AFTER YOU'VE GONE - Free Jazz Leadsheet

Written by Turner Layton and Henry Creamer in 1918, 'After You've Gone' was first recorded in New York by Marion Harris, whose performance captured the song’s poignant yet swing-friendly style. The composition quickly became a staple in jazz and popular music repertoires.

Over the years, the song has been revived by countless artists, including Louis Armstrong and Bessie Smith, often serving as a platform for expressive improvisation. Lyrically, it reflects on love lost and the enduring memory of a departed partner.

The musical structure is typically a 32-bar AABA format, featuring expressive melodic lines and harmonic flexibility that support both instrumental solos and vocal interpretations.