Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"Soft Winds" is a swing-era jazz standard credited to Benny Goodman, first recorded by the Goodman Sextet around 1940. The true authorship is debated: the melody likely originated from improvisations by electric guitar pioneer Charlie Christian, with arranger Fletcher Henderson — then serving as pianist in Goodman's group — reportedly transcribing the tune. Lyrics by Roy Alfred were added later in 1956.

The piece is a 16-bar blues, an expanded variation on the standard 12-bar form. The extra measures come from extending the IV chord to four bars and the I chord to four bars, giving the melody more room to breathe than a typical blues head. The original recording is in the key of A♭, featuring an attractive interplay of guitar, vibraphone, and clarinet in the sextet arrangement. The tune's versatility has made it a favorite across styles, from swing and bebop to modern jazz trio settings.

Beyond the original Goodman Sextet recording, Art Tatum's trio renditions showcase dazzling piano improvisation over the extended blues form. Oscar Peterson frequently performed the tune with his quartet in the 1970s and 1980s, and vocal versions by Chet Baker and Dinah Washington are also well regarded.