IMAGINATION - Free Jazz Leadsheet

Composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Burke in 1940, "imagination" is a romantic ballad blending a dreamy melody with elegant harmonic structures. Its lyrical sophistication and expressive phrasing have made it a standard in vocal jazz.

The first recording was by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in New York in 1940. Later performances by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Chet Baker expanded its influence in jazz and popular music.

The lyrics describe the intoxicating power of daydreams and romantic longing, while musically the song employs a 32-bar AABA form with rich chordal movement, allowing for emotive interpretation and improvisation.