Jazz versions of Beatles songs

**A. Bruno** · 03-01-2010, 12:28 AM

I'd like to add a Beatles song or 2 to my repertoire. Other than "Eleanor Rigby," can anyone suggest songs that would work well as jazz versions? Are there any good books out there?

**kaige** · 03-01-2010, 01:24 AM

If you can, check out "John Pizzarelli Meets The Beatles" which has
a dozen Beatle songs and it will give an idea of what is possible.
Lots of jazz versions of Beatle songs have been recorded in the last 40 years.

**hot ford coupe** · 03-01-2010, 01:27 AM

There are a few of good jazz albums made a number of years ago. John Pizzarelli did one, Helen Merrill did another and one guy did one about 30 years ago. Dang if I can remember any of the album names. Try YouTube and see if you can dig up any. There are a lot of great beatle songs that translate very well to jazz.

**Lambosoa** · 03-01-2010, 01:27 AM

Brad Mehldau has done some awesome stuff with Beatles material, particularly his "Black Bird".
"Lady Madonna" would be a great pick as well, I've heard one jazz version by a french pianist but I don't remember the guy's name.
On guitar, Sco has made a poignant version of "Julia" in the album "Out Louder", the song is a John Lennon's tribute to his late mother who died in a traffic accident when he was 17.

**revmcintyre** · 03-01-2010, 10:48 AM

There is a book called "The Beatles for Jazz Guitar" available on Amazon and a copy can be previewed on Scribd.

Revmc

**derek** · 03-01-2010, 04:22 PM

For chord melody, I have Michelle and Yesterday in my set list.

PS.

I think these two are book in the Real Book. I have a Beatles songbook, and it is not that tough to arrange these tunes. Fun exercise also. Good luck

**JimBobWay** · 03-01-2010, 05:13 PM

In addition to the others mentioned here, Laurence Juber did a solo guitar CD of Beatles tunes. He's putting out a book of the transcriptions, and some of them are very nice; jazzy with a bit of new-age feel. The other book mentioned earlier is good too, with solid basic charts.

**JohnW400** · 03-01-2010, 05:51 PM

Vic Juris has a nice guitar - piano version of Blackbird on his Double Play CD

Larry Coryell does a nice solo version of Something

George Van Eps has a CD where he covers 3 or 4 tunes. I forget the name of the CD but you could probably find it Wiki or Google

Bucky and George Barnes had a nice Medley on the TOwn HAll Album

I've done:

Michele
For No One
Yesterday
Eleanor Rigby
Here , There an Everywhere
Lady Madona
Norweigen Wood (in 5/8)

I'll bet "My Love" By Paul and Wings would be nice

I would also say 'Til There Was You " but that was a cover tuen for them.

**Ausjazz** · 03-01-2010, 06:42 PM

I play a fingerstyle version of Tommy Emmanuel's where he does Day Tripper and Lady Madonna. I'm going to beef these up with my own versions of Octopus' Garden (similar bass ideas to lady madonna) and then Hello Goodbye. That'll be my Beatles medley.

I recommend checking out Tommy's playing. It's fingerstyle not CM, but he's an incredibly expressive acoustic guitarist.

**markf** · 03-01-2010, 07:56 PM

strawberry fields - interesting chords.
lucy in the sky - with diamonds great tune
Penny Lane - good for chord melody

I tried eleanor rigby in 3/4 it worked pretty well. with some different chords.

There is a very nice Herbie Hancock version of norwegian wood with a lot of nice chords at lucaspickford.com.

almost any beatles tune is good, "because"

hey jude

**tonedeaf** · 03-01-2010, 10:31 PM

I have heard several versions of "Blackbird" that I like. (Can't think of who did them though.)

