Jazz waltz

A Jazz waltz is a waltz in jazz style, thus played in a syncopated 3/4.

Familiar jazz waltzes

A few familiar jazz waltzes are: "My Favorite Things", "Jitterbug Waltz", Vince Guaraldi's "What Child Is This" (a.k.a.) "Greensleeves", and "Skating" from A Charlie Brown Christmas.^[1]

Notable jazz waltzes

The following were either composed as jazz waltzes, or are frequently played as such.

Title	Composer, (lyricist)	Year	Recording artist	Notes (album)
34 Skidoo	Bill Evans	1962	Bill Evans	How My Heart Sings!
A Child Is Born	Thad Jones, (Alec Wilder)	1969	Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Big Band	Consummation a.o.
Afro Blue in arrangement by John Coltrane	Mongo Santamaría	1959	John Coltrane	Live at Birdland, 1963
Alice in Wonderland	Sammy Fain, (Bob Hilliard)	1951	The Mellomen with The Jud Conlon Chorus	for Walt Disney's Alice in Wonderland
All Blues	Miles Davis	1959	Miles Davis Quintet	Kind of Blue
And We Say Goodbye to the Perfumed Garden	Big Lil		Big Lil	from John Peel's radio show
Baubles, Bangles, & Beads	Robert Wright, (George Forrest)	1953	Peggy Lee	from the musical Kismet
Bésame Mucho	Consuelo Velázquez	1940	Wes Montgomery	Boss Guitar, 1963a bolero as a waltz, really?
Black Narcissus	Joe Henderson	1974	Joe Henderson	Black Narcissus, 1976
Blues for a Four-String Guitar	Lou Rawls	1962	Lou Rawls	Black and Blue and Tobacco Road
Blue Daniel	Frank Rosalino
Bluesette	Toots Thielemans, (Norman Gimbel)	1962	Toots Thielemans
Blue Frenzy	Freddie Hubbard	1964	Freddie Hubbard	Breaking Point
Dance Cadaverous	Wayne Shorter	1965	Wayne Shorter	Speak No Evil
Delphia	Freddie Hubbard	1970	Freddie Hubbard	Red Clay
Effi	Stanley Cowell	1968	Max Roach	Members, Don't Git Weary
Elsa	Earl Zinders
Emily	Bill Evans	1966	Bill Evans Trio (and solo)	first rec. solo for Further Conversations with Myself, 1967, Re: Person I Knew, trio rec. from 1974
Footprints	Wayne Shorter	1966	Miles Davis Quintet	Miles Smiles, (debatable whether an actual waltz)
Full House	Wes Montgomery	1962	Wes Montgomery Quintet	Full House
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen	Smokey Robinson
Grandfather's Waltz	Lasse Färnlof, Gene Lees	1964	Stan Getz	Stan Getz & Bill Evans and with João Gilberto on Getz/Gilberto Vol. 2
Havana Smooth[2]	Lee Jackson (composer)	1994	Lee Jackson (composer)	from the soundtrack of Rise of the Triad
Hollandse Nieuwe	Joe Vanenkhuizen
How My Heart Sings!	Bill Evans	1962	Bill Evans	How My Heart Sings!
Hello Young Lovers	Wes Montgomery
The Inch Worm	Frank Loesser
It Ain't Necessarily So	George Gershwin			from the musical Porgy and Bess
Jitterbug Waltz	Fats Waller	1942	Fats Waller and His Rhythm	a favourite of Eric Dolphy and David Murray
Ju Ju	Wayne Shorter		Wayne Shorter
Last Tango in Paris	Gato Barbieri
Little B's Poem	Bobby Hutcherson
Little Niles	Randy Weston		Randy Weston
Lover	Dave Brubeck	1955	Dave Brubeck
Mamzelle Zizi	Dr. John & Donald Harrison	2000		Funky New Orleans
Midnite Soul	Freddie Hubbard	1969	Freddie Hubbard	A Soul Experiment
My Favorite Things	Richard Rodgers, (Oscar Hammerstein II)	1959	John Coltrane	My Favorite Things, 1961. Originally from the musical The Sound of Music
Night Dreamer	Wayne Shorter	1964	Wayne Shorter	Night Dreamer
Simone	Frank Foster
Skating in Central Park	John Lewis
Some Day My Prince Will Come	Frank Churchill, (Larry Morey)	1937	Miles Davis Quintet	Some Day My Prince Will Come, 1961. Originally from Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Soul Surge	Freddie Hubbard		Freddie Hubbard
Summer in Central Park	Horace Silver		Horace Silver
Sweet Lady	Monty Alexander		Monty Alexander
Tenderly	Walter Gross
The Girl Next Door	Ahmad Jamal	1958	Ahmad Jamal	Ahmad's Blues
Three Views of a Secret	Jaco Pastorius		Jaco Pastorius
Three Wishes	Donald Byrd		Donald Byrd
Ugly Beauty	Thelonious Monk	1967	Thelonious Monk Quartet	Underground
Up Jumped Spring	Freddie Hubbard	1981	Freddie Hubbard	Born to Be Blue
Valse Hot	Sonny Rollins	1956	Sonny Rollins Quintet	Sonny Rollins Plus 4
Valse Triste	Wayne Shorter	1965	Wayne Shorter	The Soothsayer
Very Early	Bill Evans	1962	Bill Evans Trio	Moon Beams
Waltz for Debby	Bill Evans	1956	Bill Evans	New Jazz Conceptions, and Waltz for Debby, 1961
Waltz New	Jim Hall	1978	Jim Hall	Jim Hall and Red Mitchell, (based on the changes to Someday My Prince Will Come)
West Coast Blues	Wes Montgomery	1969	Wes Montgomery	Incredible Jazz Guitar of Wes Montgomery
Wild Flower	Wayne Shorter	1965	Wayne Shorter	Speak No Evil
Windows	Chick Corea	1966	Chick Corea	Inner Space, 1973

