|
By the late 1940s
the song’s unconventional characteristics
became assets, and it found favor
as a bop vehicle, most notably with
Bud Powell and Charlie Parker.
|
|
|
|
- JW
|
|
|
|
As a jazz standard, “I’ll Remember
April” first appeared in a rather
unlikely performance.
Dick Foran introduced the song
in the 1942 Abbott and Costello
comedy Ride ‘Em Cowboy.
The action takes place on a dude
ranch where peanut/hotdog
vendors Abbott and Costello are
pretending to be cowboys.
Portraying an author of
westerns, Foran croons the song
to the ranch owner’s daughter, played
by Anne Gwynne. As one critic declared,
“For a few brief minutes, ‘I’ll
Remember April’ was an oasis of
sanity in the madness.”
For jazz fans the film holds
yet another attraction. Ride ‘Em Cowboy was one of a handful
of films to feature Ella Fitzgerald,
playing a maid but nonetheless singing
“A
Tisket A Tasket” and joining
the Merry Macs in another De Paul/Raye
song, “Rockin’ ‘n Reelin’.”
|
| |
|
Published in 1941, “I’ll Remember
April” was recorded by
Woody Herman and His Orchestra
and entered the pop charts in March
of 1942, rising to number twenty-three.
With its unusual melody and form
“I’ll Remember April” did not catch
on in a big way with the pop world.
Despite this there were a number
of early recordings, including Martha
Tilton,
Bing Crosby, and the Nat “King”
Cole Trio with vocalist Anita Boyer.
|
| |
|
|
Even at the specified moderato
tempo, Gene De Paul’s composition
has a wandering, drawn out feeling
compared to the average pop song.
The 48-bar A-B-C-D-A-B’ gives the
feeling of a doubly long A-B-A composition,
requiring the listener to wait thirty-two
bars before a repeat instead of
the eight required by an A-A-B-A
form. As a result, “I’ll Remember
April” is difficult to hum after
the first or second listen.
|
| |
|
Raye’s and Johnston’s narrative
relates how two parted lovers will
remember the past, a similar theme
to the one employed by
Dorothy Fields in 1936’s “The
Way You Look Tonight.”
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
I’ll Remember April is the
name of a 1999 movie set during
World War II in which four boys
find a Japanese sailor on the California
shore. It is also the title of a
1945 mystery starring Gloria Jean,
who sings the title song.
|
|
|
|
Musical analysis of
“I'll Remember April”
|
| Original
Key |
G major;
false key change to Bb major during the
first eight measures of the bridge |
| Form |
A1 – B –
A2 |
| Tonality |
Major throughout |
| Movement |
Primarily
by steps in both directions |
|
Comments
(assumed
background)
|
|
Initially, the harmonic progression gives
the impression of “How
High The Moon” or “On
Green Dolphin Street” with its I turning
into parallel minor. However, unlike the
other two examples, this tune goes up to
ii7, then delays the final resolution back
to the tonic by proceeding to iii7(b5) –
VI7(b9), taking the circle of fifths back
to “home base.” The chord progression of
“B” starts with a iv7 functioning as the
ii7 of a new key built on the flatted third
degree of the scale (Bb in the key of G).
The first eight measures of “B” are harmonically
identical to the first four measures of
“B” in “A Kiss To Build A Dream On” (the
bridge of “Blue
Moon” also uses this briefly in mm 5-6
of its “B” section). However, where “A Kiss
to Build a Dream On” turns minor in measure
5, this tune turns to the major– actually
returning to its tonic key. However, because
of the set-up and what follows, the ear
doesn’t recognize it as such; it is followed
by a viių7 (F#m7(b5)) in the original),
which finally resolves, via III7, to VIma7,
giving the impression (in the original key)
of E major. The E major here is followed
by Am7, however, which quickly gets the
tune back to G major by way of the D7. This
tune, while fine as written, lends itself
to many chord substitutions and alterations,
but these should be chosen carefully so
as to at least imply a logical harmonic
progression. |
K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com
Check out K. J. McElrath's book of Jazz Standards Guide Tone Lines at his web site (www.bardicle.com). |
|
|
Are you a published Vocalist or Instrumentalist?
