Word Association Wednesday: The Prelude Gets Blue

Following Sunday’s “Prelude to a Kiss,” today’s WAW took the shortest possible ride on the mental express line — straight to Blue Prelude, the moody 1933 masterpiece by Gordon Jenkins and Joe Bishop.

We’ve got fifteen versions spanning nearly two decades, so let’s get spinning...

The First Blue Notes (1933)

The earliest recording turns out to be Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra, who cut an instrumental take for Brunswick in January 1933:

(Raises hand) I’ll admit — before digging into this, I didn’t realize Casa Loma got there first. I always assumed the debut belonged to Isham Jones, since both Bishop and Jenkins were working with his band at the time. But apparently Bishop brought the tune to Glen Gray before anyone else.

Still, Isham Jones wasn’t far behind. His version — arranged by Bishop — followed in April 1933 for Victor:

It’s a terrific chart, with Sonny Lee shining on trombone and a wonderfully present tuba from Richard Kissinger in the rhythm section. Within a year or two, most bands would swap the tuba for string bass, but here it adds a great period flavor.

At this point the tune seems to have existed only as an instrumental. But by May 1933, Jenkins had added lyrics — and if the melody was already moody, the words sealed the deal.

The first vocal version came from prolific studio singer Chick Bullock, backed by his Levee Loungers on a budget‑label release:

Chick was a terrific singer, but an eye condition limited him to studio work.

Next up was Adrian Rollini with his studio group, featuring Howard Phillips on the vocal:

I love Adrian's switching between vibes and bass sax, though Phillips’ vocal is a bit emphatic. Not so for the next singer…

On June 13, the say after Adrian's record date, Bing Crosby recorded his version for Brunswick:

This is the one that put the song on the map — Bing’s career was exploding, and Blue Prelude rode the wave.

For one more 1933 entry, we get a female vocalist: Loretta Lee, singing with George Hall’s orchestra on Bluebird.

And yes — those early‑’30s buff Bluebirds are irresistible.

A Theme Is Born (1940-1941)

We jump to 1940 for the best‑known incarnation of Blue Prelude: as Woody Herman’s theme song. Here's his Decca recording, with Woody himself on the vocal:

Between Isham Jones’ 1933 version and this one, Woody had joined the Jones band, Jones retired, and the musicians reorganized with Woody as leader. Blue Prelude became his theme, and composer Joe Bishop was still on hand, arranging and playing flugelhorn.

The song was now a standard, and the recordings kept coming.

Also from 1940: Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, with Joe Ferguson on the vocal:

You know I’m all over a vintage Western Swing take on a standard!

From 1941, we get Jimmie Lunceford with Dan Grissom on Decca:

A jaunty treatment, with typically superb work from altoist Willie Smith.

Postwar Shades of Blue (1945–1949)

In 1945, former Basie vocalist Helen Humes recorded a lovely version for the small Philo label:

That bowed‑bass intro from Alfred Moore is a knockout!

Label intrigue: Philco thought “Philo” sounded too close to their name, so the label became Aladdin!

Next, the sultry Lena Horne stepped up on the Black & White label in 1947:

Beautifully supported by Phil Moore.

Also in 1947, Woody Herman revisited the tune for his Columbia album 8 Shades of Blue:

A lot had happened in seven years — a new theme (Blue Flame), a move from Decca to Columbia, the triumph of the First Herd, and then disbanding. Note the label credit: Woody Herman with Orchestral Acc. — this was a studio group, not his working band.

The 1950 Curtain Call

We close with three versions from 1950...

First up: The Ames Brothers on Coral:

More label intrigue: This cut was issued as the flipside of second pressings of the Ames’ hit Sentimental Me, which was the original flipside of their smash Rag Mop. But when Sentimental Me also became a hit, Coral swapped it out so they wouldn’t have to sell two blockbusters on one disc!

Next, an unissued‑at‑the‑time Decca recording by the great Mildred Bailey:

Knowing this was among her final recordings before her early death in 1951 gives it heartbreaking poignancy.

And finally, we come full circle: Gordon Jenkins himself recorded Blue Prelude for his Decca album Playing His Own Compositions, with Bonnie Lou Williams singing his lyrics:

Mr. Jenkins really was a remarkable talent!

Fifteen preludes to a whole lot of blues — and if the prelude is this sad, imagine what the actual blues sound like!

Threaded Thursday: Indecision

Yesterday we heard Charlie Shavers’ Dawn on the Desert, so let’s tug that thread a little further and find Charlie’s best‑known composition — the standard Undecided.

📡 Title by Telegram

As with Dawn on the Desert, Charlie wrote the tune while playing trumpet with John Kirby’s small band. He submitted it to his publisher without a title, and when they wired him asking what to call it, Charlie wired back: “undecided.” They took him literally — and the tune had a name. And if that story isn’t true… it ought to be!

Let’s hear Charlie and the rest of the Onyx Club Boys on their 1938 Decca recording:

They had a great sound — they really were The Biggest Little Band in the Land.

🥁 Red Rolls In

The catchy tune started making the rounds, and Red Norvo cut a version for Brunswick later in 1938:

Sounds good!

🎙️ Sauter’s “Job Interview”

I’m presuming Eddie Sauter wrote the arrangement for Red’s recording, though the paper trail is a little fuzzy. What’s clearer is that Sauter did arrange a version of Undecided as something of a “job interview” for Benny Goodman — who recorded it for Victor only a week after Red’s take.

