Shawn Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 I really like James Clay's reading on the Tenorman album...it's taken at a bright tempo and really swings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 Sinatra's on "Only the Lonely." Maybe the best thing he ever did, though clearly there's a lot of competition. The way he colors and links together the song's vowel sounds is uncannily poetic -- in effect, he uncovers a deeper song beneath the one Ronnell wrote, and the one she wrote was already pretty deep. This was the first one I thought of, and Larry expressed it more eloquently than I could! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Many fine versions, which is one of the standards by which standards are judged, no? Also I believe I included a fav of mine on my blindfold disc by memphibian session band named after a Brit sprots car... Does anyone one have any comment on the 'really wqritten by George' rumour mentioned above, strikes me as slightly slanderous... (technical libel if in print/pixils but "slander" goes better with "slightly"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papsrus Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Sinatra's on "Only the Lonely." Maybe the best thing he ever did, though clearly there's a lot of competition. The way he colors and links together the song's vowel sounds is uncannily poetic -- in effect, he uncovers a deeper song beneath the one Ronnell wrote, and the one she wrote was already pretty deep. Also, though I'd have to listen again to be sure, I think Sinatra's only means there are timbre coupled to insight; I have no memory of him changing the rhythmic value of a single note. For some reason, when I hear that track, I think of Lester Young listening to it -- not that I know he did, but... And now that I think it, my favorite Pres solo from his time with Basie is on "Taxi War Dance," and that tune is on "Willow Weep for Me" changes, which is nutty because Pres famously launches that solo with a quote from "Ol' Man River." Will go back and give that Pres solo a listen. Thanks. The Sinatra version of the song as well. Someone else mentioned Billy Holiday's version. That really stands out to me as well, although I've only introduced myself to it recently. Nonetheless, quite beautiful. dansgoodstuff: I don't think the Wiki entry (as posted here; didn't check the original) approaches libel for several reasons: It credits the song to Ronell, first and foremost. When it does bring up the issue of speculation about Gershwin penning the song, the entry is simply reporting that there is speculation about this, and does not give it weight one way or the other. In fact, the entry states that the speculation is based on nothing more than the song having the "blues-inflected style of Gershwin." One could interpret this as being dismissive. A little sourcing would have helped, but if it is widely known that the speculation exists, then it's really just reporting that fact. ... seems to me, anyways. "Ronell was romantically involved with George Gershwin at the time she wrote her most famous song, "Willow Weep for Me" and speculation in the New York City composer community is that Gershwin actually wrote the song and gave her the copyright as a gift. However, this has never been proven and is still, at this point, based on the striking similarities in the song to the blues-inflected style of Gershwin." Edited January 8, 2009 by papsrus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I've always liked the Ellington Indigos version. Probably because that was the first one I ever heard and I was 15 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danasgoodstuff Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Law school was a long time ago and I didn't do particularly well...but my memory is that 'just reporting' libel was a new libel and that the reporter was as fully libel as the source. A moot point at this juncture probably. Maybe she was just inspired to write vin this vein by hanging with George? In any case I think Harold Arlen makes the best use of 'bluesiness' of any standard(s) composer... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 In any case I think Harold Arlen makes the best use of 'bluesiness' of any standard(s) composer... Love Arlen's tunes! Stormy Weather, Come Rain Or Come Shine, One For My Baby, etc. He also wrote "Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Grandmaster Babyface wrote the final word on this one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 In any case I think Harold Arlen makes the best use of 'bluesiness' of any standard(s) composer... Love Arlen's tunes! Stormy Weather, Come Rain Or Come Shine, One For My Baby, etc. He also wrote "Ding Dong, The Witch Is Dead"! And Ann Ronell wrote "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf". MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownian Motion Posted January 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 And Ann Ronell wrote "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf". MG Just the words, apparently. When