Stella by Starlight

[Chuck Nessa]

If only.

[RDK]

All of a sudden I'm reminded of our old forum pal, Saxophone Vagina.

[Teasing the Korean]

Nobody mentioned the arrangements ...

Q

I did, and arrangements can make or break a tune.

[Chuck Nessa]

All of a sudden I'm reminded of our old forum pal, Saxophone Vagina.

Put it away Ray.

[Teasing the Korean]

And just for grins, find some "easy listening" version, just to hear them revel for days in that opening diminished chord (it's on the original sheet music, btw, I got it in an older-than-sin fake book & that's just one of countless surprises and delights to be found as far as what you think are the real changes and what in fact are the real changes...), and then go back to that half-diminished that jazz calls for, and be thankful that sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.

I've always been interested in the reharmonization of standards, and the acceptance of certain sets of changes over other sets. I hear what you're saying and respect your viewpoint, but I don't share your aversion to that opening diminished chord at the beginning of Stella. To me, it is simply a different sound. That said, I always play the half-diminished chord when I play the tune.

Edited January 9, 2009 by Teasing the Korean

[Hardbopjazz]

Jim, since you play the b3 here's a great version of the tune. You can't get a funkier band this this. Dr. Smith swings the hell out of this tune.

October 18, 1997. The Village Vanguard third set first tune of the set.

Lou Donaldson- alto sax,

Dr. Lonnie Smith- b3 organ,

Peter Berstein- guitar,

Idris Muhammad- drums.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/a13qzz

[Soul Stream]

Of course the Miles/Coltrane version is a blueprint. That said, always dug the Mobley/Green/Elvin/Larry Young version too as much as any other. One of my favorite standards to play...never gets old because it's never easy.

[Jim Alfredson]

Since I have a daughter named Stella, I figured I should finally learn this tune.

Tsk tsk!

Yeah, I know.

I won't even mention the other standards I don't really know. It's a terrible tragedy.

Jim, since you play the b3 here's a great version of the tune. You can't get a funkier band this this. Dr. Smith swings the hell out of this tune.

October 18, 1997. The Village Vanguard third set first tune of the set.

Lou Donaldson- alto sax,

Dr. Lonnie Smith- b3 organ,

Peter Berstein- guitar,

Idris Muhammad- drums.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/a13qzz

DUDE! You rock! Thank you!

[blajay]

Of course the Miles/Coltrane version is a blueprint. That said, always dug the Mobley/Green/Elvin/Larry Young version too as much as any other. One of my favorite standards to play...never gets old because it's never easy.

Yeah, for B3 this is a good one. It's on disc 3 of the Larry Young Mosaic. It's also on Grant Green's I Want to Hold Your Hand.

Just looking through my itunes there are other versions caught on Mosaic sets: Anita O'Day's, Chet Baker with Russ Freeman's, Horace Parlan's, Max Roach's, and Maynard Ferguson's.

Can't think of any notable takes of it on my vinyl off the top of my head...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

My favourite instrumental version is the Green/Young/Jones/Mobley one on "I want to hold your hand".

For vocal versions, Ray Charles' version has ALWAYS got me. It's on "Dedicated to you" his second ABC album. And probably on any number of compilations (well, maybe).

MG

[randalljazz]

just me?

stan

[Jim Alfredson]

Well, that's what I get for learning the tune from the Don Patterson / Sonny Stitt CD... it's in the key of G and silly me, I didn't realize that was a bad key for altos (since that's what Sonny is playing on this cut). So we pulled it out tonight when a local saxophonist sat in and afterwards he said, "Wow... I've never heard it played in that key. That was TOUGH!"

So Sonny just did that to fuck with people, I guess!

I want to learn it in all keys anyway, so... onto the piano!

[Guest youmustbe]

The version on Maynard's A Message From Birdland, the arranger is not listed, is a killer!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Well, that's what I get for learning the tune from the Don Patterson / Sonny Stitt CD... it's in the key of G and silly me, I didn't realize that was a bad key for altos (since that's what Sonny is playing on this cut). So we pulled it out tonight when a local saxophonist sat in and afterwards he said, "Wow... I've never heard it played in that key. That was TOUGH!"

So Sonny just did that to fuck with people, I guess!

