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.

Are You Real - B. Golson

"Avalon" – Arrangement by Ricardo Farão Jazz Trio

First published in 1920, Avalon is a timeless jazz standard composed by Vincent Rose with lyrics by Al Jolson and Buddy DeSylva. Despite early controversies over its resemblance to Puccini's opera Tosca, the piece quickly became a cornerstone of the Great American Songbook, immortalized through interpretations by Benny Goodman, Django Reinhardt, and Nat King Cole. With its bright melodic turns and harmonic simplicity, it offers fertile ground for both virtuosic improvisation and intimate reinterpretation.

In this modern trio arrangement, I reimagine Avalon for guitar, double bass, and Nord synth, blending swing-era energy with rich, contemporary textures. The harmonic progression is explored with subtle voicings on the guitar, while the bass drives a nimble, walking line through shifting tonal colors. The Nord synthesizer, replacing the traditional piano, introduces atmospheric layers that nod toward both vintage vibrato and modern warmth.

This rendition keeps the joyful spirit of the original alive while opening new spaces for the listener to rediscover its charm. It’s a heartfelt tribute to the standard’s enduring magic — one foot in the roaring ‘20s, another in the intimate spaces of today’s jazz rooms.

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Avalon - V. Rose

Ricardo Farão

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