Afternoon in Paris is a 1949 jazz standard written by pianist John Lewis. The tune uses a 32-bar AABA form and is usually played in the key of C major, but several phrases shift to B-flat and A-flat, creating a complex harmonic structure that interests theorists and soloists. Notable recordings include the Phineas Newborn Quartet on Here Is Phineas (Atlantic, 1956), John Lewis and Sacha Distel on Afternoon in Paris (Atlantic, 1957), the Benny Golson Quintet on Benny Golson and the Philadelphians (United Artists, 1958), Sonny Rollins and Co. on Now's the Time (RCA Victor, 1964), and John Lewis in solo piano on Evolution (Atlantic, 1999). It is also associated with the John Lewis album Afternoon in Paris released in 1957.