was the first jazz recording of Willow? The earliest I've heard is by Boots and His Buddys from 1937. Did Art Tatum do it before then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownian Motion Posted January 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I've always liked the Ellington Indigos version. Probably because that was the first one I ever heard and I was 15 years old. I really liked this one, too, with its fine Shorty Baker solo. I received the record when I joined the Columbia Record Club back in high school days, many years ago. I notice that the current reissue has an alternate take of Willow. I'm tempted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carnivore Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Sinatra's on "Only the Lonely." Maybe the best thing he ever did, though clearly there's a lot of competition. The way he colors and links together the song's vowel sounds is uncannily poetic -- in effect, he uncovers a deeper song beneath the one Ronnell wrote, and the one she wrote was already pretty deep. This was the first one I thought of, and Larry expressed it more eloquently than I could! That's a great version by Sinatra and the album is the apogee of his career I think. Someone else mentioned Ben Webster - his performance of 'Willow' on the Harry Edison album 'Sweets' seems to me to be Ben at the peak of his playing too. Gorgeous sound and a perfect combination of his technique and the full maturity of his conception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazztrain Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 It looks like Paul Whiteman recorded "Willow Weep for Me" in 1932. I don't currently have access to other sources that might provide other early recordings. Perhaps this evening. And Ann Ronell wrote "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf". MG Just the words, apparently. When was the first jazz recording of Willow? The earliest I've heard is by Boots and His Buddys from 1937. Did Art Tatum do it before then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Someone else mentioned Ben Webster - his performance of 'Willow' on the Harry Edison album 'Sweets' seems to me to be Ben at the peak of his playing too. Gorgeous sound and a perfect combination of his technique and the full maturity of his conception. Oh, that's a good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Lee Morgan does a nice version on the non-Blue Note Live at the Lighthouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Beat Steve Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) My vote (maybe heresy to some around here ): Stan Kenton's version with vocals by June Christy (the flipside of "Fantasy" on Capitol). Probably not not a "favorite" version ("Willow" isn't one of the tunes I tend to think of in terms of "favorites") but certainly the one that's impressed me most (possibly because it was one of the first I was thoroughly exposed to). Edited January 8, 2009 by Big Beat Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I've always liked the Ellington Indigos version. Probably because that was the first one I ever heard and I was 15 years old. I really liked this one, too, with its fine Shorty Baker solo. I received the record when I joined the Columbia Record Club back in high school days, many years ago. I notice that the current reissue has an alternate take of Willow. I'm tempted. That's exactly my story! BTW That Lp meant so much to me that I recently got the nicely packaged Spanish "import" that contains all alternate takes as well as 2 tunes omitted from the Lp for a total of 19 tracks. Unfortunately most of the alternates are not in stereo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazztrain Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Since you asked, here's a preliminary answer providing several early recordings of the tune (and leaving for others to decide what qualifies as a "jazz" recording). The dates are from on-line sources and are assumed to be recording dates (but I can't confirm at the moment). Ted Fio Rito and His Orchestra. 10/7/32. Brunswick. Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (vcl by Irene Taylor). 11/17/32. Victor. Ed Loyd and His Orchestra (Gene Kardos). vcl by Dick Robertson. 12/2/32. ARC (Banner, Melotone, Oriole, etc.) Felix Fernando and His Orchestra (vcl by Carl Forsell). 12/7/32. (possibly a pseudonym?). Crown. Johnny Lee Palm Beachers. 1/20/33. Bluebird. Grace Keller. 1/24/33. Brunswick. Boots & His Buddies. 9/17/37. (Issued as "The Weep"). Bluebird. Harry James and His Orchestra. 9/17/39. Columbia. Cab Calloway and His Orchestra. 