Sophisticated Lady
| "Sophisticated Lady" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Duke Ellington and his Orchestra | |
| Released | 1933 |
| Recorded | February 15, 1933 |
| Genre | Jazz |
| Songwriter(s) | Duke Ellington |
"Sophisticated Lady" is a jazz standard, composed as an instrumental in 1932 by Duke Ellington.
Background[]
Additional credit is given to publisher Irving Mills whose words were added to the song by Mitchell Parish. The words met with approval from Ellington, who described them as "wonderful—but not entirely fitted to my original conception". That original conception was inspired by three of Ellington's grade school teachers. "They taught all winter and toured Europe in the summer. To me that spelled sophistication."[1][2]
Lawrence Brown, the trombone player in Ellington's band at the time, claimed that he was responsible for the main hook in the A section of the tune. Ellington paid him $15 for his contribution, but he was never officially credited.[citation needed]
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra introduced "Sophisticated Lady" in 1933[3][2] with an instrumental recording of the song that featured solos by Toby Hardwick on alto sax, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Lawrence Brown on trombone and Ellington on piano. The recording entered the charts on 27 May 1933 and rose to number three.[4][2]
Singer Adelaide Hall recorded with Ellington in 1927, 1932, and 1933,[5] but only recorded two versions of "Sophisticated Lady", in 1944 (with Phil Green And His Rhythm)[6] and in 1976, on her album "Hall of Ellington."[7] The song appeared on the soundtrack of the 1989/90 documentary celebrating her life entitled Sophisticated Lady.[8]
Other recordings[]
- Sylvia Brooks – Dangerous Liaisons (2009)[9]
- Casa Loma Orchestra – 1933[2]
- Chick Corea – Chick Corea Acoustic Band (1989)[2]
- Larry Coryell – Toku Do[10]
- Billy Eckstine – 1947[2]
- Duke Ellington – Masterpieces by Ellington (1950)[2]
- Adelaide Hall – Adelaide Hall Live at the Riverside Studios[11]
- Billie Holiday – All or Nothing at All (1956)[12]
- Marcus Miller – Silver Rain[13][14]
- Mulgrew Miller and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen – The Duets (1999)[15]
- Charles Mingus – The Great Concert of Charles Mingus (1964)[2]
- Thelonious Monk – Thelonious Monk Plays Ellington (1955)[2]
- Spud Murphy – Gone with the Woodwinds (1955)[2]
- Don Redman – 1933[2]
- – (2003)[citation needed]
- Art Tatum – 1933[2]
- Toots Thielemans with Fred Hersch – Only Trust Your Heart (1988)[2]
- The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra – Can I Persuade You? (2001)[2]
- Sarah Vaughan - After Hours (1961)
- Dave Grusin - Homage to Duke (1993)
- Jaco Pastorius - Invitation (1983)
- Tony Bennett - Cheek to Cheek (2014)
- Ray Stevens - Melancholy Fescue (2021)[16]
See also[]
- List of 1930s jazz standards
References[]
- ^ "Who Was Duke's Sophisticated Lady?". All About Jazz. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Gioia, Ted (2012). The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire. New York City: Oxford University Press. p. 389. ISBN 978-0-19-993739-4.
- ^ "Ellington Sessions 1933". www.depanorama.net. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ "Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals (Sophisticated Lady)". www.jazzstandards.com. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ Collins, Glenn (10 November 1993). "Adelaide Hall, 92, International Star of Cabaret". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ Decca – F. 8467
- ^ "The Jazz Discography". The Jazz Discography. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Sophisticated Lady A Musical Self-portrait Adelaide Hall". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ "Dangerous Liaisons". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ Yanow, Scott. "Toku Do". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ "Live at the Riverside". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ "Billie Holiday Discography". www.jazzdisco.org. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ "Silver Rain". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ Tauss, Lucy (1 May 2005). "Marcus Miller: Silver Rain". JazzTimes. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ "Mulgrew Miller Discography". Jazzdisco.org. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ^ Sawyer, Bobbie Jean (25 March 2021). "Ray Stevens Gives 'Goin' Out of My Head' the 'High-Class Bluegrass' Treatment [Premiere]". Wideopencountry.com. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
External links[]
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- 1930s jazz standards
- 1932 songs
- Billie Holiday songs
- Rosemary Clooney songs
- Nancy Wilson (jazz singer) songs
- Songs with music by Duke Ellington
- Songs with lyrics by Irving Mills
- Songs with lyrics by Mitchell Parish
- Jazz songs
- Jazz compositions in A-flat major
- Songs composed in A-flat major