"Blues In the Night" - your solid faves

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Eyeball · #1 Post by **Eyeball** » Mon Feb 02, 2009 8:28 pm

Great song by Mercer and Arlen written for the 1941 WB drama with music "Blues In the Night". A little tale about a little band of Jazz men trying to hit the big time, but the leader sells out, goes commercial and winds up in an asylum. Jimmie Lunceford & band appear, too.

So-

I've heard quite a few BITNs over the years and never found one that just hit me dead center. Closest is the Tommy Dorsey w Jo Stafford which sat in the Victor vault for 25 years before it was released.

I heard the Calloway today. Decent.
There's a Woody Herman from the era - never made an impression.
The Glenn Miller broadcast version is pretty decent.
There a Harry James - too long ago to recall.
The Lunceford was a 2 part arrangement. When it gets down to business, it's good, other wise it is very flashy.

Anyone know any superior big band versions from 'the era'?

djstarr · #2 Post by **djstarr** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 2:49 pm

you're referring to the song that starts out "My Mama done told me" ?

I like the blues arrangements better, my all time fave is Louis Armstrong with Oscar Peterson.

I have one featuring Hot Lips Page which I like - perhaps that is the Harry James one? I forget which big band he played with.

Eyeball · #3 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:00 pm

djstarr wrote:you're referring to the song that starts out "My Mama done told me" ?

But, Natch!

I have one featuring Hot Lips Page which I like - perhaps that is the Harry James one? I forget which big band he played with.

That's the Artie Shaw. That's a good one.

I like the blues arrangements better, my all time fave is Louis Armstrong with Oscar Peterson.

What is a "blues arrangement"?

Is that LA/OP online anywhere to hear?

djstarr · #4 Post by **djstarr** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:03 pm

Track #4:

http://www.amazon.com/Louis-Armstrong-M ... 574&sr=8-1

Eyeball · #5 Post by **Eyeball** » Tue Feb 03, 2009 3:39 pm

Thanks! I like it.

fredo · #6 Post by **fredo** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:31 am

just noticed this Lunceford recording of Blues in the Night. instrumental. it's just under 2 minutes long. on this Hollywood Swing & Jazz set

Eyeball · #7 Post by **Eyeball** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:40 am

I was playing the 2 part Lunceford Decca the other day and it runs maybe 5 minutes and screams for an edit. The loud part that ends side one is just junk and listening to the guys chant the lyric also is pretty boring.

Someone should tighten this one up.

Eyeball · #8 Post by **Eyeball** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 12:42 am

fredo wrote:just noticed this Lunceford recording of Blues in the Night. instrumental. it's just under 2 minutes long. on this Hollywood Swing & Jazz set

It's from the soundtrack of the film - same tite. The tunes is thrown away in the picture - they never give it much attention. No stand out film performance. Mystery.

chrisbe · #9 Post by **chrisbe** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:03 pm

Not a big band version: Ella Fitzgerald with the Marty Paich Dek-tette, 1958, on the album "Ella Swings Lightly".

Eyeball · #10 Post by **Eyeball** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 2:09 pm

fredo wrote:just noticed this Lunceford recording of Blues in the Night. instrumental. it's just under 2 minutes long. on this Hollywood Swing & Jazz set

OT - that's kind of an odd CD set - half of the tunes are basically beyond my area of interest and maybe of most Swing and big band fans. Then the pre-war stuff is a mixture of pop and Swing. Curious choices.

Hey - I could only get to hear the sound samples using IE. FF, Opera and Flock wouldn't play them.

Surreal · #11 Post by **Surreal** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:27 pm

Eyeball wrote:I was playing the 2 part Lunceford Decca the other day and it runs maybe 5 minutes and screams for an edit. The loud part that ends side one is just junk and listening to the guys chant the lyric also is pretty boring.

Someone should tighten this one up.

I think I'll take a stab at that later tonight.

Eyeball · #12 Post by **Eyeball** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:28 pm

Surreal wrote:
Eyeball wrote:I was playing the 2 part Lunceford Decca the other day and it runs maybe 5 minutes and screams for an edit. The loud part that ends side one is just junk and listening to the guys chant the lyric also is pretty boring.

Someone should tighten this one up.
I think I'll take a stab at that later tonight.

Amen! I realized the other day that the loud coda and the chanting had ruined the recording for me for years.

Surreal · #13 Post by **Surreal** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:42 pm

Ok, I spliced them together in the spot that I thought made the most sense (in terms of phrasing). If anyone's interested, shoot me a PM. It's about 12 megs at 320.