Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars," originally titled "Corcovado," was composed by Antonio Carlos Jobim, the Brazilian master who virtually invented bossa nova alongside such timeless works as "The Girl from Ipanema," "Desafinado," and "Wave." The title refers to Corcovado hill in Rio de Janeiro, home of the famous Christ the Redeemer statue.

The tune features an extended AABA-related structure, commonly played in C major. Its gently descending melodic line and Jobim's characteristically sophisticated harmony—rich with major 7th and minor 9th chords—evoke the tranquil beauty of a quiet tropical night. The chord progressions create the floating, unhurried quality that defines the bossa nova aesthetic. It is performed at a relaxed bossa tempo.

The definitive recording features João Gilberto with Jobim himself. English lyrics by Gene Lees enabled the song to reach international audiences, notably through Frank Sinatra and Jobim's celebrated collaboration on Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim (1967). Stan Getz's instrumental recordings also helped establish the tune as a cornerstone of the bossa nova jazz repertoire.