Just Friends is a very important standard. It was first written as a ballad, but Charlie Parker changed all of that with his “With Strings” recording. It is now played as an uptempo chart most of the time. It’s a fun tune with nice changes. It’s most commonly played in F or G, but the first chord starts on the IV (Bb in the key of F, C in the key of G). Even though F or G seem to be the most common keys, Parker, Stitt, and Woods all did it in Ab (below).

Just Friends in G pdf
Just Friends in G-C Instruments (.pdf)
Just Friends in G-Bb Instruments (.pdf)
Just Friends in G-Eb Instruments (.pdf)

Just Friends in F pdf
Just Friends in F-C Instruments (.pdf)
Just Friends in F-Bb Instruments (.pdf)
Just Friends in F-Eb Instruments (.pdf)

Just Friends play-along in G

Just Friends play-along in F

Just Friends-Charlie Parker with Strings

Sonny Stitt Plays Just Friends

Chet Baker Sings “Just Friends”

WDR Big Band Directed by Bill Holman-WOW! Jeff Hamilton, James Moody…

Wynton Marsalis

Part 2

Masaru Uchibori Big Band-Toyko has some good jazz too! Quite the lead trumpet player.

Jimmy Raney and Cal Collins

Thelonious Monk Institute Class of 2007

Oliver Nelson, Art Farmer, Lee Konitz

Phil Woods-Bird’s arrangement

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