your students will build

  • Voice leading in seventh chord progressions
  • Balancing melody and accompaniment texture
  • Interpreting rubato and phrase shaping in popular song
  • Understanding jazz-influenced harmony in a accessible context

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