I remember a topic like these a while ago but I was unable to find it when I searched, if somehow I missed it, just direct me to it.

While visiting UNT, my dad and I were able to sit in on their 4 O' Clock Lab Band's rehearsal. While I was in there, the guys were thinking of songs to do for a gig they had coming up. They were spitting out TONS of songs off the top of their head which each of them seemed to know, and know how to play. Before going there, I thought I had a rather long list of jazz song standards, but boy was I wrong.

So my question is, how do you develope this large list of songs in your head? Of course listening is obvious, but how do you know if the songs you are learning to store in your head is one that is used often in gigs? Are these all off "Greatest Hits" albums of jazz greats or what? I realize I'm kind of rambling with this question, but I think you guys get what I'm saying. I basically need lists of songs to know, CD's to buy, or books to study to get this stuff in my head. Thanks in advance guys.

P.S. ATTENTION GOOGLE ENFORCERS!!  

I've done some searches on google and found some stuff, but not exactly what I'm looking for.  

Check this link out.

http://www.bmgmusicservices.com/catalog/browse/browse.jhtml?pcatId=0&catId=210000

Relient,

The "Fake Book" suggestion is probably one of the best investments you'll ever make.  There will be times when you may need to look at a fake book on the gig if the leader calls something you're not familiar with.  

Try to get a "Fake Book" and use it to help you start investing in building up your recording catalog.  There are SO many tunes to know as leaders not only call some of the old classic standards (i.e Louis Armstrong, Duke, Gershwin, etc.) but also more modern tunes (i.e. Chick Corea, Chuck Mangione, etc.).  You may be expected to play both "I Got Rhythm" and "Matrix" back to back.  Keep in mind that you are learning TUNES, not the drumming associated with these tunes.  For example, you may be asked to perform a mambo version of "Giant Steps" but if all you've done is studied Art Taylor's swinging style in the original recording and can't remember the tune to "Giant Steps", you'll be in trouble on the bandstand.  This is where the "Fake Book" comes in handy.  You can quickly refresh your memory of the tune by looking at the rhythm of the head in the fake book.  

Also, be sure to check out the Jamey Aebersold books.  You can at least scour through the lists of artists and standards he has in the many volumes of CD/play-alongs here:  http://www.charlescolin.com/playalong/abersold.htm
This stuff has become part of the modern jazz study repertoire.

But just remember, building a recording catalog along with a vocabulary takes a lifetime.  It is truly a lifelong study and is never something you can learn overnight.  A lot of the talented cats going into UNT are in the same boat, believe me.  

Keep us posted on your progress!  

Thanks for the tip Roger.  Would I obviously buy the book in the key that I am the most comfortable in? Or does it not really matter since I'm only looking for rythms?

Haha, I swear, you'd never know how hard Jazz is until you really get into it. But that goes for how fun it is too.  

Thanks for all the replies thus far guys, and sorry for the 3 replies, I got a little ahead of my self.    

Thanks Mr. A, I'll email a guy I met up there and ask.

I was talking to a friend of mine is Music Theory class about the Real Book and Fake Books. He mentioned that the Fake Books are illegal. Did I hear him wrong, or are they really illegal? If they are, why?

Thanks for the INFO Mr. A. Yea, I can't imagine there's that much demand for illegal music book owners.  

What are "fake books," anyway?