Why the Real Book Revolutionized Jazz Education

The story of jazz education changed forever in the 1970s when a mysterious, unlicensed volume began circulating among musicians on college campuses and in smoky jam sessions. Known simply as "The Real Book," it was a compilation of lead sheets created by Berklee College students that quickly became indispensable to jazz players worldwide.

For the first time, there was a relatively accurate, readable, and reasonably comprehensive source of jazz standards that musicians could rely on - a stark contrast to the poorly typeset and often musically incorrect fake books of the previous decades.

But The Real Book had a major issue: it was illegal. None of the composers received royalties, and its reproduction was technically copyright infringement. Still, the book filled a gaping hole in jazz pedagogy, becoming an underground bible for players who needed a reliable way to learn the repertoire and navigate jam sessions.

Enter Sher Music Company. Rather than pirate the tradition, Sher Music's founder Chuck Sher sought to honor it - and elevate it. The result was the New Real Book series: fully licensed, meticulously edited, and created with the same usability that made the original so beloved. The books feature accurate chord changes, readable fonts, and diverse tunes from traditional standards to modern jazz masters.

Sher Music's Real Books set a new bar for what a fake book could be: not just functional, but beautiful — a tool for serious students and professional performers alike. By working directly with composers, Sher ensured royalties were paid and accuracy was prioritized, creating the only Real Books recommended by many top educators.

In doing so, Sher Music didn’t just preserve the jazz tradition - we moved it forward.