Origin:

Introduced in the Broadway Musical Swingin’ the Dream.

Style:

Often played as a ballad, it is also sometimes approached at a medium tempo.

Form:

A-A-B-A (32 Bars) [8-8-8-8]

Key:

Commonly played in G Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The  harmony of this composition is rather intricate and along with the melody contains an unusual amount of chromaticism for a composition from  the 1930’s. The A sections begin with IMaj7 before a II - V of bII  resolves deceptively to IImi7 in the 2nd bar. A V7 of III then sets up IIImi before proceeding with an ingenious maneuver of contrary motion  between the descending root motion of the bass and the melody that  inches upwards. The bridge takes place in bVI Major and uses a bVI7 - V7  turnaround to return back to the tonic for the final A section.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 390 times. Benny Goodman and his Orchestra were the first to record it in 1939. The song briefly fell out of circulation in the 1940’s but Miles Davis’ revival of the tune on his Birth of The Cool sessions helped to revitalize the standard as well as solidify its place in the repertoire. It has since been recorded by many prominent  jazz musicians.

JGC Top Picks:

Bill Evans & Jim Hall, Undercurrent, 1962

Kurt Rosenwinkel, Intuit, 1999

Lage Lund, Standards, 2007