The Great American Songbook is Still The Standard

Every person has a self-drafted soundtrack to
their life. These are songs that hold a significant amount of meaning to the person and makes their soundtrack unique. However, every American has a common soundtrack threaded into their lives: The Great American Songbook. This collection of songs has cemented itself as the classic sound of Americana and is the first choice of music for coffee houses and upscale dining establishments. Even for those who do not get out much, these songs have been used time and time again in every genre of film and advertising. There is no one true official collection of songs that are labeled, ‘The Great
American Songbook’ but the term encompasses the jazz standards and showtunes from the early 1910s to the late 1960s. These songs have stood firm against the test of time and are still a favorite among the masses because they speak to the human condition rather than just being a piece of entertainment. This fantastic collection of music provides a way for people to feel a bit more connected to the person next to them. When people gather, the likelihood that every person has heard an instrumental version of Herman’s Hupfeld’s “As Time Goes By” or hummed along to Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” while they waited for a coffee are odds worth placing a bet on. Not only do these songs provide a commonality to groups that may otherwise not share experiences, but most of the songbook is still just as fresh during the 2020s as it was when they were first released. The Great American Songbook are not songs that people only hear in niche corners of society. They are an embedded part of American culture
that helps connect people with a small yet beautiful part of America’s history. Denver’s own jazz festival
that is swingin’ alive next weekend at the Seawell Ballroom will be tapping into the songbook to provide known tempos for the talented dancers who will be moving their feet into the wee hours of the morning. Beyond the festival that only lasts a handful of days, these classic standards can be heard at the jazz dedicated supper clubs Nocturne or Dazzle any time of the year. On a more global scale, the musical collective known as Postmodern Jukebox not only transforms modern hit songs into retro classics but keeps the original classics alive during their concerts. Lady Gaga recently performed a duet show with Tony Bennet at Radio City Music Hall in New York where they sang songs from the songbook together to sold-out crowds each night. Along with that Gaga is set to revive her residency show titled Jazz & Piano next month at the Park MGM Las Vegas casino where she focuses on the standards during her performance. This music is still desired by the masses because it came from a time period that moved at a slower pace and savored their entertainment rather than binged in a whole weekend.