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Porgy and Bess


mgraham333

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I always think 'bout those voices that sung any cut from "Porgy & Bess"...Ella & Louis...Nina Simone...and then there's Billie...The great Billie Holiday..

And one single song means everything to me: I LOVES YOU PORGY. Billie's "I loves you Porgy" was the very first one I ever heard of that song...and I couldn't explain why, put Lady Day put some tears in my eyes..."I loves you, Porgy. Don’t let him take me. Don’t let him handle me...and drive me mad...If you can keep me, I want to stay here with you forever...And I’ll be glad..."...December 10, 1948..Bobby Tucker on the piano (what a gentle pianist...), John Levy on bass, Denzil Best on the drums......And then Billie...There is no more soulful voice...with such a deep understandin' of the human heart. She WAS Bess when she sang this Gershwin tune...It doesn't get much deeper than this...And I hope Ella will understand...

Nina Simone also touches my heart with this same song. But they were two completely different ways of approchin' this cut...

Edited by Billie
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I agree. I love you, Porgy is one of my all time favorites. My prefered version being Nina Simone's, but the lyrics, no matter who sings them, bring tears to my eyes. It's heart wrenching.

(okay, this will probably be my last post on Jim's account. He will be back tomorrow from the tour with the trio...maybe I will see about having him give me my own) :)

Alison

the wife of B3er

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  • 7 years later...

Bumping this old thread. I realize that I have all these jazz versions of P&B, but I've never even heard, let alone owned, the "opera" or whatever it is as it was originally written. I looks like Larry likes/liked the Simon Rattle version. Which should I listen to first?

Incidentally, I'm not an opera fan, and I'm mildly concerned that my general distaste for the genre will get in the way.

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