I want to learn it in all keys anyway, so... onto the piano!

One of the things Sonny said, that's stuck in my head forever, was, "this shit ain't easy, baby!"

MG

[medjuck]

Miles recorded this at the same May '58 session where he first recorded On Green Dolphin Street. Both of course then became jazz standards but was he the first to do jazz versions of them? Did Ahmad Jamal do them first? If they were the first jazz versions where did Miles hear them?

IIRC Red Garland often introduced obscure songs to the group but he wasn't present at this session.

(And they're both themes from movies.)

Edited January 10, 2009 by medjuck

[Jim Alfredson]

I think Bird did a version in '52 or there-abouts.

[medjuck]

You're right. With strings in '52.

[Teasing the Korean]

Corny arrangement. Avoid it at all costs.

[randalljazz]

Miles recorded this at the same May '58 session where he first recorded On Green Dolphin Street. Both of course then became jazz standards but was he the first to do jazz versions of them? Did Ahmad Jamal do them first? If they were the first jazz versions where did Miles hear them?

IIRC Red Garland often introduced obscure songs to the group but he wasn't present at this session.

(And they're both themes from movies.)

the stan getz version linked above was recorded dec 12, 1952 (with duke jordan, p, jimmy raney, g, bill crow, b, frank isola, d).

[skeith]

If you wanna freak yourself out, make the first version you lean the changes from be the Miles/George/HerbieRonTony band's version. From either Four And More or My Funny Valentine, I forget which. Probably the latter, if memory serves, as it occasionally still does...

Like the man said - if you live, you'll be HIIIIIGH!!!!

And just for grins, find some "easy listening" version, just to hear them revel for days in that opening diminished chord (it's on the original sheet music, btw, I got it in an older-than-sin fake book & that's just one of countless surprises and delights to be found as far as what you think are the real changes and what in fact are the real changes...), and then go back to that half-diminished that jazz calls for, and be thankful that sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.

I have to agree with JSangry on this one - the definitive version for me is the live version on the Funny Valentine recording. The studio version(s) are fine - but the live one is just stunning!!!

I like the Getz version too, but not as much.

While instrumentalists seem to still play it - I wonder why singers today - even those that do a lot of standards from this era - never sing this song? Corny lyrics? any guesses.

[Larry Kart]

The version on Maynard's A Message From Birdland, the arranger is not listed, is a killer!

Slide Hampton

[AllenLowe]

I used to call it "Stella By Stalagmite" - had something to do with cave romance and swamp gas -

Edited January 14, 2009 by AllenLowe

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

While instrumentalists seem to still play it - I wonder why singers today - even those that do a lot of standards from this era - never sing this song? Corny lyrics? any guesses.

First you've got to have a man singing it.

Second, they're hard lyrics for a male singer to bring off and not sound lame. To sing those words effectively you need to put your heart and soul into giving them meaning. Ray Charles did it.

Third, no male singer with any sense would want to have their version compared with Ray Charles', which is definitive.

MG

[blajay]

While instrumentalists seem to still play it - I wonder why singers today - even those that do a lot of standards from this era - never sing this song? Corny lyrics? any guesses.

First you've got to have a man singing it.

Second, they're hard lyrics for a male singer to bring off and not sound lame. To sing those words effectively you need to put your heart and soul into giving them meaning. Ray Charles did it.

Third, no male singer with any sense would want to have their version compared with Ray Charles', which is definitive.

MG

Why does a man have to sing it? iirc Ella Fitzgerald sang it, and so did Anita O'Day. Jazz shouldn't have to live by the laws of heteronormativity.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

While instrumentalists seem to still play it - I wonder why singers today - even those that do a lot of standards from this era - never sing this song? Corny lyrics? any guesses.

First you've got to have a man singing it.

Second, they're hard lyrics for a male singer to bring off and not sound lame. To sing those words effectively you need to put your heart and soul into giving them meaning. Ray Charles did it.

Third, no male singer with any sense would want to have their version compared with Ray Charles', which is definitive.

MG

Why does a man have to sing it? iirc Ella Fitzgerald sang it, and so did Anita O'Day. Jazz shouldn't have to live by the laws of heteronormativity.

Well, OK, I've never heard either of those versions, so I'm not going to say that they're silly.

MG