SWING LOW SWEET CHARIOT - Free Jazz Leadsheet

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a spiritual traditionally attributed to Wallace Willis, believed to have been composed in the years before 1862. The first known recording dates to 1909, performed by the Fisk University Jubilee Quartet in New York, one of the earliest documented recorded interpretations of African American spiritual music.

The song has since been recorded in countless versions, notably by Paul Robeson, Louis Armstrong, and later folk and gospel artists throughout the 20th century. Its lyrics express a longing for deliverance and spiritual transport, while the melody follows a simple, arching design typical of early spirituals. The piece’s adaptable harmonic structure has allowed it to flourish across genres ranging from gospel to jazz and folk revival settings.