Memories Of You (from The Benny Goodman Story): E-Z Play Today

Nostalgic and sophisticated. The melody carries a wistful quality that the Benny Goodman orchestra made famous, while the harmonic underpinning suggests both the elegance of the 1940s and the timeless appeal of a great standard.

Student pianists working through jazz standards or pianists comfortable with lead sheet notation who want to explore the Great American Songbook without committing to complex classical editions. This format also works for adult learners returning to piano who appreciate mid-20th century popular music.

• Lean into the syncopated rhythms rather than playing them straight; the groove lives in the slight push against the beat.
• Let the chord changes breathe. This standard has rich harmonic movement, so give yourself permission to slow slightly at key transitions while maintaining the overall pulse.
• Record yourself playing the arrangement and listen back for balance between melody and accompaniment, adjusting dynamics accordingly.
• Explore swing eighth notes if your reading level permits. Even subtle application transforms the feel from generic to authentic.

Pair it with a jazz history unit to ground students in actual repertoire from the swing era rather than relying solely on recordings. It also serves as a gateway piece for students curious about improvisation, since the harmonic structure supports simple melodic variations.

• Reading jazz chord notation and lead sheet symbols
• Playing syncopated rhythms with swing feel
• Interpreting harmonic movement in standards
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in small-combo style
• Understanding vocal phrasing translated to instrumental idiom