“Nature Boy” was written by eden ahbez, a songwriter who lived an unconventional, bohemian life, and recorded by Nat King Cole in 1948, when it became a number one hit. Its mysterious lyric and haunting minor melody have drawn jazz musicians including Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
The tune is usually played in D minor. The harmony centers on the minor tonic with a descending line and minor ii-V movement, giving it an exotic, timeless mood. The melody is simple and wandering.
For improvisation, use D harmonic minor and Dorian sounds. Keep phrases mysterious and spacious. Coltrane’s version is modal and exploratory, while Cole’s is tender and direct.
Practice slowly with a drone or simple vamp. Learn the melody by singing it.
Section by section: the opening phrases sit over D minor with a descending bass line, so emphasize the moving notes in your solo. The middle section moves through minor ii-V progressions; use D harmonic minor over the A7 to bring out the C#. The final section returns to the main theme. Coltrane’s version uses a modal vamp, giving room for long, searching lines, while Nat King Cole’s is gentle and direct.
Practice tip: play the melody over a D drone for a few minutes, listening to how each note relates to the root. This ear training will help you improvise more expressively over the tune’s mysterious harmony.
Ear training with the Nature Boy 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 beginner to intermediate. Recordings to study: Nat King Cole’s 1948 hit, Miles Davis’s version and Coltrane’s The John Coltrane Quartet Plays. Learn more about the composer on eden ahbez’s Wikipedia page, and find more minor-key lead sheets on Minedit.