Bob Haggart, music · Johnny Burke, lyrics · First recorded by Bob Crosby's orchestra as "I'm Free", 1938
What's New?
What's New? is a ballad by Bob Haggart, with words by Johnny Burke added in 1939. Haggart wrote it as an instrumental called "I'm Free" for the Bob Crosby orchestra in 1938. Bing Crosby, Clifford Brown, John Coltrane, Frank Sinatra and Linda Ronstadt all recorded it.
The path starts with the instrumental original and Bing Crosby's hit vocal, then adds Clifford Brown with strings, an alto saxophone quartet, a piano trio, John Coltrane on tenor, Art Farmer's quartet with Jim Hall and a George Benson guitar lead. Each step gives you one thing to hear and one thing to try.
“I'm Free (What's New?)”, South Rampart Street Parade
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Listen for
This is the tune before it had words, written as a feature for the trumpeter Billy Butterfield. The track runs 2:53, short enough to follow the 32-bar form from the top.
Try this
Play the melody from the chart one 8-bar part at a time along with the record, in the key you hear. Smaller version: play only the first 8-bar part.
Bing Crosby with John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra · 1939 · Vocal
Bing: His Legendary Years 1931-1957
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Listen for
One voice sings Johnny Burke's words with an orchestra behind it. The track runs 3:12, so compare it with the 2:53 instrumental from the first step.
Try this
Play the melody from the chart, then play it again with the record. Find the record's key by ear and move the chart to it. Smaller version: play only the last 8-bar part.
The quartet is alto saxophone, piano, bass and drums, with one horn in front. The track runs 6:36, long enough to hear the 32-bar form come around more than once.
Try this
Count the 32 bars with the record and note where each chorus starts. Then play the melody over the record's first chorus. Smaller version: clap or tap the beginning of each 8-bar part.
Three players share the form: piano, bass and drums, with no horn. Listen to how the bass and drums sit under the piano through the 32 bars. The track runs 4:16.
Try this
Play the chart's chords on the beat with the record, one chord per bar where the chart shows one. Smaller version: play only the chords of the first 8-bar part.
The quartet is tenor saxophone, piano, bass and drums. The track runs 3:45, short enough to follow the 32-bar form with the chart in front of you.
Try this
Play the melody from the chart, then play it with the record. Find the record's key by ear and move the chart to it. Smaller version: play only the last 8-bar part.
The Art Farmer Quartet featuring Jim Hall · 1963 · Bebop
“What's New (Live)”, "Live" at the Half Note
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Listen for
The lineup is flugelhorn, guitar, bass and drums, with no piano. Listen to what Jim Hall's guitar does behind the flugelhorn. The track runs 4:27.
Try this
Play the melody from the chart along with the record, one 8-bar part at a time. If you play guitar or piano, play the chart's chords once through under the record. Smaller version: play the chords of the first 8-bar part only.
Benson's guitar sits in front of Herbie Hancock's piano, Ron Carter's bass and Billy Cobham's drums. The track runs 5:33, long enough to count the 32-bar form more than once.
Try this
Count the 32-bar form with the record and mark where each chorus begins. If you can play the melody and basic chords, play the chart's chords once through under one chorus. Smaller version: play only the first 8-bar part.
The chorus is 32 bars in four 8-bar parts: A, A, B and A. Each A starts on C6, moves through B♭m7 E♭7 to A♭maj7, and reaches a ii-V in bar 4 with Dm7♭5 G7♭9. Bar 5 holds Cm7 and Am7♭5, bar 6 repeats Dm7♭5 G7♭9, and the last two bars close with C6 Am7 and Dm7 G7. The B part, the bridge, uses the same chord shapes a fourth higher. It starts on F6, moves through E♭m7 A♭7 to D♭maj7, and reaches Gm7♭5 C7♭9 in bar 4. Fm7 and Dm7♭5 follow, then Gm7♭5 C7♭9 again, Fm6 and Dm7♭5 G7♭9 lead back into the last A. This reading follows the iReal Pro chart on the page, and recordings often change the chords.