An ominous counter-melody in the tuba and baritone sax leads to the theme statement with cup-muted trumpet fronting a dance-band style background that maintains the chords from the opening for awhile then gradually moves into more complex counterpoint. The phrase "one of these mornings you're gonna rise up singing" portrays the image of the child growing up, gaining strength from their parents' love and encouragement, and taking flight like a bird. Summertime 3:17 (G. Gershwin/I. Check out these 10 LGBTQ+ figures who continue to leave a lasting impact on American culture. MILES DAVIS WITH GIL EVANS & HIS ORCHESTRA (NYC: Bothwell gets another short spot before a surprisingly quiet ending closes the side. 3:11. I tricked the dancers by arranging a tango introduction, breaking abruptly into a low-down blues. Bessie Smith & Her Boys Summertime - LIVE! - video Dailymotion Listen to Summertime on the English music album Golden Oldies Wonderful Summer - An Eclectic Sampling of Warm Weather Hits to Thaw the Winter Away! It was an audacious move: none of the sidemen were particularly well-known, and the band was in transition, using Victor Feldman as a temporary substitute for Russ Freeman. And its all so quiet! He stopped playing by 1949, but owned several bands in the Miami area for the next few decades. Just two years before her take on "St. Louis Blues," she scored the first of many hits for Columbia . and with the composer who later on listened to Bessie Smith and the blues. Bessie Smith & Her Boys "Summertime" - LIVE! Send the Editors a message about this record. Wasted Life Blues , Need a Little Sugar in My Bowl , See If I'll Care . Summertime (from "Porgy and Bess") [Remastered] Album, Summertime (from "Porgy and Bess") [Remastered] Lyrics, Summertime (from "Porgy and Bess") [Remastered], I Ain't Gonna Play No Second Fiddle (Digitally Remastered), Nobody Knows You (when You're Down & Out). Bessie did not have an available education because her parents had died and her elder sister was taking care of her. many wonderful versions of Summertime, Ive left out many of my favorites, It was written for the Miles Davis Nonet, but never recorded or broadcast by that group. One of these mornings. Oh, Your daddys rich There's a'nothing can harm you Don't you cry The 1922 version by W.C. A new version of Last.fm is available, to keep everything running smoothly, please reload the site. Bessie Smith - "St. Louis Blues" (1929) - LIVE! 3:18. Summertime, When "St Louis Blues" was written the tango was in vogue. Bechet takes the Gershwin song's 16-bar form and simple harmonic structure and treats it like an extension of the 12-bar blues. Playing via Spotify Playing via YouTube Playback options The second verse celebrates the wealth and beauty of the child's parents, who can provide for their offspring. Scrobble, find and rediscover music with a Last.fm account, Do you know any background info about this track? Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Preview of Spotify. You're going to rise up singing The Essential Bessie Smith - AllMusic S, Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. By subscribing, you agree to share your email address with EBONY to receive our weekly emails, events, and other updates. Recorded as part of the pianists acclaimed Exclusively for My Friends LPs, this outstanding version of Summertime finds Oscar Peterson playing on a superb piano for a small but appreciative audience. Of course, there is another element at play here: Fitzgerald loved children, but was never able to give birth. The lyrics of this tender lullaby must have struck deep in her heart, and on this extraordinary concert performance, she was able to transmit those feelings to a foreign audience. Petersons introduction starts quietly, but it doesnt take long for his trio to reach a fever pitch. URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104231, LCNAR: and (Im sure) some of yours. Billie Holiday was not the first jazz artist to record Summertime (Bob Crosby recorded a transcription version five months earlier) but hers was the first recorded for 78s and it probably did more than any other version to establish the song as a potential jazz standard. 'T Ain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do; 4. APA Style OSCAR PETERSON (Villigen, Germany; April 1968). Album: Summertime (from "Porgy and Bess") [Remastered], Summertime, She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on other jazz vocalists. Bessie Smith Bessie Smith - Queen of the Blues - Her Best Recordings Kachol Blues Released on: 2019-10-23 Auto-generated by YouTube. - YouTube Bessie Smith & Her Boys "Summertime" - LIVE! Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. So hush little baby Bessie Smith & Her Boys Summertime - LIVE! Recorded on what was billed as their Last Concert (and thankfully, wasnt) the Modern Jazz Quartets understated version of the Gershwin standard includes many of the groups finest elements. Show more Show more Summertime - Bessie Smith - Chart History | Top Charts August 4, 1958). The trumpet solo which follows Bothwell is played by Little Benny Harris, who sticks close to the melody but enriches the performance with his warm tone. Handy's autobiography recounts his hearing the tune in St. Louis in 1892: "It had numerous one-line verses and they would sing it all night." Officially, this is a recording of Dave Brubecks Summer Song, but thanks to Brubecks former alto saxophonist Paul Desmondappearing here as a guest soloistGershwins Summertime is never too far away. The coda comes all too soon, and to my ears, Parker cuts off Dorham before he can launch into the standard (and clichd) Country Gardens ending. But till that morningUntil that day comes. In the summer of 1970, shortly before her own death . (Boston; March Fish are jumpin'Fish are leaping and energetic. With daddy and mammy standing byBecause your parents will be there for you. Birth and Death Data: Born April 15, 1894 (Chattanooga), Died September 26, 1937 (Clarksdale), Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1923 - 1933, Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist, composer, lyricist, leader, songwriter. Bessie Smith - In That Golden Summer Time: lyrics and songs - Deezer Blues singer Bessie Smith, killed in Mississippi car wreck - HISTORY Summertime - song and lyrics by Bessie Smith | Spotify Summertime Bessie Smith | Last.fm A Celebration of Black Music in America [Box Set] 2 (Recordings Remastered), Careless Love Blues (Jazz Club Collection) [Remastered], All the Greatest Hits Ever Made, Vol. At the time the "Rhapsody In Blue" was orchestrated, jazz orchestral writing as we know it today was unheard of. When the trio drops out for the last line, the intensity remains as Fitzgeraldthe consummate professionalsings the line with a perfect balance of melody and invention. The performance dates from early in the Quartets existence, so it is not as intense as later recordings, but the recording shows that the group already knew the direction in which it would travel. Bessie did not have an available education because her parents had died and her elder sister was taking care of her. And as a balance to the introduction, the closing chorus uses a simple quarter note pattern (in more-or-less straight time) as a shout chorus, which replaces the restatement of the original theme. Holiday jettisons nearly the entire melody, flattening out the melodic contour to fit her voice and her artistic sense, and behind her, Berigan and Artie Shaw jam away, sensing even then that this new Gershwin song with its easy harmonic sequence would be a natural for the jazz repertoire. Garners mastery of dynamics is on full display with the pianist bringing the groups volume up and down through his touch at the keyboard. One of these mornings Bunns responses are almost all from the blues vernacular, except in one spot where he quotes the familiar counter-melody from the original opera score. The recording date above is rather misleading, as it is the premiere performance of an arrangement written by Gunther Schuller in 1949. It is interesting to note that the line 'fish are jumpin'" is taken from a traditional African American spiritual song "Dem Bones". And the livin' is easyLife is peaceful and uncomplicated. 1961). Author: Bessie Smith (1894 - 1937) in 1927; First recorded: 1917 (Bessie Smith and James Price Johnson) Also known as: Back-water Blues; . Summertime Bessie Smith | Last.fm And you'll take to the skyYou will soar high into the air. Home | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Accessibility, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104231, http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83071529, https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ffa28768-ecda-42c6-ac49-6ce5c7d33043, Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano, Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with instrumental trio, Female vocal solo ("blues singer"), with piano (takes 1-3); with clarinet, banjo, and piano (takes 4 and 5), Nobody in town can bake a sweet jelly roll like mine, Irving Johns ; Jimmy Jones ; Bessie Smith, Blue Bessie (the bluest gal in Tennessee), Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the. Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Porgy And Bess - albumlinernotes There's anothing can harm you Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on other jazz vocalists. From dance and literature to activism and comedy, their contributions cannot be questioned. Summertime (from Porgy and Bess) [Remastered] - Bessie Smith When the rhythm section enters two beats later, the effect is complete, with Elvin Jones slashing rhythms, Steve Davis propulsive bass, and McCoy Tyners syncopated quartal harmonies. Behind The Song: Bessie Smith, "St. Louis Blues" - American Songwriter The song has been called "the jazzman's Hamlet". Of course, with so Connors opening theme statement sounds defiant and rhythmically sure, holding back just slightly in the opening chorus and building as the trombones, trumpets and saxes all join in with riffs that add to the growing intensity. Garners introduction is in straight eighth notes. One of these mornings An annotation cannot contain another annotation. Bessie Smith - Backwater Blues (1927) theUnforgettablesTv. [10], While blues often became simple and repetitive in form, "Saint Louis Blues" has multiple complementary and contrasting strains, similar to classic ragtime compositions. Even his solo is over an adapted harmonic sequence that is primarilybut not entirelySummertime. Top Bessie Smith Lyrics. Start the wiki. After another