Funny Face (overture): Lead Sheet

This comprehensive Gershwin real book gives guitar players immediate access to the harmonic language and melodic sensibility that shaped jazz standards. The lead sheet format keeps the focus on melody and chord changes rather than fingering patterns, making it ideal for musicians building improvisational vocabulary and understanding how standards are constructed.

Gershwin's music radiates optimism and sophistication in equal measure. These melodies sparkle with rhythmic playfulness and surprising harmonic turns; the lead sheet format lets you feel the elegant simplicity of the original while imagining your own interpretive choices layered on top.

This book serves guitarists working in jazz, musical theater, and standards repertoire who want to build fluency with one of the twentieth century's most important composers. Whether you're a jazz comper, an improviser building a repertoire, or a musician studying American songwriting, the breadth and authority of this collection make it an essential reference.

• Study the melody first without the chords. Gershwin's lines are singable and memorable; internalizing the tune makes chord substitutions and variations feel purposeful rather than arbitrary.
• Pay attention to the harmonic rhythm. Gershwin often places chord changes on unexpected beats, creating forward momentum. Don't rush through passages with frequent harmonic movement.
• Explore the space between the written changes. Lead sheets give you the scaffolding; use it as a starting point for comping that reflects the style of the era and the piece's character.
• Reference recordings of the original theater performances when available. Hearing how singers and orchestras phrased these melodies will inform your interpretation and reveal performance practices that sheet music alone cannot capture.

Use individual selections from this collection to anchor jazz combo performances, musical theater pit sessions, or standards nights. The range of tempos, moods, and musical styles within the Gershwin catalog means you can program contrasting pieces that showcase different sides of the composer's voice across a single set or concert.

• Reading lead sheet chord symbols and melody lines
• Recognizing harmonic progressions common to American standards
• Developing sensitivity to syncopation and rhythmic displacement in jazz-influenced composition
• Understanding the relationship between melody and harmonic function
• Building improvisational vocabulary grounded in composed material