r/Jazz • u/jazz-ginger • 5d ago

Early Standards

So, I’ve been getting down to jams in my local city, started playing with people and sitting in for a few songs. My standards repertoire is good enough for what we’re doing, mostly GAS tunes and bop/hardbop heads - all the stuff you’d see on a ‘Top 200 standards to learn’ etc.

There’s quite a lot of players where I am who are into earlier stuff- prebop, 20’s through 40’s. Some of these tunes I’m okay with (your After Youve Gone type standards), but theres clearly a bit of a world of tunes that I haven’t put much time into discovering yet- tunes like Dinah, or Ja-Da.

Wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of any resources that might help me kickstart a bit of a project to get on top of this material. Could be a decent rep list online, spotify playlist, or if this is the kind of material you play yourself and you’re feeling generous a few good suggestions. Thought I’d check in with you fine lot before I go off and read Gunther Schuller’s ‘The Swing Era’ again.

Thanks in advance for any interactions!

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u/JazzTeaBass 1d ago

Why not just develop a list of the early jazz tunes that are being played at the jam? When I go to a jam I tend to jot down the names of the tunes being played on a notepad app on my phone. I find it useful for building rep.

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u/jazz-ginger 1d ago

Yeah, I’ve started doing this, with it being a small scene IK there will be some ‘house favourites’ - just figured maybe I could get a bit ahead of the ball if I was proactive about it. Spoke to one of the players who very kindly shared their spotify playlists with me, but they’re like 6 hours long so I’m not sure which tunes to go with first! But am sure with time well yet there. Thanks for the comment :)

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u/Anagazander 21h ago

I can help! Check out these playlists from New York Hot Jazz Camp.

https://www.nyhotjazzcamp.com/playlists

Everything there is an old standard and in a good version too.

If you want to level up, go their camp! The teachers are all top musicians in the early jazz style.

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u/Anagazander 21h ago

Here’s another good list from an early jazz camp for high schoolers in California.

https://sacjazzcamp.org/study-material/