“My One and Only Love” was composed by Guy Wood with lyrics by Robert Mellin in 1952, and Frank Sinatra recorded an early version. The definitive jazz recording came in 1963 from John Coltrane and vocalist Johnny Hartman, whose rich baritone made it one of the most romantic ballads in jazz.
The form is a 32-bar AABA, usually in C or Eb major. The harmony is lush and full of ii-V movement, secondary dominants and passing chords that support the long, flowing melody. The bridge moves to a new key area with a dramatic lift before returning to the final A.
For improvisation, focus on beautiful sound and lyrical phrasing. Paraphrase the melody, decorate it with neighbor tones and use guide tones to outline the harmony. Coltrane’s playing on the Hartman record is restrained and gorgeous, a perfect example of how to support a singer and then step forward for a short, heartfelt solo.
Practice at a slow tempo with a ballad play-along. Learn the melody from the Hartman recording. Pianists should practice warm, open voicings. Horn players should focus on long tones and dynamics.
Practice checklist for the My One and Only Love Lead Sheet PDF: play the melody from memory, play roots through the form, play guide tones, improvise one chorus of chord tones only, and finally record yourself soloing over a play-along. Listening back is the fastest way to spot what to fix next.
Memorizing the My One and Only 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.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate; the challenge is tone and expression. Recordings to study: John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman’s 1963 album and Sinatra’s early version. Learn more about the song on Wikipedia’s My One and Only Love article, and find more jazz ballads on Minedit.