Slow Boat To China - Frank Loesser

[HerbG]

Slow Boat To China

 

[benmil]

Slow boat to China

Slow boat to China - Frank Loesser 1948

 

[pdxdjazz]

Please review the guidelines for posting charts:
https://forums.irealpro.com/threads/Guidelines-for-sharing-songs-and-playlists.22105/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/(I'd_Like_to_Get_You_on_a)_Slow_Boat_to_China

Thanks for sharing your chart
)BOB

 

[Philster]

Can I ask which of these versions is a good one to learn from? As a good key and form commonly used for repetoire?
Thanks

 

[pdxdjazz]

Can I ask which of these versions is a good one to learn from? As a good key and form commonly used for repetoire?
Thanks

A quick check of the “Fake Book index” shows there are many “official” charts.

Aebersold Play-A-Long Series

[Vol 91] On A Slow Boat To China
Hal Leonard Jazz Play-Along Series

[Vol 118] On A Slow Boat To China
The Real Little Ultimate Jazz Fake Book - Hal Leonard

On A Slow Boat To China
The Best Fake Book Ever 1st edition - Hal Leonard

On A Slow Boat To China
The Best Fake Book Ever 2nd edition - Hal Leonard

On A Slow Boat To China
The Best Fake Book Ever 3rd edition - Hal Leonard

On A Slow Boat To China
The Ultimate Jazz Fake Book - Hal Leonard - Herb Wong

On A Slow Boat To China
The Real Jazz Standards Fake Book - Hal Leonard

On A Slow Boat To China
The Best Chord Changes for the Most Popular Songs - Frank Mantooth

On A Slow Boat To China
Champ Champagne 'Real Chord Changes' series - Hal Leonard

[Vol: 54 Standards] On A Slow Boat To China
[Vol: L-Q] On A Slow Boat To China
A Jazz Chord Book - Lionel Grigson

Slow Boat To China
The Swing Era - 1936-1947 - Jazz Bible Series - Hal Leonard

On A Slow Boat To China
Pocket Changes Volume 2

On A Slow Boat To China
Jazz Standards Progressions Vol 3 by mdecks

ON A SLOW BOAT TO CHINA
[Hal Leonard] Real Book Vol 3

On A Slow Boat To China
[Hal Leonard] Real Vocal Book Vol 2

On A Slow Boat To China
Readers Digest Songbooks

On a Slow Boat to China [Remembering Yesterday's Hits]

One thing is for sure. Whatever key you practice, the vocalist at your jam will want to sing in a different key.
That said, Bb would probably a good starting choice.
The harmony choices are all over the map.
Some charts start the first two bars with I then VI. Others go I then I#o.
Some charts are kinda vanilla, others use lots of lovely diminished and half-diminished chords not to mention b9 and #11 extensions.

My advice, learn the melody and play it over various charts using the iRp player.
Search the forums for “slow boat”. You’ll find more charts to try than the ones in this thread.

In the player mixer turn “embellished chords” OFF. listen! Turn them ON. listen! https://technimo.helpshift.com/hc/en/3-ireal-pro/faq/206-embellished-chords/?p=all
Then decide which you like better.

Listen to the changes over your melody. Pick the chart you like best.

Slow Boat To China - Frank Loesser (1948)

On A Slow Boat To China-Rev JE 1 - Frank Loesser

Your goal is to add more tools to your tool box.
Choices are good. Choose wisely.

Have fun.
)BOB

 

[Jazzmeister]

The one Herb posted is the most true to the recordings I’ve heard. It is also simpler. Fairly basic chord changes here, but a great tune. You should be able to handle this in any key, just analyze it using Roman numerals. Singers have all kinds of interesting home keys. If you’re like me, “jazz keys” just make more sense, so a little compromise is probably in order. For example, singer wants D, let’s do Db.