Drifting Along With The Tide: Lead Sheet

This collection gives guitarists direct access to over 100 Gershwin standards in a single, authoritative resource. Rather than hunting through scattered lead sheets, you have the full scope of his songwriting at your fingertips, all vetted by the Gershwin estate and arranged to professional standards.

These songs carry the swagger and sophistication of the 1920s and 1930s. Gershwin's melodies are irresistible, his harmonies are rich and forward-thinking, and the collection as a whole captures the vitality of a composer who understood both the concert hall and the dance floor.

Jazz guitarists, working musicians, and music students building a repertoire of standards will find this edition essential. The 248-page collection serves anyone preparing for jam sessions, gigs, or serious study of American songwriting.

• Study the harmonic movement characteristic of Gershwin's style; his use of secondary dominants and chromatic voice leading rewards close attention to the changes and creates opportunities for inventive comping.
• Approach the melody with clarity and sing through it first, separate from the chords. Gershwin's songs are built on memorable lines that deserve to be heard distinctly.
• Experiment with different rhythmic feels across the collection. Some standards swing naturally, while others benefit from a more rubato, ballad-like approach that lets the harmony breathe.
• Use this as a resource for exploring reharmonization. Once you know the original changes, try substitutions that respect Gershwin's harmonic language while pushing your own interpretive choices.

Use this for jazz ensemble repertoire, small group transcription study, or as a reference during rehearsals where you need quick, reliable lead sheets. It's equally valuable for students transcribing solos or working through interpretations of standards in applied lessons.

• Reading and comping from lead sheets
• Recognizing chromatic harmony and secondary dominant function
• Interpreting jazz swing and rhythm feel
• Developing fluency with standards-based repertoire
• Transcribing and adapting melody and changes to guitar voicings