chorus of straight soloing, the pianist launches into another shout chorus, which suddenly diminishes to set the stage for the final abbreviated theme statement. Part of the problem was the string arrangement, which was basically a reduced scoring of Gershwins original setting. Activist Bayard Rustin is best known as the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington and right-hand man of good friend, Martin Luther King, Jr. You're going to rise up singing Bessie Smith - Bessie Smith Empress Of The Blues Vol. Summertime (from 'Porgy and Bess') Bessie Smith | Last.fm Erroll Garners Columbia version of Summertime sounds like a playful romp, but there is a lot of musical substance present below the surface. Gershwin himself did not orchestrate it . But till that morning Yellow Dog Blues; 3. The final line "with daddy and mammy standing by" is a reminder that no matter how far the child travels, they can always take comfort in the love of their family. April 15, 2023 By Richard Havers Photo: Carl Van Vechten/Library of Congress The legend of Bessie Smith, who was born on April 15, 1894, and died, aged just 43, on September 26, 1937, has. I'm Wild About That Thing Lyrics. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2023. John Wallace 58 subscribers Subscribe 90 Share 11K views 10 years ago Bessie & Her Boys, back in 1930s Harlem! The writer and feminist is considered one of the most prolific lyricists of the 20th century, classifying herself as a black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet.. With daddy and mammy standing by, Writer(s): George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, Du Bose Heyward, Dorothy Heyward. One of these mornings Scrobble, find and rediscover music with a Last.fm account, Do you know a YouTube video for this track? Smith, Bessie, 1894-1937 - Summertime (from porgy and bess) Bessie Smith | Last.fm Browse more videos. Still, for all it achieves, it is an amazing effort from the very talented Mr. Schuller. From the first note of this recording, you can tell that John Coltranes version of Summertime will be unique. Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. Youre going to rise up singing SMITH,BESSIE - Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out - Amazon.com Music CHRIS CONNOR & MAYNARD FERGUSON (NYC; January 23, Her sound grows more impassioned as she climbs higher in register and as the performance grows in intensity, you can almost feel the heat generating from the ground. The Main Man was one of Jeffersons finest albums, featuring definitive versions of classics like Jeannine & Moodys Mood For Love. Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. My eyes swept the floor anxiously, then suddenly I saw lightning strike. Bessie Smith & Her Boys "Summertime" - LIVE! - YouTube Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an African American blues singer. However, the 1910 census recorded her birthday as April 15, 1894, a date that appears on all subsequent documents and was observed by the entire Smith family. Sidney Bechet's version of "Summertime" is one of the great recordings in jazz history. The tempo is medium fast and the performance is quite aggressive. Lost Your Head Blues Lyrics. As originally presented in the opera, Summertime is a lullaby (a fact seemingly forgotten in the full-voiced performances of certain divas). Go directly to shout page. Please see our. She sings softly through most of the piece, but when she raises her voice at the beginning of the second chorus, even her pianist Tee Carson is surprised. Details Song Lyrics Summertime Lyrics Summertime and the livin is easy Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high Oh, your daddys rich and your ma is good lookin' So hush little baby, don't you cry One of these mornings, youre goin to rise up singin' Then you spread your wings and youll take the sky One of the many wonders in the Miles Davis/Gil Evans album of Porgy & Bess is how Evans was able to remain faithful to the spirit of Gershwins opera without using the original orchestrations. Gradually, Kenny Wheeler, Julian Priester and Bloom join into the ensemble before Bloom launches an ascending scale to introduce the Gershwin melody, set in 6/4 time. Some 7,000 mourners attended her funeral. Handy said he had been inspired by a chance meeting with a woman on the streets of St. Louis, Missouri, distraught over her husband's absence, who lamented, "Ma man's got a heart like a rock cast in de sea", a key line of the song. http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83071529, Wikidata: An instinct that wanted so much to live, to fling its arms to spread joy, took them by the heels. And the cotton is high Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong recorded two relaxed, swinging albums for Verve before Norman Granz had the inspiration to use them in a deluxe 2-LP set featuring 16 songs from Porgy & Bess. Playing next. The lyrics speak of the easy living during summertime when the fish are jumping and the cotton is tall. S, Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. [6] Handy said his objective in writing the song was "to combine ragtime syncopation with a real melody in the spiritual tradition. To comment on or correct specific content. As on My Favorite Things (the title tune for the album from which this performance comes) Coltrane and Tyner have reduced Summertime to a minimal modal harmonic base and their performances focus on building emotional intensity. Startseite. Copyright 2023 EBONY. Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. [16], Audio playback is not supported in your browser. The dancers seemed electrified. Armstrong plays a majestic first chorus on trumpet, followed by Ellas smooth and creamy vocal. And you'll take to the sky Bessie Smith's overwhelming talent helped her overcome a humble Tennessee upbringing. Something within them came suddenly to life. This put Parker in the role of an operatic diva with little to do but play the song as written. Both were in top vocal form at the time of the recording, and while Louis trumpet chops were not as strong as they had been in years past, he could still perform stunning solos. Connect your Spotify account to your Last.fm account and scrobble everything you listen to, from any Spotify app on any device or platform. With Teddy Bunn providing single-string commentary on his guitar behind Bechets soprano, it is as if Bechet and Bunn were playing the parts of Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong from a classic blues recording. You're going to rise up singing. The line "fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high" indicates that there is an abundance of natural resources that allows people to live without worrying about their basic needs. In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Census d, Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Census d, Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Summertime - YouTube To be sure, grand opera has plenty of catchy melodies, but Gershwins music for Porgy & Bess translates to jazz and popular music so well because the composers roots were firmly in those styles throughout his career. Keep It To Yourself Lyrics. [14][15] The film St. Louis Blues, from 1929, featured Bessie Smith singing the song. The coda that results retains the intensity of what came before. Bessie Smith: The Legendary Empress Of The Blues | uDiscover one for Fergusons label, Roulette, and the other for Connors label, Atlantic, SINGERS SURVIVAL GUIDE TO TOURING (by Elisabeth Lohninger). While doubtlessly shortened for recording time considerations, it still makes an effective contrast to the sinuous Garner strut tempo that follows. Handy and his Memphis Blues Band was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2023. Then you'll spread your wings. Playing via Spotify Playing via YouTube Playback options I Want Every Bit Of It Lyrics. Scrobbling is when Last.fm tracks the music you listen to and automatically adds it to your music profile. B. Bessie Smith. If you factor in her work as the lead singer of the Supremes in the 1960s, she may be the . When Ella returns, she spins a beautifully conceived variation on the melody while Louis supports her with some of the tenderest scatting he ever recorded. Summertime Lyrics von Bessie Smith mit Video: Summertime / And the livin' is easy / Fish are jumpin' / And the cotton is high / Oh . However, the recording does not entirely break with the past, as Slide Hampton lifts Gil Evans famous background riff and uses it to back up Jefferson. 1924. The theme statement is barely underway before Peterson starts to deviate from the melody with his signature runs and deeply soulful harmonies. However, the 1910 census recorded her birthday as April 15, 1894, a date that appears on all subsequent documents and was observed by the entire Smith family. Nicknamed The Empress of the Blues, Smith was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. While several of the songs from the score have been recorded by jazz artists, Summertime is the most recorded, with over 2,000 different recordings listed in Tom Lords The Jazz Discography. CHARLIE Summertime (from 'Porgy and Bess') [Remastered] Lyrics Bessie Smith Sidney Bechets version of Summertime is one of the great recordings in jazz history. "Smith, Bessie." The gradual decrescendo from there to the end doesnt work nearly as well as the crescendo that came before, but the fade-out (usually the bane of jazz fans and critics) actually gives this arrangement a needed balance. ELLA FITZGERALD & LOUIS ARMSTRONG (LA; August 18, Speaking of dynamics, be sure to catch Fitzgeralds subtle crescendo on the phrase that begins with till that morning. As we continue to celebrate Pride throughout the month of June, EBONY acknowledges LGBTQ+ African Americans whove changed the course of history. 4 years ago. 10 Black LGBTQ+ Icons Who've Changed History Baldwin. 3:34. Here are brief summaries of 17 versions of the standard, with embedded YouTube recordings for each. Summertime is unusual in Jeffersons repertoire in that it does not appear to stem from an instrumental solo; rather, it is Jeffersons loose interpretation of the Gershwin standard. I'm not saying that 'Saint Louis Blues' isn't fine music you understand. And youll take to the sky Content copyright 2011-2023. Oh, Your daddy's rich Her elaborate live shows Harlem Frolics and . Cannot annotate a non-flat selection. