BOTM BOTM June 2022 - Stardust

Ballad of the Month

nigeld

Too many mouthpieces
Café Supporter
8,180
Bristol, UK
This month's ballad is Stardust, written by Hoagy Carmichael in 1927 with words by Mitchell Parish.
We have had this tune for BOTM before, but it was a long time ago, so I thought it could get another outing.

Notes and backing track are here:

I have made two versions - one starts with the verse and the other is just the chorus.

Here is Nat King Cole
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjU6ZjrQulc


and Ben Webster
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3ipWLgg0nc


and here's John Coltrane
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbFtzeOju3A
 
On November 7, 1940, a milestone in jazz recording occurred. Duke Ellington and His Orchestra, on a US tour, performed in Fargo, North Dakota. Two local Ellington fans had arranged to record the band live, a rare occurrence in those days of primitive recording equipment. During the course of the evening, the Ellington band swung through many of their great arrangements. At one point, a patron requested “Stardust,” a tune for which Ellington didn’t have a special arrangement. Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, in a performance remarkably similar to Coleman Hawkins’ “Body and Soul” of the previous year, did an impromptu four-minute improvisation on the number. His version, which wasn’t commercially released until the 1970s, became Webster’s own favorite recording.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDtBsBX7KoY&ab_channel=GodfreyDaniels
 
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Here is an old slow ballad version by me as recorded in 2012:
It’s always good to hear you. A lovely relaxed version.

And here is a medium swing version recorded in same 2012 session, but played on my Florida no USA 10* mouthpiece. I think I couldn't chose between the two takes I recorded, so I did past the two takes into one (very!) long take.
Also excellent, as always, but on the whole I think I prefer your more laid-back recording
 
Great tone and nicely played, Rhys. What's the mouthpiece / reed on this recording?
Cheers @Mark Hancock .

It's my SR Tech Pro Metal mouthpiece like this. It works well with a Vandoren Optimum tenor V16 ligature and is easier down the bottom of the range and uses less puff than my Lawton 8star (which is 0.130" as opposed to 0.115" for the SR Tech).

I like the tone but I don't think it quite has the oomph to cut through at big band. I am using Boston Sax Shop reeds made by Rigotti - this is 2.5 but I think I should go up a strength to 3. A snip at £7 per reed but they are consistent and last well.

Rhys
 
Now that @Stephen Howard has reamed the bore of my Dolnet baritone mouthpiece I took it for a test drive playing with a Music Minus One backing track that is based on string arrangements by Neal Hefti for Clifford Brown's "with Strings" album.

Stardust - Rhys bari with strings V2.mp3 - Box

Despite moving up quite a bit in reed strength I think I need to go further for this small tip mouthpiece, but it does have a nice sound. I may well end up using it for saxophone quartets, if not big band.

Rhys
 

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