Jazz waltzes in Pop

• "A Taste of Honey" (Tom Jones) from his album From The Heart, 1966
• "Blessed" (Simon & Garfunkel) from Sounds of Silence, 1966
• "Everything's Alright" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's opera Jesus Christ Superstar, 1970
• "I Just Don't Understand" (The Beatles) from Live at the BBC
• "It's For You" (The Beatles)
• "Mirror, Mirror" (The Osmonds) from The Plan, 1973
• "My Girl Maria" (Tom Jones), from Help Yourself, 1968
• "The Last Waltz" (Engelbert Humperdinck)
• "Wives And Lovers" (Burt Bacharach)
• "I Won't Give Up" (Jason Mraz) from his album Love Is a Four Letter Word, 2012

Jazz waltzes in Rock & Blues Rock

• "Golden Brown" (The Stranglers), 1981
• "Second Movement" (vocal parts) (Deep Purple) from Concerto for Group and Orchestra, 1969
• "Here's to the new year" (Slade) from Crackers - The Christmas Party Album, 1986
• "She Belongs to Me" (Jake Holmes), from The Above Ground Sound Of Jake Holmes, 1967
• "The Way Young Lovers Do" (Van Morrison), from Astral Weeks, 1968
• "What's the Use in Trying" (Moneybrother), from To Die Alone, 2006

Jazz waltzes in Folk & Electric Folk

• "Autopsy" (Fairport Convention), from Unhalfbricking, 1968
• "Gaea" (Pentangle), from So Early In The Spring, 1989
• "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" (Pentangle), from Berkeley Community Theatre, May 29, 1970
• "Hear My Call" (Pentangle), from The Pentangle, 1968
• "In Time" (Pentangle), from Berkeley Community Theatre, May 29, 1970
• "Light Flight" (Pentangle), from Basket Of Light, 1968

Jazz waltzes in Progressive & Indie Rock

• "Black Lace" (Frijid Pink) from Defrosted, 1970
• "Cressida" (Cressida) from Cressida, 1970
• "Digging My Lawn" (Giles, Giles & Fripp) from The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp, 1968
• "Hello hello" (Caravan) from Caravan, 1968
• "Jazz Waltz #3 in B flat" (The Dears) from End of a Hollywood Bedtime Story, 2000
• "Move on Alone" (Jethro Tull) from This Was, 1968
• "Poet and Peasant" (Beggars Opera) from Act One, 1974 (partial jazz waltz)
• "Once Upon a Hill" (Aardvark) from Aardvark, 1970
• "Something Following Me" (Procol Harum) from Procol Harum, 1967
• "To 'B'" (Brainchild) from Healing Of The Lunatic Owl, 1970
• "To Play Your Little Game" (Cressida) from Cressida, 1970
• "Up And Coming" (Blodwyn Pig) from Ahead Rings Out, 1969 (jazz waltz-blues)
• "Water Curtain Cave" (Jade Warrior) from Released, 1971 (partial jazz waltz)
• "Winter" (Hannibal) from Hannibal, 1971

Jazz waltzes in Psychedelic Rock

• "An Invitation to Cry" (Saturday's Children) on compilation album Pebbles Vol. 1
• "Ascension" (Kahvas Jute) from Wide Open, 1971
• "Benedictus" (The Electric Prunes) from Mass In F Minor, 1968
• "Cynical Watcher Mr Peep" (The Seeds), 1966
• "Deck Five" (Saturday's Children), 1966
• "Fly" (Ora) from Ora, 1969
• "Gold And Silver" (Quicksilver Messenger Service) from Quicksilver Messenger Service, 1968
• "Huautla" (Canned Heat) from Hallelujah, 1969
• "I Want You Back Again" (The Zombies) from Zombie Heaven, 1967
• "Jabberwock" (Boeing Duveen & Beautiful Soup) on compilation album Rubble Vol. 8
• "Judge With a Bomb" (The Seeds)
• "Shaman's Blues" (The Doors) from The Soft Parade, 1968
• "Soul Sync" (The Sun) on compilation album Psychedelic Archaeology Vol. 6
• "Sonny Goode Street" (Donovan)
• "Stephanie Knows Who" (The Move) from Shazam, 1970
• "Suburban Lament" (Leyne Martine Jr) on compilation album Psychedelic Archaeology Vol. 1
• "The Garden Is Open" (The Fugs) from Tenderness Junction, 1967
• "Tube" (The Psycheground Group), 1971
• "White Panther" (Arcesua), 1968, on compilation album - Love, Peace and Poetry: American Psychedelic Bands
• "War lord" (The Shadows), 1965
• "Wintertime Love" (The Doors) from Waiting For The Sun, 1968

