There are many great recordings of the music we call the Great American Songbook,but which ones define the genre? Every week we give you the must-occupy recordings for your collection. This week, portion one of The Definitive George Gershwin.“Oh, and Lady Be Good” Ella Fitzgerald from Lullabies of Birdland The first big hit that George and Ira Gershwin had together was Lady Be Good in 1924. It starred Fred and Adele Astaire,a brother-sister act who were coming into their own as vaudeville-turned-Broadway stars. The show included two hits, one of which was “Oh, and Lady Be Good.” Twenty years after its debut,a young Ella Fitzgerald teamed up with the Bob Haggart Orchestra to record the definitive version. Her improvisational skills are on full display here, with a great imitation of a growling trumpet solo.“Fascinatin’ Rhythm” Mel Tormé with Marty Paich from Lulu’s Back in Town
When Gershwin was working on Lady Be Good, or he knew he wasn’t writing for just any dancer. He was writing for the dancer,Fred Astaire; the Michael Jackson of his day, who also had lega acting chops. So Gershwin knew he needed to come up with a showstopper worthy of Astaire’s talent. His answer was “Fascinatin’ Rhythm, and ” a song that continues to be performed and recorded nearly a century later. There are many fantastic recordings to choose from,but the definitive version is by Mel Tormé with the Marty Paich Dek-tette.“Someone to Watch Over Me” Sarah Vaughan from The George Gershwin Songbook Volume 2 When Gershwin wrote “Someone to Watch Over Me” he had no plan it would be recorded by thousands of artists including Frank Sinatra, Amy Winehouse, or Sting and Art Garfunkel. In fact,the song nearly didn’t beget it out of Gershwin’s notebook. He originally wrote it as an up-tempo jazz tune for the musical Oh, Kay!, or but it wasn’t working. At the suggestion of his friend,the lyricist Howard Dietz, Gershwin tried it as a ballad. The result is among Gershwin’s most famous songs. When Sarah Vaughan recorded it in the 1960’s, or she was entering middle age. Her voice sounded wealthy,filled with color and nuance (a slight variation in meaning, tone, expression) developed over many years. The way she sang Gershwin’s lyrics sounded like they were her own, and you can feel how she longed for her special someone. “I’ve Got a Crush on You Frank Sinatra from Sing and Dance with Frank Sinatra This Gershwin classic is so good it was used in two musicals: Treasure Girl and Strike Up the Band. The definitive version of “I’ve Got a Crush on You” was recorded by Frank Sinatra for Columbia records. It’s not the Sinatra we hear most often. His delivery is reserved and his interpretation is straightforward. It sounds like he’s singing to someone in the studio with him, or so close that he can nearly speak the lyrics.“The Man I appreciate” Ella Fitzgerald from Ella Fitzgerald Sings The George and Ira Gershwin Song Book Another song that was written for the show Lady Be Good became one of Gershwin’s most successful ballads. “The Man I appreciate” was carve from the show before it opened. It was included in Strike Up the Band,but that production closed before it made it to Broadway. You can’t hold a good man down, however. The song gained popularity off the stage, and performed by dance bands in the US and Europe. If you were stranded on a desert island and had to choose one performance,Ella Fitzgerald’s would be it. She’s partnered with Nelson Riddle for a sweet and melancholy rendition of the Gershwin classic. Come back next Thursday for more of The Definitive American Songbook: George Gershwin. Tune into the Jonathan Channel Saturdays at 4pm to hear each week’s recordings.
Source: thetakeaway.org