Free Jazz Standard Sheet Music Downloads

"What's New" is a beloved ballad composed by Bob Haggart in 1938, originally as an instrumental titled "I'm Free." The following year, lyricist Johnny Burke added words and renamed it after its opening line. Haggart was the bassist and arranger for Bob Crosby and his Orchestra.

The tune is a 32-bar form in the key of C major, notable for its chromatically descending harmonic movement that creates a poignant tension between major and minor tonalities. Originally written to showcase the trumpet work of bandmate Billy Butterfield, the melody is deeply lyrical and naturally suited to expressive ballad playing. The rich chord changes offer rewarding harmonic territory for improvisers, while the song's emotional arc—framed as one side of a conversation between former lovers—gives vocalists a compelling dramatic vehicle.

Butterfield's original recording with the Crosby orchestra remains a classic. The most celebrated jazz version is Helen Merrill's 1954 recording with trumpeter Clifford Brown, arranged by Quincy Jones. Linda Ronstadt's 1983 album What's New, arranged by Nelson Riddle, brought the song to a massive new audience.