Let's Face the Music and Dance - SOTM January 2021

[nigeld]

A happy new year to everyone.

This month's Song Of The Month is "Let's Face the Music and Dance", written by Irving Berlin in 1936 for the film "Follow the Fleet" and sung in that film by Fred Astair.

Notes and backing track are here:

Lets Face the Music and Dance

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Here is Nat King Cole's version

and here's Jackie McLean on saxophone:

 

[rhysonsax]

This is going to be a challenge, but a good one.

Here is a lovely tenor recording by that man Dave O'Higgins, here with a top rhythm section from an album that I strongly recommend:

Rhys

 

[jbtsax]

Not a saxophone feature, but one of my favorite recordings nevertheless. I often like to study vocal versions of a tune I am going to play on saxophone to help "get into" a song and it's lyrics. The tune really fits the "laid back" bossa nova style she performs it in. IMO.

 

[PMason247]

Oh, er. So where do we get the backing track and sheet music from?

 

[nigeld]

Oh, er. So where do we get the backing track and sheet music from?

There’s a link in the first post in this thread.

 

[nigeld]

Not a saxophone feature, but one of my favorite recordings nevertheless. I often like to study vocal versions of a tune I am going to play on saxophone to help "get into" a song and it's lyrics. The tune really fits the "laid back" bossa nova style she performs it in. IMO.

I’ll make a bossa backing track if you will make a recording.

 

[PMason247]

There’s a link in the first post in this thread.

Oh, sorry. Did'nt see that.
Thanks

 

[nigeld]

I've added a Bossa backing track to the Dropbox folder. It's a bit slower than the other one (which is also really a Bossa.)

Lets Face the Music and Dance

Shared with Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[Colin the Bear]

That King Cole track makes the hairs on the back of my neck stick up but that Dianna Krall track gives me shivers up my spine. Lucky Elvis.

 

[6441]

Interesting info on the song:

ShieldSquare Captcha

 

[6441]

https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Flets-pace-the-music-and-prance%2Fs-LIxeVCHMwq6

View: https://soundcloud.com/randulo/lets-pace-the-music-and-prance/s-LIxeVCHMwq6

 

[nigeld]

https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Flets-pace-the-music-and-prance%2Fs-LIxeVCHMwq6

View: https://soundcloud.com/randulo/lets-pace-the-music-and-prance/s-LIxeVCHMwq6

That got us off to an excellent start. Well done!

 

[6441]

Well done!

Thanks! I didn't see the post until about 9, so it's about an hour after listening to Nat King Cole, setting up the Bb version SGU and recording it. It seems to be this would be a perfect candidtae for a tango, but so far, I haven't found one i like. Nat's tempo is something like 220, I think.

 

[nigeld]

It seems to be this would be a perfect candidtae for a tango, but so far, I haven't found one i like. Nat's tempo is something like 220, I think.

The tempo of the various recordings varies enormously. I think the original Fred Astair version is 172.
I had a look for a BIAB tango backing, but the ones I tried didn’t work.

 

[Colin the Bear]

I have a cracking version by Victor Sylvester but can't find it anywhere to link to.

 

[rhysonsax]

I have a cracking version by Victor Sylvester but can't find it anywhere to link to.

Was it like this ?

Rhys

 

[nigeld]

I have a cracking version by Victor Sylvester but can't find it anywhere to link to.

Was it like this ?

Probably more like this

 

[Colin the Bear]

Similar but a little more up tempo

 

[6441]

The Cartoon Orchestra Presents
Audio and video versions

https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Fface-the-orchestra-romance

View: https://soundcloud.com/randulo/face-the-orchestra-romance

Same recording, but visual

View: https://youtu.be/lo-kHRwNBvA

 

[nigeld]

The Cartoon Orchestra Presents

https://soundcloud.com/randulo%2Fface-the-orchestra-romance

View: https://soundcloud.com/randulo/face-the-orchestra-romance

A great version.

Were all those voices generated by the Yamaha?
I rather liked the bari sax.