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The influential pianist Bud Powell’s 1953 performance of Cole Porter’s tune is a languid, slow ballad rendition. That same year, vocalist Helen Merrill, accompanied by stellar trumpeter Clifford Brown, did the tune at a swinging medium tempo, which seems to have set the pace for the tune on subsequent renditions. 1957 was a banner year for Porter’s song, especially with saxophonists. Art Pepper, a superb alto saxophonist influenced both by Benny Carter and Charlie Parker, was riding high career-wise. On his Contemporary recording he’s backed by Miles Davis’ masterful rhythm section of Red Garland (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). Sonny Stitt, equally at home on the alto, baritone or tenor, did a formidable recording on the latter horn for Verve. On the same label, the summit meeting between tenor giants Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins produced fabulous results, no doubt due to a rhythm section that included pianist Oscar Peterson’s trio.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
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