Origin:

First recorded by Tadd Dameron and his Orchestra in 1946 alongside Sarah Vaughan

Style:

Ballad

Form:

A1-A2-B-A1 (32 Bars) [8-8-8-8]

Key:

Most commonly performed in Ab Major.

Harmony/Overview:

The harmony of this composition is functional, however in practice many alternate changes are often used. The A sections begin on IMaj7 before moving to IV7, giving the piece a blues like aesthetic. In Bar 4 it is  common to return back to IV7 once again, although a II - V of bIII is sometimes used instead. An ingenious reharmonization from Bill Evans begins the second half of bar 3 with Fmin9 (VImi9) and descends in semi-tones down to Dbmi9 (IImi9 in II - V of bIII). The melody and  harmony in bar 5 is borrowed from the coda used in Dizzy Gillespie's arrangement of "Groovin' High" from his original 1945 recording; this  device can also be heard on Miles Davis' "Four". Finally, instead of  simply using a II - V to return back to the tonic in bar 6, a tri-tone  substitution is also sometimes added (II - V of I followed by II - V of  bV). The bridge takes place in III Major for the first half, and is sometimes preceded with a deceptive cadence of a II - V of IV which instead resolves to the II - V of III which begins the bridge. The B section then finishes off in V Major before returning to the main theme  once again.

Recordings:

This  song has been recorded over 240 times to date. It was first recorded by Tadd Dameron and his Orchestra in 1946 alongside Sarah Vaughan, and he would also later include it on his 1962 album The Magic Touch.  It became a widely popular number among vocalists and instrumentalists alike with recordings being made by the likes of Carmen McRae, Chet  Baker, and Kenny Burrell to name a few. It continues to be performed  frequently to this day and remains an immensely popular ballad in the  standard repertoire.

JGC Top Picks:

Gil Evans, Gil Evans & Ten, 1957

Bill Evans, Moon Beams, 1962

Wynton Kelly Trio & Wes Montgomery, Smokin' at the Half Note, 1965