cxxix. VARIOUS ARTISTS
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To
Nineteen versions
1. Don Ameche (1943)
Hal Kemp Orchestra
(2:01)
I know it was wartime, but couldn't they find anyone to dub Ameche's voice? His singing is so terrible. The second time -- as the tune modulates up a half-step -- it gets even worse.
The song was nominated for Best Original Song, but lost out to "You'll Never Know" (Harry Warren & Mack Gordon) ...
2. Dinah Shore (1943)
Orchestra cond. by Paul Wetstein
(2:53)
Dinah scored a hit. She could sing.
Accompanied by the typical 40's band with strings. She pretty much conforms to the details in the above lead sheet; in the fourth bar from the end, she drops a minor ninth from the E to the E-Flat, very impressive. the second time through is instrumental, with short takes by piano, string ensemble, muted trumpet.
Dinah comes back in to the sing the "B" section -- again dropping that big interval with super control.
A very relaxed tempo. Merrill sings the melody beautifully, holding notes over the barline -- and best of all, the band really plays those two diminished chords in the "B' section (D#°7 and G#°7) ... Jones takes a turn using block chords, and then Brown plays a soulful, inventive two-chorus solo before Merrill reprises, behind a beautiful background arragement ... she holds the last word ("love") and the band delivers a staccato punch to end things. One of the best covers!
4. Cannonball Adderly (1955)
(3:37)
The firsr time through is a composed big-band take on the melody. Adderly plays the first bars of the "B" section and then the band returns, until the turnaround, where Cannonball starts his Bird-like solo.
A tenor sax follows (could it be Trane?) ... piano and then head w/band.
What could be bad?
5. Frank Sinatra (1957)
Nelson Riddle Orchestra
(2:04)
An eight-bar intro by the band (Riddle writes something completely different than the outline of the tune!) and then Frank enters the scene.
The Voice smoothes out any of the semi-stiff rhythmic phrases -- but sings every note, as written. (He changes a few words in the second repetition!)
Second time through, up a half-step modulation, he gets even looser, with Riddle punching in the background. The song ends, and Frank exclaims:
"Yummy."
Peterson introduces the tune, and Webster (I think, based on the reed he used) takes the first solo, followed by Hawkins. The melody is all smoothed out and low down.
Oscar is all over the keyboard, playing lots of triplets and behind-the-beat riffs. Hawkins takes another chorus with Webster joining him in breathy accompaniment. Out ...
Same rhythm section as Miles used at the time.
Pepper plays the head and then launches into a mellow, flowing two-chorus solo before giving way to Garland who is 1957-funky.
Chambers takes a turn with Jones using brushes.
Trade fours with Jones using intelligent riffs.
Pepper plays the head without getting too close the actual melody -- delightful stuff.
8. Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney (1958)
Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions
(starts at 3:30)
The third part of a medley (preceded by "These Foolish Things" and "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye") ... behind a lush string arrangement, the two take turns, breaking up the tune into sections, until the last few bars where they sing harmony. The strings repeat the "A" section and the vocalists return for the "B" to end a silky arrangement.
The lead singer (a bass) opens a cappella until the band kicks in at Bar 3. Second time features the band just singing "you'd be so nice ..." as the soloist kicks back in the "B" section ...
10. Al Cohn and Zoot Sims (1960)
(4:54)
Ah, jazz! A quick piano intro and then Cohn and Sims trade off between melody and ornamentation -- just perfect!
Second time is a Cohn solo (I think), followed by Sims. They both play coolly through the changes, then solos for piano, followed by bass.
Cohn and Sims then trade fours until the "B" section where they play in delicious counterpoint to each other. A really fine take on this amazing song.
Nina starts with solo piano at a Largo pace ... the band enters at the "B" section.
The whole thing sounds like Bach, with her piano rolling in stately polyphony. When Nina finally starts the song, it's still at this Largo pace. It's unusual, but effective.
Like the Baroque effect she's imitating, she's consistent -- the song ends on an A Major chord! (Picardy third) ...
Moderately slow, but faster than Simone! Stafford's buttery voice just floats above the accompaniment.
Freeman takes the first solo. Webster follows with that souful sound of his. Trumpet follows (Conte or Don?) ...
Stafford comes back to take the "B" section, with great kicks from the band and ends on a lovely chord with Webster going deep low ...
Medium tempo. Richards' vibes add a wonderful touch to the arrangement.
Viola takes the first solo, a nice smart piece of improv. London comes back in for "B" ... a beautiful cover.
14. Lee Konitz (1961)
LK, alto saxophone
Sonny Dallas, bass
Elvin Jones, drums
(10:43)
Konitz launches into his solo without playing the head, per se. His use of silence between phrases gives the rhythm section space to be heard.
He plays seven choruses! Dallas walks for several choruses, with Jones pumping out wonderful kicks and Lee jumps back in from time to time. Elvin plays like fire and ice. A bit meandering, at times.
Fastest tempo so far. Up!
Hall plays the melody smoothly before taking a brilliant 64-bar solo.
Next up is Desmond, followed by Baker and Desmond together (beautiful) and then Chet goes at it alone. Towards the end of his take, he plays a beautiful series of descending 1/8th-notes.
Hanna follows with an awesome solo; his left hand doesn't just comp -- he sticks a single bass note occasionally, weighing down an anchor for his patterned right-hand work.
Then the ensemble kicks in with a four-bar composed section to introduce Carter's solo. With just Hall and Gadd behind him, he kicks into an off-beat lick with Hall matching him. Really kicks the whole thing up a notch.
Hall comes in with the "A" section of the head and the ensemble takes the "B" and ends together with supreme hipness.
16. Keith Jarrett (1995)
KJ, piano
Gary Peacock, bass
Jack DeJohnette, drums
(6:58)
This one's also UP! Jarrett plays the head more-or-less straight, and then launches into a ferocious solo, with his moaning-singing-along only mildly annoying. Peacock and DeJohnette are -- of course -- totally tuned into it all this, like ESP ... this trio had been together for decades at the time of this recording at The Blue Note.
He eventually gives way to DeJohnette whose soloing sounds like it contains actual pitched notes (he is also a gifted pianist) ...
Jarrett returns with the head (no singing!) and the band repeats the last four bars a few times as a nicely-conceived coda.
17. Joey DeFrancesco (1999)
with big band
(3:40)
Behind a really well-written big band arrangement, Joey sings like Sinatra -- gorgeous voice, Second time is a Joey organ solo -- he lays back the 1/8ths and flows it all into a torrent of beautiful cascades of notes.
An tenor sax solo follows; Joey returns with an even more fluid take and repeats "and love" a few times, with great big-band punctuation, and ends with "let's make love!"
18. Dick Hyman and Randy Sandke (2004)
DH, piano
RS, trumpet
(6:07)
Hyman and Sandke duet with free rhythm before breaking out in an up-tempo reading. Hyman supplies an entire rhythm section to Sandke's originality in his soloing choices. Real interesting to hear just two guys playing this tune!
Hyman's left hand alternates between half notes, walking quarters and a kind of stride style. His technique is awesome.
An inventive coda ends things.
19. Jacky Terrasson (2010)
JT, vocals, keyboards
Ben Williams, bass
Jamire Williams, drums
(3:24)
Ben Williams plays the first eight bars solo. Terrasson enters with a staccato, spaced-out take on the melody.
His mother is Black, his father French. The mix seems suggestive of a soulful intelligence in his soloing. He leaves plenty of space between his phrases, which are filled with odd, dissonant intervals.
At 1:57 he quotes both "Salt Peanuts" and "Walkin'"!
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