“After You’ve Gone” was written in 1918 by Turner Layton with lyrics by Henry Creamer. It’s one of the oldest songs still regularly played in jazz, recorded by Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Roy Eldridge and countless swing bands. It’s a great tune for learning early jazz harmony and building up tempo.
The tune is commonly played in Bb or F, in a form that begins away from home on the IV chord, then moves through the minor iv and back toward the tonic, followed by a chain of secondary dominants that walk around the circle of fifths. The phrases build tension by delaying the arrival of the home chord, which makes the final resolution very satisfying. It’s often played at fast tempos, especially by swing-era clarinetists and trumpeters.
For improvisation, focus on the movement from IV to minor iv (for example, Eb to Ebm in Bb). Play the G natural on Eb and then the Gb on Ebm, and your solo will immediately capture that classic sound. The circle of dominants that follows rewards guide-tone playing: the third of each dominant leads smoothly to the seventh of the next. Swing-era players often used riffs, repeated short phrases, which is a great way to build energy over these changes.
Practice by learning the melody at a slow tempo, then gradually increasing speed. Play roots and guide tones through the form, then arpeggios, then eighth-note lines. Listen to the Benny Goodman Quartet’s version for clarinet ideas and to Roy Eldridge for exciting trumpet phrasing.
Common mistake: losing the form because the tune starts away from the home key. Mark each phrase on your lead sheet and listen for the arrival of the tonic chord.
Recordings to study: Bessie Smith’s 1927 blues interpretation, Louis Armstrong’s 1929 version, and Benny Goodman’s small group recordings. Learn more about the song’s history on Wikipedia’s After You’ve Gone article, and find more early jazz lead sheets on Minedit.