EVERYTIME I FEEL THE SPIRIT - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"everytime i feel the spirit" is a traditional African American spiritual, dating back to the 19th century. The song conveys religious devotion, communal celebration, and emotional uplift through call-and-response patterns.

Its first recordings were by early gospel choirs and solo vocalists, often in church or community settings. Later arrangements by jazz and gospel artists, including Mahalia Jackson, brought it to wider audiences.

Musically, the song uses repetitive melodic motifs and flexible rhythmic phrasing, encouraging improvisation, ensemble interaction, and expressive vocalization.