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Goodbye

Author: MarlboroughMan
Date: 2015-05-28 20:23

We've had a lot of dramatic exits from the BBoard recently, all with this poetically appropriate post title. It's poignancy in a clarinet forum is derived, in part, from the fact that Gordon Jenkins' tune 'Goodbye' was made famous as Benny Goodman's closing theme.

I've recently been more involved with this tune more than usual, in a musical sense, and because of this have checked out multiple versions--from Benny's many versions, to Oscar Peterson's, to a couple of different interpretations by Richard Stoltzman.

My question for this thread: what is your favorite version of 'Goodbye' and why?

Mine is Benny's recording with strings from 1952. I love the richness of Benny's tone, the arrangement for strings, which still maintains a great 'brushes' slow dance groove, and Benny's solo ideas are as poignant as the Lark Ascending to my ear. Many of us (myself included) tend to be critical of Benny's post-Kell career...but while this recording seems to emphasize the influence of Kell (it sounds very much like Kell's easy listening recordings of the era), it's a little masterpiece. Enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNXFpJq1aBo

******************************
The Jazz Clarinet
http://thejazzclarinet.blogspot.com/

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