Real American Folk Song (Is A Rag): Lead Sheet

This edition presents over 100 Gershwin standards in lead sheet format, making it an essential reference for jazz guitarists and interpreters working across multiple styles within a single composer's catalog. The official Gershwin estate approval ensures accuracy while the consistent lead sheet treatment lets you focus on the harmonic sophistication and melodic invention that still sets these songs apart nearly a century later.

These songs embody the sophisticated urbanism and harmonic innovation of 1920s-1930s New York; there's both elegance and energy in the melodic lines, supported by harmonies that feel both jazz-inflected and formally complex. Playing through this collection reveals why Gershwin's music has remained standard across jazz, musical theater, and concert settings.

Jazz guitarists, composers, arrangers, and serious students working with American popular song standards will find this collection invaluable for study and performance. Musicians preparing for jazz ensemble settings, combo work, or solo guitar repertoire benefit from having definitive lead sheets of Gershwin's complete catalog in one resource.

• Pay close attention to Gershwin's chromatic voice leading and unexpected harmonic substitutions; these aren't simple diatonic progressions, and honoring his harmonic intent elevates the interpretation.
• Use the lead sheet as a springboard for comping rather than a rigid roadmap; Gershwin's harmonies invite sophisticated reharmonization while maintaining recognition.
• Consider the rhythmic character indicated in the original context of each song (whether it's from a stage production, film, or concert work) to inform your phrasing and articulation choices.
• Balance the needs of melody and harmony when voicing; Gershwin wrote singable melodies that must remain audible even within richly voiced accompaniment.

Pair individual selections from this book with contemporary jazz standards or classical pieces in recital programming to highlight the stylistic range available within a single composer's work. For jazz ensemble or combo rehearsals, use multiple songs from this edition to develop facility with Gershwin's harmonic language and build continuity across a set.

• Reading and interpreting lead sheet notation with chromatic and extended chord symbols
• Recognizing and executing Gershwin's characteristic harmonic progressions and voice-leading patterns
• Developing accompaniment voicings that balance melodic clarity with harmonic sophistication
• Understanding the relationship between melody, harmony, and jazz-inflected rhythm within American popular song