Summertime

George Gershwin · Key of Am · AB

Easy · 5 unique chords

George Gershwin composed this for Porgy and Bess (1935). As one of the most recorded songs in history, its simple Am minor key and four-chord structure make it accessible to beginners while offering depth for advanced interpretation.

Voicing style:

A

Am7
Am7
Am7
A7b9
Dm7
Dm7
Am7
Am7
Am7Rootless B
Am7Rootless B
Am7Rootless B
A7b9Rootless B
Dm7Rootless A
Dm7Rootless A
Am7Rootless B
Am7Rootless B

B

Dm7
Dm7
Am7
Am7
Bø7|E7b13
Am7|E7b13
Am7
Am7
Dm7Rootless A
Dm7Rootless A
Am7Rootless B
Am7Rootless B
Bø7Rootless B
E7b13Rootless A
Am7Rootless B
E7b13Rootless A
Am7Rootless B
Am7Rootless B

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Practice this standard
Stage 1Two-Note Shells — Learning Path

Listen to

Miles Davis / Gil Evans — Porgy and Bess (1958)

Gil Evans's orchestral voicings translated from piano — open and spread textures.

Chords in this standard

Am7A7b9Dm7Bø7E7b13

Related standards

Beautiful Love

Young/King/Van Alstyne · Key of Dm

All The Things You Are

Jerome Kern · Key of Ab

Fly Me To The Moon

Bart Howard · Key of C

All Of Me

Marks/Simons · Key of C

Satin Doll

Duke Ellington · Key of C

Sources & Further Reading

Gioia, The Jazz Standards — Oxford University PressLevine, The Jazz Piano Book — Sher MusicMantooth, Voicings for Jazz Keyboard — Hal LeonardJazz at Lincoln Center — EducationLearn Jazz Standards