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and, along with Louis Armstrong, a major influence on other jazz vocalists. Billie Holiday - "Strange Fruit" Live 1959 [Reelin' In The Years Archives], Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday & Ruth Brown, Bessie Smith (dedicated to Levon Helm) - Norah Jones, Bessie Smith - 31 Facts for 31 Days of Women's History Month (part 15) #shorts. ORANGE THEN BLUE, GUNTHER SCHULLER, COND. "[7][a], The form is unusual in that the verses are the now-familiar standard twelve-bar blues in common time with three lines of lyrics, the first two lines repeated, but it also has a 16-bar bridge written in the habanera rhythm, which Jelly Roll Morton called the "Spanish tinge" and characterized by Handy as tango. The opening verse depicts a world where everything is in harmony, with nature and people living in peace. At the end, all that is left of Gershwins original is the opening phrase, which Garner plays over the final held chord. Then the mood breaks with a double-time chorus (with another double-time passage placed on top!). However, this album Time and Love was certainly an artistic success, with Jackie and Roy providing their technically perfect vocals, superb guest artists, and an all-star orchestra arranged and conducted by Don Sebesky. This recording was made for Creed Taylors CTI label, which endured many critical brickbats for its liberal mixture of pop and jazz elements. Listen to Summertime from Bessie Smith's Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out for free, and see the artwork, lyrics and similar artists. Even when Miles builds the intensity of his solo, he never loses sight of the overall context of the piece. Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. But till that morning Notice that Fitzgerald rarely opens her eyes, depending on her slow, deliberate delivery to connect with the audience. Listen to Podcasts talking about Bessie Smith. Web. recordings, along with YouTube clips if available, to jazzhistoryonline@nullgmail.com. Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 - September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Follow Artist + The first Queen of the Blues, a tremendously powerful vocalist who was the genre's first recording star. She is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era and was a major influence on fellow blues singers, as well as jazz vocalists. Bechet takes the Gershwin songs 16-bar form and simple harmonic structure and treats it like an extension of the 12-bar blues. There is no better example of this than Summertime. Javascript is required to view shouts on this page. Summertime by Bessie Smith chart history on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes and YouTube. Javascript is required to view shouts on this page. #Blues #jimcrow #blackhistorymonth #blackhistory, Bessie Smith - Weeping Willow Blues (1924), Janis Joplin - Black Mountain Blues (Bessie Smith Cover) 1965, Summertime ( That's Life I Guess - 1936-3937) - Billie Holiday, Billie Holiday - Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer (Decca Records 1949), Bessie Smith - Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out (Subtitulado al Espaol), BESSIE SMITH (The Band/Bob Dylan) - One Time Band Live, Bessie Smith - Put It Right Here (Or Keep It Out Of There) 1928 Blues, Skeewiff & Bessie Smith - Its a long old road, Bessie Smith - Need a Little Sugar In My Bowl (Audio), Writer(s): Ira Gershwin, George Gershwin, Dorothy Heyward, Dubose Edwin Heyward. And your ma' is good lookin' Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 - September 26, 1937) was an African-American blues singer widely renowned during the Jazz Age. Bessie Smith & Her Boys "Summertime" - LIVE! Retrieved July 1, 2023, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/104231. Public Domain Blues Songs - 12bar Blues Guitar Of course, the major reasons for these easy transitions are that Summertime was written by the premier song composer of the day, George Gershwin, and that the opera from which it was taken, Porgy & Bess, was conceived by Gershwin as an American folk opera rather than European grand opera. With daddy and mammy standing by. [3] Composer William Grant Still arranged a version of the song in 1916 while working with Handy. JazzHistoryOnline.com. Summertime Blues [Direct Source] Primary Artist : 2001 : Say It Loud! The 1900 census indicates that Bessie Smith was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July 1892. = Recordings were issued from this master. While jazz versions of Summertime are played in a variety of keys, D minor sounds higher than the keys we usually hear for this song. Week-by-week music charts, peak chart positions and airplay stats. There is the arrangement, which subtly echoes other themes from Porgy and Bess in the introduction, the delicate cymbals and bells from percussionist Connie Kay, the sturdy and rich bass tones of Percy Heath, the glow of Milt Jacksons vibraharp, the crystalline (yet still bluesy) piano of John Lewis, the finely-crafted melodic interplay between Jackson and Lewis, and the expertly-controlled dynamics of the group. [4], The 1925 version sung by Bessie Smith, with Louis Armstrong on cornet, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1993. The sound on this recording is not the bestdigital remastering can only do so muchbut Im very grateful that this version exists. Listen to any song with synced lyrics on your mobile, Made with love & passion in Italy.