MY REVERIE - Free Jazz Leadsheet

“My Reverie” was adapted from a classical piano composition (“Rêverie”) by Claude Debussy, with lyrics later added by Larry Clinton in the 1930s. The blend of Debussy’s impressionistic harmony and romantic lyrics gives the song a dreamy, reflective character.

The first popular recording was by Larry Clinton & His Orchestra, and it subsequently entered the jazz world through versions by artists like Artie Shaw. Lyrically, the song conveys nostalgia and daydreaming, while musically it mixes classical-influenced chord voicings with a 32-bar popular song form, allowing for both lyrical singing and sophisticated instrumental improvisation.