To Each His Own: Lead Sheet / Fake Book

Alexander's lead sheet respects the inherent lyricism of this perennial standard while offering enough harmonic clarity to guide improvisation and reharmonization. It's the kind of arrangement that works equally well for a vocalist preparing a straight rendition or a pianist building vocabulary around a song that appears constantly in real gigs.

A warm, conversational ballad that exhales rather than demands. The harmonic movement supports a reflective mood without becoming precious or overly sentimental.

Pianists and singers working through the standard songbook, whether in a jazz ensemble, chamber setting, or solo recital context. This is equally useful for someone learning to accompany vocalists and for pianists developing their improvisational language.

• Let the melody sit naturally in the voice or right hand; resist the urge to oversell the sophistication of the harmony.
• Sketch the chord changes lightly at first, then add passing tones and substitutions only where they enhance rather than clutter the phrase.
• Pay attention to the cadential moments; this tune's emotional weight lives in how you shape the final resolutions.

Pair this with other Alexander interpretations or standards from the same era to build a cohesive set of songs about devotion and personal connection. It works well as a palate cleanser between more rhythmically active pieces or as a centerpiece for a standards-focused recital.

• Reading lead sheet notation with chord symbols
• Identifying common jazz harmonic progressions and substitutions
• Balancing melody and accompaniment in voice and keyboard writing
• Developing interpretive choices within a familiar song structure