Autumn Leaves

“Autumn Leaves” was originally a 1945 French song, “Les Feuilles mortes” (literally “The Dead Leaves”), with music by Hungarian-French composer Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert.  With English lyrics by Johnny Mercer, it was recorded by artists such as Nat Cole and Frank Sinatra. As an instrumental, it became a jazz standard.

My instrumental arrangement is intended to sound as it might have if done by the Shadows.

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Naima

“Naima” is a jazz ballad composed by John Coltrane in 1959 and named after his wife, Juanita Naima Grubbs. It first appeared on the landmark album Giant Steps and is notable for its use of a variety of rich chords over a bass pedal.

My  version uses classic rock instrumentation and has a rock feel.

Round Midnight

“‘Round Midnight” is a jazz standard composed by pianist Thelonious Monk. Primarily performed as a slow ballad, it is one of the most recorded jazz compositions ever.

I have given it an instrumental setting incorporating stylistic elements of jazz and sixties rock.

Stella by Starlight

“Stella by Starlight” was composed as an instrumental by Victor Young, drawing from thematic material composed for the main title and soundtrack of the 1944 Paramount Pictures film, The Uninvited. It appeared in the film’s underscore as well as in source music as an instrumental theme song without lyrics. Lyricist Ned Washington wrote the lyrics for it in 1946.

“Stella by Starlight” is one of the most popular standards of all time, recorded by countless vocalists and jazz players. My instrumental arrangement is in the style of a guitar rock-band ballad/slow dance.

We’ll Be Together Again

“We’ll Be Together Again” has music composed by Carl T. Fischer, with lyrics by Frankie Laine. Fischer was Laine’s pianist and musical director when he composed the tune, and Laine was asked to write the lyrics for it. The Pied Pipers were the first to release the song, and as well as Laine, it has since been recorded by numerous artists such as Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Lou Rawls and Tony Bennett.

This is a lovely tune which I have given an instrumental, slow dance setting.

Nica’s Dream

“Nica’s Dream” was composed by jazz pianist Horace Silver in the 1950’s. “Nica” was the Kathleen Annie Pannonica de Koenigswarter (born Rothschild; 10 December 1913 – 30 November 1988) who was a British-born jazz patron and writer. She was a leading patron of bebop music. She was born to the prominent Rothschild international financial dynasty.

This is a truly beautiful tune, and my arrangement is very straight – though done in the style of sixties guitar instrumentals rather than jazz.

The Girl From Ipanema

“The Girl From Ipanema” is the song that, for most Americans, first created an awareness of Brazilian music and Bossa Nova. Written by the great Antonio Carlos Jobim, it was a 1964 single version that became a US and international hit, peaking at #5 on the US singles charts. The single featured American saxophonist Stan Getz, Brazilian singer-guitarist Joao Gilberto and his then-wife Astrid as the main vocalist.

In spite of its international popularity and the prominence of the guitar in the style, it was not picked up by instrumental guitar bands. The one exception seems an over-produced version by the Shadows on an album called “The Shadows with Strings Attached”.

I decided to try a more traditional sixties approach.