What is the "Head" in jazz music, and where does it typically appear in a jazz performance?

Okay, this is a great question, and many friends new to jazz have the same doubt.

What is the "Head"?

Simply put, the Head is the "main melody" of a jazz tune.

Think of it as the core, most easily remembered part of a song. For example, if you listen to a pop song, the chorus melody you can hum along to is similar to the "Head" in jazz. It's the identity of a piece, a "map" or "theme" that both musicians and listeners can collectively recognize.

On sheet music, the Head is usually the clearly written, fixed melody.

Where Does It Typically Appear in a Jazz Performance?

This is one of the most interesting aspects of jazz. In a typical live jazz performance, the Head usually appears in a very structured way, forming a sort of "sandwich" format:

Head → Improvised Solos → Head

Let's break down this "sandwich":

1. Start (Head In)

At the beginning of the piece, the band will play the Head all together.
Purpose: This acts like "introducing the song," telling the audience: "Hey, we're about to play this tune!" It establishes the key, tempo, and feel of the piece. Everybody (both band members and listeners) uses this time to familiarize themselves with the "theme."

2. Middle (Improvised Solos)

After the first Head statement, the real fun begins! The band moves into the improvisation section.
At this point, the main melody (Head) "disappears," but its chord progression (the harmonic backdrop underlying the melody) repeats over and over in the background like a foundation.
Then, different soloists (e.g., saxophonist, pianist, guitarist) take turns stepping forward and creating brand new melodies of their own, based on this chord progression. This is the improvised solo.
You can think of the Head as the story's framework, and each soloist's improvisation is their own exciting personal chapter based on that framework.

3. End (Head Out)

After all the musicians have completed their solos, to bring the piece to a satisfying conclusion, the band "regroups" and collectively plays the complete Head again.
Purpose: This acts like a "return" and "summary." It pulls the audience back from the wide-ranging improvised journeys to the original theme, signalling: "Our story is complete, this tune has ended."

To summarize:

You can think of the Head as the "starting point" and "endpoint" of a jazz performance. It's like a safe, familiar "haven." The musicians depart from the "haven" (playing the Head once), go out to adventure and explore (playing various exciting solos), and finally return safely to the "haven" (playing the Head again).

The next time you listen to jazz, try specifically listening for this structure. Once you can identify where the Head is and where the solos are, you've grasped a key to appreciating jazz!