“Summertime” was composed by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera Porgy and Bess, with lyrics by DuBose Heyward. It’s one of the most recorded songs of all time, covered by everyone from Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald to Miles Davis, Janis Joplin and John Coltrane. Its simple, haunting melody makes it a perfect tune for beginners and a deep well for experienced improvisers.
The form is 16 bars, usually in A minor or D minor (other keys are common for singers). The harmony centers on the tonic minor chord, with a move to the iv chord (Dm in A minor), a ii-V into the relative major (C), and a return through a minor ii-V-i. Many jazz versions simplify it to a minor vamp with occasional dominant chords, while others add more movement. Because it’s short, the form goes by quickly, so count carefully.
Improvising on “Summertime” works well with the minor pentatonic and blues scales, which give it a soulful feel. Over the dominant chord before the tonic (E7 in A minor), use A harmonic minor to bring out the G#. For a more modern sound, try A Dorian over the tonic chord. Since the melody is so famous, quoting it and then developing it is a powerful way to build a solo. Coltrane’s 1960 version shows how to stretch the tune into a long, intense exploration.
Practice by singing the melody, then playing it in two keys. Improvise one chorus with the blues scale only, then one with chord tones only, then mix them. Play along with a slow, swinging rhythm section, and also try a straight-eighth or gospel feel; the tune works in many styles.
Recordings to study: Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong’s duet, Miles Davis and Gil Evans’s 1958 orchestral version, and Coltrane’s take on My Favorite Things. Learn more about the composer on George Gershwin’s Wikipedia page, and find more Gershwin standards on Minedit.