“Isfahan” was composed by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington and recorded on Ellington’s 1967 album Far East Suite, inspired by a tour of the Middle East and Asia. Named after the Iranian city, it features Johnny Hodges’s gorgeous alto saxophone and is one of the most beautiful ballads in the Ellington catalog.
The tune is a lyrical ballad, often played in Db, with lush harmony and a long, singing melody. The chords move smoothly, supporting Hodges’s expressive phrasing.
For improvisation, stay close to the melody and focus on tone and phrasing, imitating Hodges’s glides and warmth. Use guide tones to outline the harmony.
Practice at a slow tempo. Learn the melody by ear from Far East Suite.
Section by section: the opening phrases sustain long notes over lush chords, so focus on tone and gentle vibrato, imitating Johnny Hodges’s famous glides. The middle section moves through ii-V progressions; outline them with smooth guide tones. The final section returns to the main theme with a quiet, reflective ending. This is a tune where less is more; avoid busy runs and let the melody float.
Practice tip: practice long tones and slow glissandos on your instrument for a few minutes before playing this tune. Building that smooth, singing sound is the key to capturing Hodges’s style.
Ear training with the Isfahan 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.
How to use this Isfahan Lead Sheet PDF: print it or keep it on a tablet, mark the form sections and key centers in pencil, and write the guide tones you want to target above the tricky bars. Revisit those notes after each practice session so the tune gets easier every week.
Is it hard to play? It’s intermediate; tone and expression are the main challenges. Recordings to study: Far East Suite and later saxophone versions. Learn more about the composer on Billy Strayhorn’s Wikipedia page, and find more Ellington and Strayhorn lead sheets on Minedit.