How Big Was 'Trane, Really?

[sgcim]

Recorded in the pianist's living room:

Straight from the pianist's living room

Here's another thing we recorded in the pianist's living room:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NgpHC1FGpc&feature=youtu.be

I finally convinced the pianist to check out some of the great tunes that Raksin wrote in some of the films he scored. This one isn't as well known as "Laura", but is more sophisticated melodically, harmonically and rhythmically.

A casual listener might think it's a cocktail piano tune, but a more attentive listener might appreciate the unorthodox contour of the melody, the irregular harmonic rhythm, and the skillful use of counterpoint. In Raksin's autobiography (available only in electronic form), he relates the time he played it for Andre Previn, before it was scored for the film. Previn reacted very negatively to it, saying something like, "What the hell is that? You're not going to use that for the film, are you?"

When the film came out, Previn heard the melody again, and fell in love with it. Raksin told him it was the same tune he played for him that day in his house. It's been recorded by a number of people, Charlie Haden, Barry Galbraith, Jimmy Cleveland, Bill Evans, and others, but it's never really caught on as a 'standard'. It was sung by Mark Murphy and Finestein, but I'd rather not think about that now...

Hopefully, can get it together enough to make an album of Raksin's tunes(instead of the same old standards our fearless leader insists on playing) I've transcribed from the films, and some other rarities by film composers like Goldsmith and Williams, but it's his Yamaha Grand and recording equipment, so we're pretty much at his mercy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Justin V]

Thank you for the shameless clickbait.  I understand that you want people to listen to your music, but don't entice them to click on your thread by falsely associating it with Trane.  

[AllenLowe]

stay tuned for my next topic, featuring my band: Does God Like Jazz?

Edited April 12, 2019 by AllenLowe

[JSngry]

10 minutes ago, AllenLowe said:

stay tuned for my next topic, featuring my band: Does God Like Jazz?

will there be Scotch Snaps?

[Guy Berger]

bad e-manners

[mjazzg]

Crass

[king ubu]

 

Either way, Trane may have had a sweet tooth, but was he big? Tall, maybe ...

 

[JSngry]