“What Is This Thing Called Love?” was written by Cole Porter for the 1929 musical Wake Up and Dream. Jazz musicians embraced its chord changes, which have inspired many bebop contrafacts, including Tadd Dameron’s “Hot House.” Clifford Brown, Bud Powell and countless others have recorded fiery versions.
The form is a 32-bar AABA, usually in C major, though the A sections sound minor. Each A section opens with a minor ii-V into C minor (Dø, G7, Cm), then moves to a ii-V into Ab or F. The bridge shifts to C major and its IV chord before returning to the minor-flavored A section. That tension between minor-sounding A sections and a major home key is the tune’s defining feature.
For improvisation, practice minor ii-V-i patterns in C. Use C harmonic minor over Dø and G7. When the harmony moves to the next ii-V, switch to the target key’s scale. In the bridge, brighten up with C major and pentatonic ideas. Bebop players often take this tune fast, so practice clean, flowing eighth-note lines.
Practice slowly with a play-along, then increase speed. Learn the melody, which has a dramatic, questioning quality, and quote it in your solo. Also learn “Hot House,” which shares the same changes.
Memorizing the What Is This Thing Called Love Lead Sheet PDF: learn the form in sections, not all at once. Play the first eight bars until you can do them with your eyes closed, then add the next section. Within a week or two you won’t need the page at all, which is the real goal of any lead sheet.
Ear training with the What Is This Thing Called Love Lead Sheet PDF: before reading along, listen to two different recordings and try to hear where each section starts. Then follow the lead sheet while listening. Connecting what you see to what you hear is how lead sheets turn into tunes you truly know.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate. Recordings to study: Clifford Brown and Max Roach’s version and Bud Powell’s trio recordings. Learn more about the composer on Cole Porter’s Wikipedia page, and find more Cole Porter standards on Minedit.