# Favourite Jazz Songs



## Dimboukas (Oct 12, 2011)

I'm into jazz lately such as old Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller and I would be glad to hear some of your favourite jazz compositions, especially between 1920–1950! I really admire good scat singing and plunger mutes in brass intruments!


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

A Mingus vocal - from 1962 but something of a homage to previous times, I think. What I love about this is that it's really loose and rough around the edges but still swings like a b*****d! God, what a band Mingus had during this time...


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Fats Waller ~ Jitterbug Waltz

Harold Arlen ~ A Sleepin' Bee (When a bee lies sleeping) -- quickly became a Jazz Standard





Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most ~ Tommy Wolf, (Fran Landesman, lyric)

My Funny Valentine ~ Richard Rogers (Lorenz Hart, lyric) ... as sung by Chet Baker





George Gershwin ~ A Foggy Day in London Town -- many find this a 'nothing' song... Jazzers love it for its perfect ambiguity.

Walter Donalds (Gus Kahnm Lyric) ~ My baby just cares for me -- Nina Simone made this one 'hers.'









Not my largest data bank, more if they pop into mind.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Songs that pop in my head are:

All The Things You Are - Jerome Kern. I think it's a marvelous piece of music. 
On Green Dolphin Street, also Invitation - Bronislaw Kaper. 
The Midnight Sun Will Never Set - Quincy Jones. Especially when played by Phil Woods.
Someone To Watch Over Me - Gershwin. But only when played by Ben Webster.


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## lunchdress (Apr 20, 2013)

One of my favorite Louis Armstrong tunes (especially the last 40 seconds or so, truly sublime):
'Tight Like This'





'My Funny Valentine' - numerous outstanding versions by pretty much everybody, here's one:





also, no horns but great jazz:
'You and the Night and the Music' performed by Anita O'Day and the Three Sounds
'Dusky and Sandy' or 'Dusk in Sandi' by Bud Powell


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## lunchdress (Apr 20, 2013)

Oops, I didn't see 'My Funny Valentine' was mentioned above!

Here's an outstanding version of 'You Go To My Head' instead (a little more modern but still wonderful):


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## starthrower (Dec 11, 2010)

For plunger, you gotta listen to Al Grey.


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## apricissimus (May 15, 2013)

I could recommend dozens of Ellington tunes, but here's just a couple favorites:

I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart:






And probably my favorite version of Sophisticated Lady:






Edited to add:

Okay, one more Duke Ellington song with some great plunger work from Cootie Williams. (I could go all day... I have a deep love for Duke Ellington.)


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## Badinerie (May 3, 2008)

Anyone who likes jazz songs and Duke Ellington NEEDS this set!

Listen to especially to Daydream and I aint got nothin but the blues.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

apricissimus said:


> I could recommend dozens of Ellington tunes, but here's just a couple favorites:
> 
> I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart:


Go, Johnny! There should be probably be a special mention for Passion Flower, because nobody played it like Johnny Hodges.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

Badinerie said:


> Anyone who likes jazz songs and Duke Ellington NEEDS this set!
> 
> Listen to especially to Daydream


one of my favorite Strayhorn's tunes. This one is my favorite version:





and talking of Strayhorn: Blood count, his latest masterpiece in this great Stan Getz's rendition


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## Mesa (Mar 2, 2012)

Familiar to everyone, i imagine, but nonetheless:






Close to mastering this on the ivories, now all i need is a bar with a piano and for someone to turn back time some seventy years.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Here's a little gem, with a solo by The Hawk...


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

millionrainbows said:


> Here's a little gem, with a solo by The Hawk...


he composed it too, and it was probably the most harmonically advanced jazz composition of that era (except for Red Norvo's Dance of the octopus, a strangely beautiful and incredibly original piece that deserves to be mentioned in this topic)


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