Brownian Motion Posted January 6, 2009 Report Posted January 6, 2009 Ann Ronell, although a prolific songsmith, never wrote anything to rival "Willow Weep for Me" as a vehicle for improvisation. Indeed, her authorship itself is in some doubt From Wikipedia: "Ronell was romantically involved with George Gershwin at the time she wrote her most famous song, "Willow Weep for Me" and speculation in the New York City composer community is that Gershwin actually wrote the song and gave her the copyright as a gift. However, this has never been proven and is still, at this point, based on the striking similarities in the song to the blues-inflected style of Gershwin." I'm sitting here listening to Herb Hall's version of this great song. A song search on Amazon returns 1461 hits. Anyone have a favorite version? Quote
Jim Alfredson Posted January 6, 2009 Report Posted January 6, 2009 I like to play it in a 6/8 gospel feel. We just played it this past Sunday. Great song! Quote
Free For All Posted January 6, 2009 Report Posted January 6, 2009 Bob Brookmeyer did a great arrangement for big band. Quote
Larry Kart Posted January 6, 2009 Report Posted January 6, 2009 Sinatra's on "Only the Lonely." Maybe the best thing he ever did, though clearly there's a lot of competition. The way he colors and links together the song's vowel sounds is uncannily poetic -- in effect, he uncovers a deeper song beneath the one Ronnell wrote, and the one she wrote was already pretty deep. Also, though I'd have to listen again to be sure, I think Sinatra's only means there are timbre coupled to insight; I have no memory of him changing the rhythmic value of a single note. For some reason, when I hear that track, I think of Lester Young listening to it -- not that I know he did, but... And now that I think it, my favorite Pres solo from his time with Basie is on "Taxi War Dance," and that tune is on "Willow Weep for Me" changes, which is nutty because Pres famously launches that solo with a quote from "Ol' Man River." Quote
Alexander Hawkins Posted January 6, 2009 Report Posted January 6, 2009 Bud Powell blows me away on this tune on Gordon's 'Our Man in Paris'. Quote
blajay Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Art Tatum from his Pablo Solo Masterpieces is the one that first got me and has always stuck with me. Quote
Bright Moments Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 nina simone does a great job also - try willie nelson's version with tin hat trio! Quote
JSngry Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 And now that I think it, my favorite Pres solo from his time with Basie is on "Taxi War Dance," and that tune is on "Willow Weep for Me" changes... Similar in spots, notably the bridge, but not a direct contrafact by any means. "Inspired by" is about as close as I'd go. Quote
Stereojack Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Zoot Sims, guesting with the Les Brown band, on Brown's album "Jazz Song Book". Beautiful! Quote
poetrylover3 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Phil Woods w/ Jaki Byard, Richard Davis, Alan Dawson on Musique Du Bois & Dexter Gordon on Our Man In Paris for best instrumental Sarah Vaughan At Mister Kelly's is my favorite vocal interpretation. Quote
BillF Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Very sad story about this tune on the recent BBC Radio 3 documentary about the late Ed Dipple, proprietor of Mole Jazz. Bobby Wellins revealed that Ed contacted him after receiving a diagnosis of incurable cancer and asked him if he'd play Willow at his funeral. Bobby agreed and duly did so. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 I have quite a few memorable versions of this song. I just looked through my collection and found several great versions, funnily enough mostly on records where two "stars" were combined. Groove Holmes & Gene Ammons Stanley Turrentine & the Three Sounds Teddy Edwards & Les McCann Lou Rawls & Les McCann David Newman & Clifford Jordan Buddy Tate & Wild Bill Davis Al Grey & Jimmy Forrest Arnett Cobb & Milt Buckner David Newman & Ray Charles In addition, there are great versions by Ike Quebec and Norman Simmons. Arnett and Jug both recorded great versions for the Moodsville label. As it happens, I've just been listening to the Cobb/Buckner version, ("Again with Milt" - Black & Blue) which is a killer. But my two favourites are by David Newman/Ray Charles and one I bought only about eighteen months ago but is so strikingly dramatic it became an immediate favourite - it's by O'Donel Levy. This version is taken in 6/8 and has a terrific "soul" vocal, presumably by Levy himself. It's not, of course, much like any of the other versions. It's on the album "Everything I do gonna be funky" (Groove Merchant). MG Quote
Dan Gould Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 I'm surprised you didn't mention Bubba Brooks performance, MG - unless that is on the one Brooks CD you said you've looked high and low for ages. Quote
The Magnificent Goldberg Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Yes, it's on the one I haven't got. MG Quote
ghost of miles Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Years and years ago my wife once asked me to play every single version of this tune that I had in the house at the time (it ended up being about 15). I remember digging the Tatum quite a bit, as well as a version by Ben Webster, and yes, the Sinatra that Larry mentions. There's a version by Billie Holiday that I liked as well--the quality of her voice really conjured the physicality of the tree itself. Quote
Larry Kart Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 And now that I think it, my favorite Pres solo from his time with Basie is on "Taxi War Dance," and that tune is on "Willow Weep for Me" changes... Similar in spots, notably the bridge, but not a direct contrafact by any means. "Inspired by" is about as close as I'd go. Thanks for the correction. I was "inspired by" that similarity. Quote
JSngry Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Hey, I really don't enjoy being anal about things, but when it comes to stuff like that, I can't help myself. Probably just because of my experience as a player & having too many instances of "almost is" not equaling "actually is", thaat there are some points and somethings where "is" really does mean is, if you know what I mean, and the subsequent frustrations & delights that come out of those realizations. In oterhr words, I can be as relativistic and abstract as almost anybody, but not when it comes to the point of thinking that almost not hitting that tree is definitely not the same as not hitting it. But anyway, that might be my favorite Prez/Basie solo as well, although there's also "Pound Cake" and "Let's Make Hay While The Moon Shines", and...hell, who am I kidding? They're all my favorites... Quote
JSngry Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 (edited) Oh yeah, to the topic at hand, I've also deeply enjoyed the Dexter version on Our Man In Paris, although it's perhaps "out of character" of the tune itself. But oh well about that. The Sinatra version is also superb, and let's not fail to consider the possible inspirational effect of Nelson Riddle's wholly original arrangement. But the real sleeper, of all the versions I've heard and can remember (not 100% overlap there, unfortunately), is one by Helen Merrill with some intense/stunning/etc Wayne Shorter commentary and soloing. It can be found here: and can be safely recommended to all who might enjoy it, as well as some who might not. {Edit to add KUDOS to Shawn, whom I see is reading this thread, for hipping me to this fine album of prerecorded music!) Edited January 7, 2009 by JSngry Quote
Larry Kart Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Hey, I really don't enjoy being anal about things, but when it comes to stuff like that, I can't help myself. It's important IMO to keep stuff like that straight. It's not always the end of things, but some dumb things get said and thought that are based on mis-information at that level. Quote
Shawn Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 Yeah, that Merrill disc is great...Shorter really goes "elsewhere" without ever leaving "here". I can't pick a single performance of this song, it's one of my favorite standards and I tend to enjoy multiple different takes on it. Quote
John L Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 I love Sonny Criss' version on "Up, Up, and Away," and also the version that Gene Ammons plays on "Nice N' Cool." Quote
Peter Friedman Posted January 7, 2009 Report Posted January 7, 2009 So many many versions and not ample time to go back and review them all to select just one or two favorites. It is a tune i very much like. Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.