**A. Bruno** · 03-02-2010, 08:48 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. You've given me some good ideas.

**Tom Karol** · 03-02-2010, 09:32 AM

Here' s a few you might want to try:

All My Lovin’
Do You Want to Know a Secret
For No One
Here There And Everywhere
I’ll Follow The Sun
If I fell
In My Life
Lose That Girl
Please Please Me
Things We Said Today

**Reg** · 03-02-2010, 11:40 AM

Check out Beatle Jazz... Dave Kiloski is incredible pianist, one of the few guys who covers Chick's tunes... I dig his playing more...he has a little more grease...( Don't get me wrong, Chick is...) I also like Bobby Broom's "Can't Buy me Love". It's pretty simple and great to solo over. If your playing solo... make your own arrangements and make use of what you do best...
Reg

**brad4d8** · 03-04-2010, 03:20 PM

Johnny Smith did a couple during his Verve days. Yesterday for sure, and I think at least one other, maybe Michelle. Don't know if they've ever been on CD.
Brad

**peterk1** · 03-05-2010, 01:28 PM

Might be worth checking out Laurence Jouber's LJ Plays the beatles. It's not really jazz and more straight solo-guitar, but he definitely jazzed the arrangements up. One of my favorite guitar albums ever. He used to play in Wings.

I don't know if there's a book out for them, but they're pretty accessible if you want to learn them by ear...I learned his "Can't Buy Me Love" arrangement a little while ago. (he turned it into a slow swampy blues...you don't even recognize the melody 'til you're over a minute in!)

SoundClick artist: Peter Kossits - page with MP3 music downloads

**carvetop01** · 03-06-2010, 11:40 AM

Here is my version of "Here There and Everywhere". If you like it I can send you the Standard notation with TAB.

**erwinvd** · 03-10-2010, 11:30 AM

Paul McCartney wrote Honey pie (charleston-style) & Your mother should know (straigth forward jazz in Am-F). Influenced by his father who play in a big band (amateur)

**carvetop01** · 03-10-2010, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by brad4d8

Johnny Smith did a couple during his Verve days. Yesterday for sure, and I think at least one other, maybe Michelle. Don't know if they've ever been on CD.
Brad

I have transcribed Johnny's version of Yesterday. If anyone wants it I can pass it along. It's in standard notation and TAB.

carvetop01

**peterk1** · 03-12-2010, 01:18 PM

No one else has asked so I will. I'd definitely like to see it.

**A. Bruno** · 03-13-2010, 01:29 PM

Since posting this question, LittleAngel, I haven't had a whole lot of time to work on new songs, but the Beatles song that sticks in my head for jazz is "Strawberry Fields." When I get a few quiet hours, I'm going to poke through my Beatles books and see what sounds right (with my limited abilities). I've gotten a lot of good ideas from these replies. I hadn't considered early Beatles, but I think some of those tunes might work very well. I'll post my progress if and when.

**Jake Reichbart** · 06-23-2010, 01:19 PM

Hi everybody, I'm new here! My name is Jake Reichbart and I'm a fairly well established guitar player (most of my gigs are solo guitar) in the greater Detroit region. I have a very active YouTube Channel YouTube - Kanaal van jreichbart and I'm also an an instructor on Hal Leonerd's guitarinstructor.com. If you find my channel interesting, kindly advise on ways for others to check it out.

Anyway, to reply to this particular thread, may I be so bold as to suggest some of my own arrangements:

Something:

Norwegian Wood:

Nowhere Man:

She's leaving Home:

Paul McCartney & Wings, Bluebird:

If I Needed Someone:

And I Love Her:

Thanks for the kind attention!

Jake

**JohnW400** · 06-23-2010, 01:30 PM

Very nice. I forgot about Bluebird.

Now that you have me thinking about Beatles songs , I'll bet that tune from McCartneys first solo lp , "Junk" makes a good CM. I'll have to take a crack at that one.

**Jake Reichbart** · 06-23-2010, 01:37 PM

Thanks, I do play Junk and have recorded it with my trio. I don't think there is a Beatles song I have not arranged for solo guitar at one time or another... I do lots of McCartney/Wings as well.

Jake

YouTube - Kanaal van jreichbart