Play it on the piano a lot and also try singing it, on ‘la’ or another neutral syllable. It will help a lot if you begin by memorizing the melody. The final 8-bar section does signal a return to the opening thematic material, but then it goes in a different direction than the ‘A’ Section did, coming to a sequential conclusion.Īll this makes the tune somewhat more difficult to memorize than a typical AABA song, such as “Take The ‘A’ Train. Instead, it’s more “through-composed” in that the second 8 measures unfolds organically, instead of repeating the first 8 bars like most songs of the era do. Musical ideas and jazz piano practice tips:Įven though “Stella By Starlight” is a 32-bar song from the 1940s, it doesn’t follow the “usual” AABA format. The studio recording from 1958, with pianist Bill Evans (for international readers who may not have access to these YouTube links, I’ve indicated the original album names wherever possible so you can listen to them on music streaming services, etc.)Ĭharlie Parker with Strings: The Complete Master Takes One you’re comfortable with it, you’ll be more than ready when someone turns to you and says, “Hmmm… let’s play ‘Stella!’” “Stella” isn’t the easiest jazz standard to play, so if you’re a beginner, start with some more basic tunes like “So What,” “Blue Bossa,” and “Autumn Leaves.” Once you get some experience playing standards, you‘ll be ready to tackle “Stella.” I’ve given you some advice below on how to most easily learn and memorize both the melody and the chord changes. “Stella By Starlight” has been one of the biggest jazz standards ever since Miles Davis recorded it with pianist Bill Evans in 1958 (see link to the recording, below).
This verbal exchange has taken place thousands if not millions of times at jam sessions and on jazz gigs for decades.
A Guide To Help You Play Better Jazz Piano
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