What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?: E-Z Play Today

This ballad showcases exactly why LeGrand's songs have endured in the jazz canon: a melody that feels inevitable yet surprising, paired with chord changes that reward careful listening. The four-page arrangement gives pianists enough room to explore the tune's architecture while remaining accessible to intermediate players.

This is a song that asks a question and sits with the weight of it. The melody unfolds with warmth and a touch of wistfulness, inviting the player to find intimacy in the accompaniment's gentle support. LeGrand's harmonic language feels sophisticated without showing off.

Pianists with solid intermediate skills who want to expand their jazz standard repertoire without overwhelming technical demands. Teachers seeking accessible material that still teaches real musicianship about phrasing, harmony, and jazz interpretation.

• Shape the melody by listening to the contour of the entire phrase rather than playing note to note. LeGrand's lines breathe.
• Let the accompaniment sit back; the tune itself carries the weight. Resist the urge to fill space.
• Take time with the harmonic movement at cadences. These changes deserve clarity, not speed.
• Consider the emotional arc across all four pages. This isn't a throwaway tune; it builds.

Pair this with other standards from LeGrand or his contemporaries in a jazz history unit, or use it as a solo feature in a recital where you want something current and mature sounding. It also works beautifully as a starting point for students learning to interpret rather than just read jazz repertoire.

• Interpreting jazz articulation and phrasing on a ballad
• Reading and voicing jazz chord symbols accurately
• Understanding harmonic movement and voice leading in standards
• Playing melody with independence from accompaniment texture
• Shaping longer musical lines with intentional rubato