Let's Misbehave: Piano/Vocal/Chords

This collection captures Porter's early mastery during the era when he was defining what a modern American standard could be. The song-by-song analysis paired with archival images and original manuscript excerpts transforms a songbook into a cultural document, giving performers and students genuine insight into how these pieces were created and received. Programming from this repertoire signals sophistication and offers vocalists material that rewards both technical command and interpretive maturity.

These songs embody elegant urbanism and sophisticated romance. Porter's melodies are immediately singable yet harmonically complex, moving with the ease of conversation while maintaining formal grace. The mood shifts from wistful ballads to playful novelty numbers, often within a single song, creating a world where style and substance are inseparable.

This book serves pianists and vocalists preparing for recitals, jazz ensembles exploring the standards canon, and music history students investigating American songwriting's golden age. It's equally valuable for music teachers building a teaching library of standards with documented historical context and for performers seeking material that combines accessibility with genuine artistic substance.

• Honor Porter's harmonic sophistication by studying the chord progression before focusing on melody; these songs often move through jazz changes that sound best when the pianist understands the underlying structure.
• Use the rare images of original sheet music to notice Porter's own performance markings and phrasing decisions; they often reveal interpretive choices that differ from later published editions.
• Balance rhythmic precision with conversational phrasing, especially in the introductions and transitions; Porter wrote with cabaret-style flexibility in mind, not metronomic regularity.
• Explore the lyrical wit as a guide to tempo and inflection; the humor and irony embedded in Porter's words should shape how you shape the melody.

Weave individual Porter standards throughout a recital program to create thematic bridges between classical and jazz repertoire, or dedicate a full set to exploring the depth and variety within his early catalog. This collection works particularly well in concert programming that centers American song or in cabaret-style performances where the blend of music, text, and cultural history enriches the listening experience.

• Reading and performing jazz chord progressions and extensions
• Interpreting sophisticated harmonic movement with sensitivity to voice leading
• Balancing lyrical storytelling with melodic and harmonic complexity
• Understanding the relationship between American vernacular language and musical phrasing
• Developing interpretive flexibility within the standards tradition