The Jazz Real Book

"500 Miles High" and Return to Forever 
“500 Miles High,” composed by Chick Corea with lyrics by Neville Potter, is one of the defining works of Return to Forever and a centerpiece of Light as a Feather (1973). Built on an 18-measure form with a 9-bar coda, the tune features spacious melodic phrasing, subtle rhythmic mirroring, and Corea’s characteristic use of upper extensions that create a floating, unresolved quality. The harmony is economical yet sophisticated, favoring stepwise motion and shared tones over functional progressions. The original recording opens with an ethereal Fender Rhodes introduction before Flora Purim enters freely, leading into a relaxed Brazilian groove. Strong solos from Joe Farrell, Stanley Clarke, and Corea highlight the group’s interplay. The impressionistic lyrics reinforce the music’s sense of lift, making the piece a lasting modern jazz standard.
Return to Forever 
Chick Corea Trio 
The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol.2

Joe Lovano stands among the most respected saxophonists in modern jazz. Born in Cleveland in 1952, he emerged in the late 1970s and quickly became known for his powerful tenor sound, deep knowledge of the tradition, and adventurous improvisational language. Over the decades Lovano has worked with a remarkable list of artists including Woody Herman, Paul Motian, McCoy Tyner, Dave Holland, and John Scofield, while also building an extensive catalog as a bandleader and composer. A Grammy Award winner, he continues to explore new musical settings, often blending post-bop, free jazz, and global influences. Lovano remains highly active on the international stage.
Recent and upcoming appearances include performances at Smoke Jazz Club in New York and a “Coltrane 100” program with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. In April 2026 he is scheduled to appear at venues including the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, the Moore Theatre in Seattle, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, with additional festival and touring dates continuing throughout the years.

“A Fine Romance” and Marian McPartland (115) 
“A Fine Romance,” composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields in 1936, quickly became one of the most enduring standards to emerge from the film Swing Time, where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Built on a clear 32-bar A–A′ structure, the tune balances melodic simplicity with subtle sophistication. Kern’s writing combines singable lines with clever rhythmic devices and smooth chromatic harmonic movement, including diminished passing chords and cycle-of-fourths progressions that give the song both elegance and momentum. Fields’ lyric adds a distinctive twist, using wit and irony to describe a romance that lacks the excitement and affection one might expect. 
The piece has attracted countless interpretations, including a thoughtful reading by pianist Marian McPartland. A major figure in jazz as both performer and educator, McPartland brought clarity, harmonic imagination, and lyrical phrasing to standards such as this. Her version reflects her broader artistic legacy—an approach that combined deep respect for classic repertoire with sophisticated reharmonization and improvisational creativity, qualities that helped define her long and influential career in jazz.
Marian McPartland 
Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong 
The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol. 2

“Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum” and Rudy Van Gelder (114) 
“Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum,” the second track on Speak No Evil, captures both the compositional imagination of Wayne Shorter and the unmistakable sonic clarity of engineer Rudy Van Gelder. The tune unfolds over a relaxed swing feel following a brief piano introduction by Herbie Hancock, after which the syncopated melody is stated with striking precision. Van Gelder’s engineering plays a crucial role in the recording’s impact: the horns of Shorter and Freddie Hubbard sound vivid and immediate, while the rhythm section—Hancock, Ron Carter, and Elvin Jones—is captured with remarkable balance and depth. Each instrument retains clarity without sacrificing ensemble cohesion. The spacious acoustics and careful microphone placement typical of Van Gelder’s work allow the complex harmony and subtle rhythmic interplay of the piece to emerge with striking definition, helping make the performance one of the album’s standout moments.
Wayne Shorter 
Louis Hayes 
The Jazz Real Book Playlist Vol. 2

We're Only in It for the Money by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention (with Guest Steve DeLuca)  
A 30 Albums For 30 Years Special!
Release Date- March 4, 1969 -
We're Only in It for the Money by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention stands as one of the most daring and influential records of the late 1960s. Arriving at the height of the psychedelic era, the album sharply critiqued both the commercial music industry and the idealism of the hippie counterculture. Through satire, rapid-fire editing, and studio experimentation, Zappa created a collage-like listening experience that blended rock, doo-wop, avant-garde composition, and musique concrète. The record’s famous parody of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band signaled its irreverent tone, but beneath the humor was pointed social commentary about conformity, politics, and youth culture. Though controversial at the time, the album became a landmark in experimental rock and helped expand the possibilities of what a rock record could be. Its influence can be heard in progressive rock, alternative music, and later avant-pop artists who embraced genre-blending and conceptual ambition. (S5-Ep9)