IF I COULD BE WITH YOU - Free Jazz Leadsheet

Written by James P. Johnson and Henry Creamer in 1926, "if i could be with you" is a romantic jazz standard combining tender lyrics with a blues-inflected melody. Its expressive harmonic language made it a favorite among early jazz performers.

The first recording was by Clarence Williams’ Blue Five in New York in 1926, providing a template for vocal and instrumental interpretation. Artists like Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith later brought their own emotive styles to the piece.

The lyrics express yearning and devotion, while the song’s 32-bar form with gentle chromatic movement allows performers to explore subtle melodic ornamentation and rhythmic flexibility.