1/16/41. Okeh. And Ann Ronell wrote "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf". MG Just the words, apparently. When was the first jazz recording of Willow? The earliest I've heard is by Boots and His Buddys from 1937. Did Art Tatum do it before then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I've always liked the Ellington Indigos version. Probably because that was the first one I ever heard and I was 15 years old. I really liked this one, too, with its fine Shorty Baker solo. I received the record when I joined the Columbia Record Club back in high school days, many years ago. I notice that the current reissue has an alternate take of Willow. I'm tempted. That's exactly my story! BTW That Lp meant so much to me that I recently got the nicely packaged Spanish "import" that contains all alternate takes as well as 2 tunes omitted from the Lp for a total of 19 tracks. Unfortunately most of the alternates are not in stereo. If one of those tunes was "The Sky Fell Down" (gorgeous tune, btw...) then know that it was only omitted from the stereo version of the LP, even though it was mentioned in the stereo liner notes (hey, two eyes, why not?). Go figure that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 (edited) Yes, it includes that tune Jim. . . . 01 SOLITUDE 4:43 02 WHERE OR WHEN 4:02 03 MOOD INDIGO 3:07 04 NIGHT AND DAY 2:54 05 PRELUDE TO A KISS 4:44 06 ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE 3:50 07 WILLOW WEEP FOR ME 4:15 08 TENDERLY 5:23 09 DANCING IN THE DARK 4:28 10 AUTUMN LEAVES 7:12 11 THE SKY FELL DOWN 2:57 12 COMMERCIAL TIME 3:22 13 MOOD INDIGO 4:04 14 MOOD INDIGO 3:05 15 AUTUMN LEAVES 6:14 16 WILLOW WEEP FOR ME 3:55 17 WHERE OR WHEN 3:57 18 ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE 4:00 19 LOVE [MY HEART, MY MIND, MY EVERYTHING] 2:30 Okay I hate that Columbia/Sony didn't give us this. The mono versions that differ from the stereo versions are all here (I've had these for some time thanks to the Jazz Sheriff, Andrew Griffith) and two other tunes recorded at the sessions. Restores the original cover. Excellent reissue in every way. Darn it. Edited January 8, 2009 by jazzbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brownian Motion Posted January 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Since you asked, here's a preliminary answer providing several early recordings of the tune (and leaving for others to decide what qualifies as a "jazz" recording). The dates are from on-line sources and are assumed to be recording dates (but I can't confirm at the moment). Ted Fio Rito and His Orchestra. 10/7/32. Brunswick. Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (vcl by Irene Taylor). 11/17/32. Victor. Ed Loyd and His Orchestra (Gene Kardos). vcl by Dick Robertson. 12/2/32. ARC (Banner, Melotone, Oriole, etc.) Felix Fernando and His Orchestra (vcl by Carl Forsell). 12/7/32. (possibly a pseudonym?). Crown. Johnny Lee Palm Beachers. 1/20/33. Bluebird. Grace Keller. 1/24/33. Brunswick. Boots & His Buddies. 9/17/37. (Issued as "The Weep"). Bluebird. Harry James and His Orchestra. 9/17/39. Columbia. Cab Calloway and His Orchestra. 1/16/41. Okeh. I'm not sure who some of these folks are, but it looks to me as if Boots gets credit for the first real jazz version. Unfortunately, Boots' recording is an unmitigated disaster: the arrangement sucks, the band executes raggedly, and the soloists are semi-pros. Worst of all they play it at a velocity more suitable to "Bugle Call Rag" than a wistful ballad. Not hard to see why Boots and His Gang remained a regional band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Since you asked, here's a preliminary answer providing several early recordings of the tune (and leaving for others to decide what qualifies as a "jazz" recording). The dates are from on-line sources and are assumed to be recording dates (but I can't confirm at the moment). Ted Fio Rito and His Orchestra. 10/7/32. Brunswick. Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra (vcl by Irene Taylor). 11/17/32. Victor. Ed Loyd and His Orchestra (Gene Kardos). vcl by Dick Robertson. 12/2/32. ARC (Banner, Melotone, Oriole, etc.) Felix Fernando and His Orchestra (vcl by Carl Forsell). 12/7/32. (possibly a pseudonym?). Crown. Johnny Lee Palm Beachers. 1/20/33. Bluebird. Grace Keller. 1/24/33. Brunswick. Boots & His Buddies. 9/17/37. (Issued as "The Weep"). Bluebird. Harry James and His Orchestra. 9/17/39. Columbia. Cab Calloway and His Orchestra. 1/16/41. Okeh. And Ann Ronell wrote "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf". MG Just the words, apparently. When was the first jazz recording of Willow? The earliest I've heard is by Boots and His Buddys from 1937. Did Art Tatum do it before then? That must be Greta Keller, not "Grace Keller": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoVmvL9LxYQ http://www.amazon.com/Remember-Me-Other-In...s/dp/B000EBGFQ8 http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Greta-Keller Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 I love Sonny Criss' version on "Up, Up, and Away," Yes to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Moments Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 o'donel levy does a nice jobe with "willow" on this one: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 o'donel levy does a nice jobe with "willow" on this one: Indeed! That's one of my two favourite versions of the song. MG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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