Versions

Today I'll play my tunes in two versions each - different sounding and with a story. The first comes from a promise that I did to you in last show - where I introduced you to the term vocalese, the art of putting lyrics to what originally was meant to be an instrumental. And so I start with two version of Jimmy Forrest's composition Night Train - that is, for as far as it's his composition. The tune already had a history of over a decade before he put his name on it.

There's more of these version pairs - and I suggest you also listen closely to the background music while I'm talking, because several of the instrumentals I play there, provide a third version that I'll tell you about.

Transcript

Playlist

Jimmy Forrest - Night Train
Four Blazes - Night Train
Deek Watson & The Brown Dots - For Sentimental Reasons
Nat King Cole - For Sentimental Reasons
Papa Freddie - Muddy Water blues
Eddie Miller - I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water
Stovepipe Johnson - I Ain't Got Nobody
Tiny Bradshaw - I Ain't Got Nobody
Clarence Williams' Blue Five - Everybody Loves My Baby
Lionel Hampton - Everybody Loves My Baby
Lionel Hampton And His Orchestra - Flying Home
Big Jay McNeely - Flying Home
Trixie Smith - He May Be Your Man
Helen Humes - He May Be Your Man
Victoria Spivey - Black Snake Blues
King Oliver's Dixie Syncopators - Black Snake Blues

Outtro:

Wild Bill Moore Sextette - Bongo Bounce

The following music served as background music during the spoken parts:

Kirk Kirkland - The Saxaphone Rag
Andy Kirk and his Twelve Clouds Of Joy - Bear Down
Benny Goodman - Flying Home
Duke Ellington - Happy Go Lucky Local
Earl Hines - Everybody Loves My Baby
King Brady's Clarinet Band - Embarressement Blues (Sidewalk Blues)
Savannah Syncopators - Who's Blue