SwingDJs

So I've been playing this song a lot this season, as I'm sure many of you are too.

The two versions I'm playing a lot are Earl Hines from "Blues 'n Things" - I love the arrangment, the tempo changes a couple of times and there are some nice overlays, so I'd consider it an "advanced dancer" song but people are enjoying dancing to it in Seattle.

The other version I've been playing is by Dr. Michael White on "Jazz from the Soul of New Orleans". Really pretty.

What versions do you all like?

I love that Earl Hines version.

There's a Billie Holiday version that I like a lot. It's on a cheap/low-quality Golden Greats set I got a million years ago, before getting the Proper set.

I also like the 3:18 version by Bechet, from the Past Perfect set. It makes me think of the oppressive heat of summer.

I hardly ever hear that song here - probably because it's almost always summer.

Difficult question - there are so many different versions, with so many different qualities...

I have two Sidney Bechet ones - one from Petit Fleur, which has a strangely sinister opening, but which is a lot of fun once it gets going, and another gentler one from I-know-not-where - the first of these is probably my 2nd preferred version. (I think it might be the same as the Past Perfect one)

My all-time favourite is undoubtably from Gene Harris - but it needs ... the right moment.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9frgJdwYNC8

straycat wrote:My all-time favourite is undoubtably from Gene Harris - but it needs ... the right moment.

That it does. Some of my best blues dances ever have been to this version at Blues Night in Herräng late, late, late - like, after the sun's gone up. (On my way there in a week... here's hoping for a bit of summertime weather in cold, rainy Sweden.)

Apart from that, my favourite version must be the 1936 Billie Holiday with Bunny Berigan and Artie Shaw. Seething.

But there are so many great ones. This is such a beautiful melody it's hard to ruin. That said, I don't care much for Miles Davis'. But then, I don't care much for Miles Davis.

djstarr wrote:The other version I've been playing is by Dr. Michael White on "Jazz from the Soul of New Orleans". Really pretty.

I second that one. Just a gorgeous piece. A little long, but worth it.

I also love the Joe Williams one off of the "Together/Have A Good Time" album with Harry "Sweets" Edison. I just love changes he gives to the timing of the melody.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.

CafeSavoy wrote:DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince.

Dammit! I was going to make that joke, but figured, "Eh, people will just think, 'Smart-ass!'"

I guess when Rayned says it, though, it's funny...

(The other joke would have been, "Eddie Cochran's original, of course! Though The Who and Blue Cheer did some okay covers. Oh, that's 'Summertime BLUES!'")

Back to the original topic, though, Bobby Womack & Roots do a hella funky version. It's got a ~minute-long vocal intro ("And in those particular days we weren't poor, we were 'colored'") but it kind of evokes Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues", IMHO.

PS - Sam Cooke does a nice "popish" version -- by which I mean it's pretty approachable; you could play it at a dance and people wouldn't rebel (much...) And it's only two-and-a-half minutes.

I think a five-minute Artie Shaw instrumental [Self Portrait - Disc 3] would put some people to sleep -- or make them want to slit their wrists...

OneTrueDabe wrote:
I think a five-minute Artie Shaw instrumental [Self Portrait - Disc 3] would put some people to sleep -- or make them want to slit their wrists...

The unappreciative are dispensable.

And they chose a different take for that CD for some reason. There is a previously released take that is, to my ears, superior.

Thanks for the youtube post, it was great watching that, especially Ray Brown digging on Gene's playing.

I also don't care for the Artie Shaw Self-Portrait version, it's quite bland.

Shorty Dave played a nice version in Denver, I think it was Junior Mance? .

The other reason I was thinking about this song is that I saw a biography on George Gershwin the other evening. He was 38 when he passed away from a brain tumor - what a shame; he wrote so much great music in such a short time.

djstarr wrote: I also don't care for the Artie Shaw Self-Portrait version, it's quite bland.

I don't know what to make out of someone who says they find that haunting and unique Shaw version of "Summertime" to be "bland".

There is so much in there to hold your interest and that very early use of an 'echo chamber' is fascinating and musically valid.

I was playing that CD the other night - God, he sound is mostly awful on that release. It just varies from track to track - the or Shaw chose a different take than the one that was issued on LP on the famous RCA release titled "Reissued by Request" formerly "A Man and His Dream".

I do not know at the moment which one was the original 78 rpm 12 inch record release, but it would seem that it was not the one on the CD, for that one has a rather embryonic sound to it and the arrangement is slightly different,.

There ya go.....

Gene Harris's version is still hands-down my favorite, but two other great versions that have not been mentioned yet:

Chris Connor - Sings George Gershwin (play this all the time)
Oscar Peterson - In Russia (forgot how awesome this version is!)

Jesse

Yes I like Chris Connor's too. One of the first songs I remember when I was learning to move my feet vaguely rhythmically. Fond memories - though I'm glad those days are behind me!

I like this one, and so did the dancers:

http://www.emusic.com/album/Matt-Cating ... 93249.html

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I really like the Gene Harris version, I wrote about it a couple of weeks ago on my blog:

http://swingjazzblues.blogspot.com/2007 ... -trio.html