Hi-Fly (Randy Weston song)
"Hi-Fly" (also sometimes spelled "Hi Fly" or "High Fly") is one of the best known compositions by pianist Randy Weston, written in the 1950s and inspired by his experience of being 6 feet 8 inches tall,[1] "and how the ground looks different to you than everybody else".[2] Since first being recorded on 1958's New Faces at Newport,[3] "Hi-Fly" appears on several other albums by Weston, including Live at the Five Spot (1959),[4] Niles Littlebig (1969),[5] Tanjah (1973),[6] Perspective (with Vishnu Wood, 1976),[7] Rhythms and Sounds (1978),[8] Earth Birth (1995),[9] Zep Tepi (2005),[10] and The Storyteller (2009).[11]
Jon Hendricks wrote lyrics to the song,[12] recorded first in 1959 on the album The Hottest New Group in Jazz and also appearing on 1961's High Flying With Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Among others who have recorded vocal covers are Abbey Lincoln (on The World Is Falling Down, 1991), Mel Tormé (on 1962's Comin' Home Baby! and other albums),[13] Karin Krog on (Hi-Fly with Archie Shepp)[14] and Sarah Vaughan (In the City of Lights, 1999).
Selected covers[]
Now a jazz standard, "Hi-Fly" has been recorded in many versions by other leading musicians,[14] including:
- Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis: Smokin′, 1958
- Lambert, Hendricks & Ross: The Hottest New Group in Jazz, 1959
- Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers: At the Jazz Corner of the World, 1959
- Cannonball Adderley Quintet: The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco, featuring Nat Adderley, 1959
- Slide Hampton Octet: Sister Salvation, 1960
- Lambert, Hendricks & Ross: High Flying With L, H & R, 1961
- The Jazztet (Art Farmer and Benny Golson): Big City Sounds, 1961
- Johnny Coles: , 1961
- Jaki Byard: Hi-Fly, 1962
- Lionel Hampton: Many Splendored Vibes, 1962
- Al Grey: Snap Your Fingers, featuring Billy Mitchell, 1962
- Cannonball Adderley: Phenix, 1975
- Horace Parlan: No Blues, 1975
- Archie Shepp with Karin Krog: Hi-Fly, 1976
- Eric Dolphy: Berlin Concerts, 1977[15]
- Horace Parlan: Hi-Fly, 1978
- Dexter Gordon: Gotham City, 1981
- Shelly Manne: Goodbye for Bill Evans, 1981
- Ted Dunbar: Jazz Guitarist, 1982
- George Shearing with Mel Tormé: Top Drawer, 1983
- Peter King: Hi-Fly, 1984
- Monty Alexander: Full Steam Ahead, 1985
- Rio Nido: Hi Fly, 1985
- Max Roach Double Quartet: Bright Moments, 1985
- Donald Byrd: Harlem Blues, 1988
- Art Taylor: Mr. A.T., 1992
- Jimmy Smith: Damn!, 1995
- Ron Carter: So What, 1998
- Ray Bryant: Ray's Tribute to His Jazz Piano Friends, 1998
- Sarah Vaughan: In the City of Lights, 1999
- Ahmad Jamal: A Quiet Time, 2009[16]
- Tom Brantley: Boneyard, 2009
References[]
- ^ Biography, Randy Weston official website.
- ^ "Jazz Legend Randy Weston: The Complete Democracy Now! Interview", Democracy Now!, February 24, 2012.
- ^ "New Faces at Newport", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Live at the Five Spot", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Niles Littlebig", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Tanjah", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Perspective", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Rhythms and Sounds", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Earth Birth", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Zep Tepi", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "The Storyteller", Randy Weston Discography.
- ^ "Hi-Fly", International Lyrics Playground.
- ^ "Mel Tormé – Hi-Fly" at AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Hi-Fly" at SecondHandSongs.
- ^ "Hi-Fly by Eric Dolphy".
- ^ "Hi-Fly by Ahmad Jamal".
External links[]
- "Randy Weston - "Hi-Fly"", YouTube.
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- 1950s jazz standards
- Songs with lyrics by Jon Hendricks
- Mel Tormé songs
- Bebop jazz standards
- Compositions by Randy Weston
- 1958 songs