Historical background
Composed in 1931 by Herman Hupfeld for the Broadway revue Everybody’s Welcome, “As Time Goes By” might have remained a pleasant theatre ballad had it not been woven into the 1942 film Casablanca. Dooley Wilson’s piano‑bar rendition under Rick’s Moroccan ceiling turned the song into an emblem of wartime longing, and its opening line—“You must remember this”—is now shorthand for nostalgia itself. Over the decades, jazz singers and instrumentalists from Sarah Vaughan to Oscar Peterson have revisited its elegant 32‑bar form, letting the timeless melody drift across swing, bossa, and torch‑ballad treatments.

About this trio arrangement

Instrumentation – nylon‑string guitar (melody & chord­­‑melody), upright bass, and brush‑kit drums. No strings or pads this time—just a warm, intimate trio captured in one take.

Tempo & feel – a relaxed ≈ 122 BPM 4/4 swing, slow enough to let every lyric breathe yet lively enough for gentle walking bass.

Key & harmony – we open in D major, gliding through Hupfeld’s classic cycle (Dmaj7 → A7 → Bm7 → E7) before teasing darker colors with half‑diminished and tritone‑sub dominants in the bridge. 

Texture – the guitar states the head in soft chord‑melody, adding upper‑structure tensions (♯11, 13) on the A7s. Brushes stay mostly on snare rim and ride edge, while the bass walks in round half‑steps, occasionally dropping to two‑feel for cinematic space. A single‑chorus solo lets guitar slip into double‑time eighths—just enough sparkle—before returning to a whispered out‑head that lands on a luminous D maj9 fading like the last note on Rick’s piano.

Why listen
Close your eyes and you’re in a late‑night lounge: clinking glasses, quiet footsteps, and a song that feels like it’s always been there. The trio keeps the romance intact while adding fresh harmonic shimmer—proof that, as time goes by, good melodies only deepen.

Stay connected
If this take resonates, explore more arrangements on my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@rfviolao) and find scores, lessons, and musings at https://ricardofarao.com/. Hit Subscribe, leave a comment, and join me for the next chapter in guitar‑led jazz storytelling.

As Time Goes By - H. HupFeld

Historical background
Tenor-saxophonist Benny Golson wrote “Are You Real” in 1958 for Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers’ album Moanin’. Conceived as a hard-bop answer to Parker’s rhythm-changes lines, the tune balances bright, singable melody with a labyrinth of turn-around II–V cadences—perfect material for Blakey’s press-rolls and the Messengers’ trademark call-and-response shout chorus. Over the decades it has remained a working-band favorite, recorded by everyone from Lee Morgan to Kenny Barron.

About this arrangement
Instrumentation – nylon-string guitar (lead & chord-melody), upright bass, brush-kit drums, and a Nord synth pad  that adds a vintage-fusion halo behind the trio. The score also lists a 2nd guitar for comp support.

Tempo & feel – a brisk ≈ 129 BPM four-to-the-bar swing keeps the bop energy intact while leaving room for single-note guitar runs. 

Key & harmony – arranged in G major, but the head pivots rapidly through circle-of-fifths II–V cells (A m7 → D 7, B m7 → E 7, etc.) and brief diminished connectors—true to Golson’s original weaving changes. 

Texture & solos – the guitar states the head in tight chord-clusters as the Nord pad swells under long tones, giving a subtle electric-jazz sheen. Bass walks buoyant quarters; brushes add snare pops and cymbal splashes. A single-chorus guitar solo dives into chromatic bebop enclosures, followed by an eight-bar synth-pad feature that hints at 1970s CTI records. Everyone reunites for a final shout-tag that lands on a crunchy G 6/9—equal parts Blue Note grit and Nord shimmer.

Why listen
Hit play and you’ll feel a hard-bop anthem refracted through warm nylon strings and a glassy synth glow—proof that Golson’s question “Are you real?” still gets a fresh answer in 2025.

Stay connected
Enjoyed the ride? Explore more arrangements on my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@rfviolao) and dive into scores, lessons, and musings at https://ricardofarao.com/. Tap Subscribe, leave a comment, and join me for the next chapter in guitar-led jazz storytelling.

As Time Goes By - H. HupFeld

Ricardo Farão

Related tracks