Jazz waltzes in Argentinian Progressive Rock

• "Aventura en el arbol" (Aquelarre) from Aquelarre, 1972
• "El Viaje De Anabelas" (Bubu) from Anabelas, 1978

Jazz waltzes in Danish Pop

• "Dansevise" (Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann) won the Eurovision Song Contest 1963

Jazz waltzes in Finnish Progressive Rock

• "Hamarapuolella" (Alamaailman Vasarat) from Kaarmelautakunta, 2003

Jazz waltzes in French Jazz Pop

• "Boom Boom" (France Gall), 1966. Originally a Danish song called "Say Boom Boom" composed by Poul Reinau and first recorded by his wife Lise.
• "Les Oubliettes" (Serge Gainsbourg), c. 1961-63
• "Les Yeux Bleu" (France Gall), 1967
• "Pense à Moi" (France Gall), 1963
• "Wake me at five" (Serge Gainsbourg) from the film Strip Tease, 1963

Jazz waltzes in German Progressive Rock

• "Alabaster Keaton" (Aera) from Hand und Fuss, 1976 (jazz waltz/fusion)
• "Difference" (Häx Cel) from Zwai, 1972
• "Hallelujah" (Hallelujah) from Hallelujah Babe, 1971
• "Hysterical" (My Solid Ground) from SWF, 1973
• "Mosaik" (Joy Unlimited), from Reflektions, 1973
• "Music" (Häx Cel) from Zwai, 1972
• "Bosco Biati Weib Alles" (Brainstorm), from Smile A While, 1973
• "There Was a Time" (Brainstorm), from Last Smile, 1974

Jazz waltzes in Italian Jazz Rock

• "Valzer per Domani" (Arti e Mestieri) from Giro Di Valzer per Domani, 1975
• "Dimensione Terra" (Arti e Mestieri) from Giro Di Valzer per Domani, 1975

Jazz waltzes in Japanese Smooth Jazz

• "Night Waltz" (Keiko Matsui), 1991

Jazz waltzes in Norwegian Pop & Folk Pop

• "Intet er nytt under solen" (Åse Kleveland), Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1966
• "It's just a game" (Bendik Singers), Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1973

Jazz waltzes in Romanian Rock

• "Într-un cer violet" (Sfinx), 1984

Jazz waltzes in Swedish Jazz Pop

• "Att angöra en brygga" (Monica Zetterlund) from the film Att angöra en brygga, 1965
• "Bedårande sommarvals" ("Bluesette")(Monica Zetterlund) from Monica Zetterlund sjunger Olle Adolphson, 1976
• "Den sista valsen" ("The Last Waltz") (Svante Thuresson), 1967
• "En visa om ett rosenblad" (Cornelis Vreeswijk) from Poem, ballader och lite blues, 1966
• "En snäcka i sanden" (Alice Babs)
• "Farfars vals" (Monica Zetterlund) from Ohh! Monica,1965
• "Hajar'u de' då, Jack" (Cornelis Vreeswijk) from Poem, ballader och lite blues, 1970
• "Har du nån'sin hört någon spela jazz på en elektrisk flöjt" (Monica Zetterlund)
• "Mer än vänskap" (Alice Babs) from Illusion
• "I New York" ("Take Five") (Monica Zetterlund) from Ahh! Monica, 1962
• "Jag tror att jag är kär i dig, Maria" ("My Girl Maria") (Svante Thuresson), 1964
• "Leva mitt liv" (Svante Thuresson), 1968
• "Nygammal vals" (Svante Thuresson & Lill Lindfors), Swedish entry in the European Song Contest, 1966
• "Pense à moi" (instrumental version) (Spotnicks), 1964
• "Telegram för fullmånen" (Cornelis Vreeswijk) from Grimascher och telegram, 1966
• "Ångbåtsblues" (Cornelis Vreeswijk) from Grimascher och telegram, 1966

Jazz waltzes in Swedish Psychedelic & Alternative Rock

• "Blå vardag" (Atlas) from Blå vardag, 1979
• "Canada lumberyard" (Hansson & Karlsson) from Hansson & Karlsson, 1979
• "February" (Hansson & Karlsson) from Hansson & Karlsson, 1967
• "Här kommer natten" (Pugh Rogefeldt) from Ja, dä ä dä, 1969
• "Space with in" (Hansson & Karlsson) from Man at the moon, 1969
• "Peace on earth" (Hansson & Karlsson) from Man at the moon, 1969

Jazz waltzes in Swedish Hip Hop

• "A-kasseblues revisited" (Movits!) from This Is Swedish Hip Hop Evolution, 2010

References