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“Vibraphonist
Stefon Harris delivers an exciting
rendition ... the song was nominated
for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best
Jazz Instrumental Solo.” |
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- Ben Maycock
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In
1936 Isham Jones and His Orchestra
introduced “There Is No Greater
Love” as the B-side to their recording
“Life Begins When You’re in Love”
from the film, The Music Goes
‘Round. Both sides featured
Woody Herman vocals and were
modest hits, appearing on the pop
charts in April of 1936 for one
week and rising to number 20.
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Beginning in 1920, Isham Jones
and His Orchestra had produced over
seventy hit songs, including eight
number one recordings, many of which
Jones composed. “There Is No Greater
Love” was their last hit before
the bandleader changed the band’s
name to Isham Jones’ Juniors that
same year. Within months of the
name change, Jones decided to take
time off for composing, turning
over the band’s leadership to saxophonist,
clarinetist, and vocalist
Woody Herman. This would be
the beginning of Herman’s career
as a bandleader, one that would
last for the next fifty years. Jones
subsequently returned to band leading
but recorded only two more hit songs.
“There Is No Greater Love” would
also be the last of several major
hits for lyricist Marty Symes.
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“There Is No Greater Love” was written in the
popular 32-bar, A-A-B-A form and is not difficult
for vocalists as it requires only an octave and
a half range. Jazz vocalist recordings have generally
been by females, including Betty Carter,
Billie Holiday, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dinah Washington,
and
Sarah Vaughan. One exception is Jimmy Scott
on
Falling in Love Is Wonderful, originally
released in 1963 and re-released on CD in 2003.
Marty Symes’ lyrics are straightforward and romantic,
simply declaring the strength of one’s affection
in the first and last A sections, “There is no greater
love … than what I feel for you” and then describing
the thrill and appreciation of love in the second
A section and the bridge.
Symes further chooses a simple rhyming scheme
and an economical vocabulary. He end-rhymes the
second and fourth bar of every section, the eight
rhymed words picked from a pool of just five words:
A – you and
true
A – me and me
B – known and alone
A – true and
you
-JW
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Musical analysis of
“There Is No Greater Love”
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| Original
Key |
Bb major;
false key change to G minor during the bridge |
| Form |
A1 – A2 –
B – A2 |
| Tonality |
“A” sections
are major; “B” is minor. |
| Movement |
“A” consists
of descending steps, followed by a downward
fourth, which are answered by two upward
leaps of a fifth. “B” moves primarily upward;
the melody outlines the harmony of the moment. |
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Comments
(assumed
background)
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This is a highly motivic tune, tightly structured
and showing the composer to have had some
classical training. The motif of three descending
seconds (steps) followed by a downward fourth
occurs twice in “A” and once in “B.” The
motif used in the consequent phrase of “A”
consists of an upward fifth and two steps
downward, repeated twice, with the second
repetition beginning where the first one
ended. It is a good example of given “licks”
played in different keys over different
changes.
Harmonically the “A” sections are more
interesting than the “B,” which simply goes
back and forth between V7and i. “A” starts
out as if it were to be a blues, I – IV7.
Instead of returning to I, however, the
IV chord is followed by a III7, leading
into the cycle of fifths that returns to
the tonic (delayed during the first “A”).
Some performers play a bVII(#11) chord instead
of the III7, adding some exotic color to
the harmonic progression (in the original
key, Bb – Eb7 – Ab7(#11) – G7).
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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). |
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“There Is No Greater Love”
was included in these films:
- The Music Goes ‘Round (1936,
Isham Jones and His Orchestra)
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Click on a CD for more details
at Amazon.com
Dinah Washington
Dinah Jams
1990, Polygram 814639
Original recording, 1954, Emarcy
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| Singer Washington sends a chill
up the spine on this crisp, live session.
She’s all brass and passion in front of
an all-star band that includes the likes
of Richie Powell, Clifford Brown and Max
Roach. |
McCoy Tyner
Inception
1997, GRP 220
Original recording, 1962, Impulse
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| Pianist Tyner steps out from behind
John Coltrane and leads his group in a mid-tempo
swing of the song. Tyner’s sound is brilliant
in front of the stalwart rhythm of bassist
Art Davis and drummer Elvin Jones. |
Sonny Rollins
Way Out West
1991, Original Jazz Classics 337
Original recording, 1957
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| In keeping with the theme of the
album Rollins’ saxophone is expressive and
exspansive, while bassist Ray Brown and
drummer Shelly Manne fill in the background
with a plodding western shuffle. |
Stefon Harris
Black Action Figure
1999, Blue Note
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| Vibraphonist Stefon Harris delivers
an exciting rendition of “There Is No Greater
Love.” Inspired, frenetic, and wildly original,
the song was nominated for the 2000 Grammy
Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. |
Jimmy Scott
Falling in Love Is Wonderful
2003, Wea/Warner
Original recording, 1962
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| Out of print for 40 years, this
superb display of Scott’s vocal styling
is set against the orchestral arrangements
of Marty Paich and Gerald Wilson under the
musical direction of Ray Charles. Scott
means every word he sings, and his phrasing
has set the standard for jazz singers. (Import
only) |
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Duke Ellington’s 1935 version of this tune,
although historically the first jazz version, is
basically a standard dance orchestra rendition except
for a fine alto saxophone solo by
Johnny Hodges.
During the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s the tune was
most frequently recorded as a ballad, but it underwent
a change to a medium-to-up tempo swinger following
a 1958 session under the leadership of West Coast
bop trombonist Frank Rosolino. This recording also
features the wonderful playing of tenor saxophonist
Harold Land and a nonpareil rhythm section of pianist
Victor Feldman, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and drummer
Stan Levey.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
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| 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.
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Additional information on “There Is No Greater Love” may be found in:
4 pages including the following types of information: anecdotal, performers, song writer discussion and sheet music.
1 paragraph including the following types of information: history and performers.
1 paragraph including the following types of information: history and performers.
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