Add a comment and we'll credit you with a link
to your site. (more...)
|
“I'll Remember April”
was included in these films:
- Ride 'em Cowboy (1942, Dick
Foran)
- Strictly in the Groove (1942,
Mary Healy, The Diamond Solid-Aires)
- Eve Knew Her Apples (1945)
- Bring Me the Head of Alfredo
Garcia (1974)
- The Color of Money (1986,
Charlie Parker)
And on television:
- The Sopranos (1999, Bobby
Darin) Season 1, Episode 13 "I Dream of Jeannie
Cusamano"
- The Sopranos (2001, Bobby
Darin) Season 3, Episode 6 "University" Episode
32
|
|
Click on a CD for more details
at Amazon.com
Clifford Brown/ Max Roach
At Basin Street
1990, Polygram 814648
Original recording, 1956
|
| Here’s a superb bop reading of the
song in which saxophonist Sonny Rollins
makes an impressive debut with the short-lived
quintet. His musical rapport with trumpeter
Clifford Brown is inspirational yet bittersweet
A few months after this recording Brown
and pianist Richie Powell would lose their
lives in a car accident. |
Keith Jarrett
Tokyo ’96
2000, ECM
|
| Drummer Jack DeJohnette sets the
pace with his opening solo. Jarrett then
establishes the Latin groove on piano, states
the melody, and then creates his own tune
over the harmonic structure. This 20-year-old
trio, with bassist Gary Peacock, is at its
creative best on this live performance. |
Sonny Clark Trio
Sonny Clark Trio
2002, Blue Note
Original recording, 1957
|
| The sidemen sit this one out and
pianist Clark delivers an elegant solo rendition
of the ballad. |
Chet Baker & The Lighthouse All-Stars
Witch Doctor
1991, Orig. Jazz Classics 609
Original recording, 1953
|
| Here’s a great live version of the
song as trumpeter Chet Baker performs at
the legendary California jazz spot. The
band is quick and tight, and the solos tumble
out. |
|
|
By the late 1940s the song’s unconventional
characteristics became assets, and it found favor
as a bop vehicle, most notably with Bud Powell and
Charlie Parker. Today, “I’ll Remember April” may
be found on CD’s by most of the great jazz musicians
with multiple recordings by Bud Powell, Charlie
Parker, Chet Baker, Clifford Brown, George Shearing,
Harry James, Lee Konitz, Sonny Rollins, and Stan
Kenton, and by vocalists Dinah Washington and Carmen
McRae.
An interesting comparison of pre-bop versus bop
renditions of “I’ll Remember April” can be made
with big band vocalist Anita Boyer’s romantic and
languid take (The Nat King Cole Trio: The MacGregor
Years 1941-1945 disc 4) versus Bud Powell’s
definitive bop piano (The Complete Blue Note
and Roost Recordings disc 1). -JW
Vibraphonists Lionel Hampton and Red Norvo both
recorded “I’ll Remember April” in 1950. Norvo began
playing the xylophone and marimba in the 1920’s,
and by the 1930’s he was leading his own band, followed
by stints with
Benny Goodman and
Woody Herman.
In 1950 Norvo formed a trio consisting of Tal
Farlow, guitar, and Charlie Mingus, bass. The group’s
music was given the sobriquet of “chamber jazz,”
a name that aptly described the trio’s sound. Their
unique arrangements set the pace for an approach
utilized by other trios for several years. One of
their more compelling arrangements was on the tune
“I’ll Remember April,” a number which had only been
recorded a few times prior to their recording.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
|
| This section shows the jazz standards
written by the same writing team. Click on a name
to see all of a writer's jazz standards.
|
|
Additional information on “I'll Remember April” may be found in:
2 paragraphs including the following types of information: music analysis.
1 paragraph including the following types of information: summary.
Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.
1 paragraph including the following types of information: music analysis and performers.
|
|
