Here you find all the songs we play. We also have a musical backlog of songs we are planning to play.

All the sheets in a single ZIP file: Open_Swing_Orchestra_All_PDFs.zip (Release 30.04.2025)

Single PDF file with all pages and bookmarks - thanks to Henning!

Spotify Playlist featuring most OSO songs - thanks to Henning!

Why Don't You Do Right

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Why_dont_you_do_right.pdf

Examples of the song:

Darktown Strutters' Ball

Thanks to Susanne!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Darktown_Strutters_Ball.pdf

Example of the song:

Watermelon Man

Thanks to Jörg!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Watermelon_Man.pdf

Special improv practice video for saxophones: How to play 'Watermelon Man': 3 Versions for Beginners, Intermediates ans Advanced Players

Examples of the song:

Sway

Thanks to Jörg!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Sway.pdf

Examples of the song:

I'll See You In My Dreams

Thanks to Jörg!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Ill_See_You_In_My_Dreams.pdf

Examples of the song:

Do The Strand

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Do_The_Strand.pdf

Example of the song:

Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

Thanks to Undine!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Everbody_Wants_To_Be_A_Cat.pdf

Examples of the song:

Mackie Messer

Thanks to Jörg!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Mackie_Messer.pdf

Examples of the song:

Darling Nelly Gray

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Darling_Nelly_Gray.pdf

Examples of the song:

When I get Low I get High

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_When_I_get_Low_I_Get_High.pdf

Examples of the song:

Sous le Ciel de Paris

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Sous_Le_Ciel_De_Paris.pdf

Examples of the song:

iRealPro Chord-Sheet thanks to Stefan!

Some Of These Days

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Some_Of_These_Days.pdf

Examples of the song:

St. Louis Blues

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_St_Louis_Blues.pdf

Examples of the song:

Christmas 2022: Jada

Thanks to Jakob!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Jada.pdf

Examples of the song:

Shine On Harvest Moon

Thanks to Anton Wunderlich & The Time Rag Department and Are You Syncopated Festival 2022!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Shine_On_Harvest_Moon.pdf

Examples of the song:

Experimental: After You've Gone in Bb

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_After_Youve_Gone.pdf

Examples of the song:

The Blues My Naughty Sweety Gives To Me

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Blues_My_Naughty.pdf

Example of the song:

Song of the Wanderer

Thanks to Anna!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Song_Of_The_Wanderer.pdf

Example of the song:

I'm Alone Because I Love You

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Im_Alone_Because_I_Love_You.pdf

Example of the song:

Bei Mir Bist Du Schön

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Bei_Mir_Bist_Du_Schoen.pdf

Example of the song:

Dark Eyes / Очи чёрные

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Dark_Eyes.pdf

Examples of the song:

Joseph Joseph

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_JosephJoseph.pdf

Special Choir Version in Dm and with an intro: Open_Swing_Orchestra_JosephJoseph_Choir_Dm.pdf

Examples of the song:

Coquette

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Coquette.pdf

Examples of the song:

Root Hog Or Die

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Root_Hog_Or_Die.pdf

Examples of the song:

Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor

Thanks to Jakob!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Make_Me_A_Pallet_On_Your_Floor.pdf

Examples of the song:

Tomorrow

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Tomorrow.pdf

Examples of the song:

Tennessee Waltz

Thanks to Jörg!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Tennessee_Waltz.pdf

Examples of the song:

I'm Crazy 'bout My Baby

Thanks to Jakob for the song and thanks to Melanie for typing it into Musescore!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Im_Crazy_bout_my_Baby.pdf

Examples of the song:

Mama Don't Allow

Thanks to Jörg!

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Mama_Dont_Allow.pdf

Examples of the song:

Comes Love

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Comes_Love.pdf

Examples of the song:

Jakob's improvisation workshop May 4, 2019

Jakob's improvisation workshop April 27, 2019

Biscuit Roller

Thanks to Samuel Hudson and Steffen Kistner of the Careless Cats for this beautiful arrangement and the friendly permission to use it!

Jakob's improvisation workshop February 2, 2019: Just A Closer Walk With Thee

Leadsheet (all voices)

Examples:

San (Give Me My Dime Back)

Thanks to Samuel Hudson and Steffen Kistner of the Careless Cats for this beautiful arrangement and the friendly permission to use it!

Example: Tuba Skinny

Jakob's improvisation workshop January 12, 2019

Some practising tipps

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans

Examples of the song:

Parla più piano

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Parla_Piu_Piano.pdf

Examples of the song:

Clips and photos of our show at Marie-Antoinette

Here you will find some short clips and photos from our show at Marie-Antoinette on October 29, 2018.
Many thanks to Igor!

Five Foot Two

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Five_Foot_Two.pdf

Examples of the song:

Mean To Me

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Mean_To_Me.pdf

Examples of the song:

Deep Purple

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Deep_Purple.pdf

Examples of the song:

On The Sunny Side Of The Street

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_On_The_Sunny_Side_Of_The_Street.pdf

Example of the song: The Man Overboard Quintet

Basin Street Blues

Basin_Street_Blues.pdf

Bill Bailey

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Bill_Bailey.pdf

Example of the song:

Improvisation Session(s)

We try to offer something special every now and then.
This time we have some nicely prepared improvisation training material and also a session to try this out at Septemper 30, thanks to Volker.

Attn Rhythm Section!

Here we have some rhythmic variations, thank you Volker!

Every now and then we will play one part with one of these variations (see PDF) by calling out loudly:

  • Off Beat
  • One, Two, Three
  • One and Four (rather advanced but let's try)

The other variations in the PDF we won't cover yet.

All Of Me

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_All_Of_Me.pdf

Examples of the song:

Backwater Blues

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Backwater_Blues.pdf

Example of the song:

Caravan

Look at the Clave page to see how we are playing the A part.

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Caravan.pdf

Example of the song:

New Orleans Bump

You can download a ZIP file with all the sheets together or the sheets for your instrument individually here:

Examples of the song:

Sheets for the swing choir summer party on July 17

Satan Your Kingdom Must Come Down

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Satan_Your_Kingdom_Must_Come_Down.pdf

Examples of the song:

My Life Will Be Sweeter

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_My_Live_Will_Be_Sweeter.pdf

Examples of the song:

Midnight In Moscow

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Midnight_In_Moscow.pdf

Example of the song:

Careless Love

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Careless_Love.pdf

Examples of the song:

Here is how the chords can be played on ukulele: Careless_Love_Ukulele_Chords.pdf, thanks to Volker for sharing!

This link might also help ukulele players: http://www.ukulele.nl/chordfinder/

Blue Drag

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Blue_Drag.pdf

Examples of the song:

Sweet Georgia Brown

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_Sweet_Georgia_Brown.pdf

Example of the song:

St. James Infirmary

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_St_James_Infirmary.pdf

Example of the song:

Louis Armstrong - St. James Infirmary

When The Saints Go Marching In

Sheets, chords and lyrics: Open_Swing_Orchestra_When_The_Saints_Go_Marching_In.pdf