: For decades, it was an unlicensed, illegal publication sold "under the table" in music stores or out of car trunks to avoid copyright enforcement .
The Real Book was famously created in the mid-1970s by two students at the . Its origins are steeped in jazz lore: The Real Book
is the most widely used collection of jazz standards, often referred to as a "fake book" by musicians . Originally a bootleg publication, it has since become the definitive reference for jazz education and professional performance . History and Origins : For decades, it was an unlicensed, illegal
: In 2004, the music publisher Hal Leonard released the first legal, licensed version, known as the Sixth Edition . This edition corrected many transcription errors and ensured songwriters finally received royalties . Content and Format Originally a bootleg publication, it has since become