Let’s spin BG’s version:

Interesting that both Benny’s and Red’s records jump straight into the melody with no introduction. A clue… or just coincidence? Whatever the case, Eddie got the job!

The Goodman band was in a transitional period here: Gene Krupa had recently left to form his own band, and Harry James would soon follow. BG also shifted from Victor to Columbia within a few months. But the records? They always sounded great.

💃 Ella Makes It Easy

As with many popular instrumentals, Undecided quickly acquired lyrics — courtesy of Sid Robin (he of the alternate Harlem Nocturne lyrics) — and the tune began circulating as a vocal number.

In early 1939, Chick Webb recorded a knockout version for Decca with Ella Fitzgerald:

The song fits the Chick/Ella combination like a glove.

🎹 Fats Has His Fun

Then Fats Waller took a turn for Bluebird:

Fats was an interesting character. His version here feels a bit tongue‑in‑cheek, as he toys with the tune. I always wonder whether he did that with songs he liked… or with songs the A&R folks told him to record.

📈 The 1951 Revival

Like many songs, Undecided kept popping up over the years — but it roared back in a big way in 1951 when The Ames Brothers recorded a smash version for Coral, backed by Les Brown and his Band of Renown:

I absolutely love this one. It’s been a favorite of mine forever — just a blast!

🌟 Capitol Can’t Resist

With the tune hot again, Capitol had Ray Anthony record it:

Ray’s version, featuring Tommy Mercer, Gloria Craig and The Skyliners, was also popular and also fun.

🎷 Benny Brings it Back

Let’s close with a 1952 version that brings the tune back toward its roots: an extended arrangement by the Benny Goodman Sextet on Columbia:

A solid workout and a great sendoff.

One thing we’re not undecided about: it’s a great tune!

Threaded Thursday: More Nobility

Following yesterday’s deep dive into Harlem Nocturne — the Earl Hagen tune introduced by Ray Noble and his Orchestra before becoming a jazz standard — we pick up the thread with another Noble‑born classic destined to become a standard: Cherokee.

We’re doing another deep dive, but for the first few selections we’re going in reverse chronological order so we can start with the definitive version.

Barnet and Billy's Blast

And that, of course, is the classic 1939 Bluebird recording by Charlie Barnet:

That smash recording — with Billy May’s terrific arrangement and Charlie’s romping tenor — is one I’ve known forever. It showed up on just about every big‑band compilation I snapped up back in the day, and for good reason. A certified classic!

The Noblest Take (1938)

I’d always known that Ray Noble wrote Cherokee as part of his Indian Suite, but it took a while before I finally heard Ray’s own version.

Here’s his 1938 Brunswick recording:

A really lovely record — refined, elegant, almost like the older brother to Barnet’s rowdy little sibling.

Spud Sneaks In (1938)

For years I assumed Ray’s version was the first. But much later I learned that Spud Murphy actually beat him to the punch, recording Cherokee in April 1938, months before Ray’s October date. No idea why, but there it is!

Here’s Spud’s Decca side:

And yes — thank you, Internet — this was also when I learned that Spud Murphy had a band in the late ’30s. I’d only known him as an ace arranger for Benny Goodman and others.

Once Barnet’s record hit big, other bands jumped in.

The Count Doubles Down (1939)

Count Basie recorded a two‑sided Decca version later in 1939:

Another completely different take — relaxed, swinging, and very Basie.

Jimmy's Jam (1940)

And because Decca never minded issuing multiple versions of the same tune, Jimmy Dorsey got his crack at it in 1940:

Very nice — and unmistakably JD. The man could play!

Bird Breaks the Barrier (1942)

The tune’s adaptability helped make “Cherokee” a favorite among jazz musicians. The chord structure is famously tricky but incredibly rewarding for improvisers.

Charlie Parker loved it and used it as the basis for his early bebop experiments. Here’s a non‑commercial “Bird” workout from 1942:

You can hear how the world wasn’t quite ready for that in ’42 — it still astounds.

The story goes that Parker planned to record “Cherokee” for Savoy in 1945, but the label didn’t want to pay royalties (sorry, Ray). So Bird took the chords and created Ko Ko.

Let’s spin it since we're spinning:

Take a close look at the label for the eye‑popping personnel in the Ri Bop Boys.

Singing the Unsung (1942)

Back to Cherokee itself: Ray Noble also wrote lyrics, but the tune is overwhelmingly performed as an instrumental. There was one early vocal version, though — on Bluebird in 1942 by The Deep River Boys:

Very interesting — and very different.

A Sassy Switch (1956)

I don’t think another vocal version appeared until Sarah Vaughan included it — with a gender twist — on her 1956 Mercury album Sarah Vaughan in the Land of Hi‑Fi:

That really swings — and how fantastic is Cannonball Adderley on alto?

Taking "Ames" at the Classic

Let’s close with another vocal version that brings us full circle: The Ames Brothers, from their 1960 RCA Victor album The Ames Brothers Sing the Best of the Bands, with a Sid Ramin arrangement inspired by Charlie Barnet and Billy May:

An awesome finale to our twenty‑year stroll with the sweet maiden. Hope you enjoyed it!

"Jingle Bells" - Part 88 - Taking "Ame"-s!

As we continue with "Jingle Bells," we go from the Four Aces to four Ames - The Ames Brothers!

The quartet from Massachusetts (yay!) featuring brother Ed on lead vocals was extremely popular in the 1950s with several big hits.

They included a very snappy version of "Jingle Bells" on their 1957 RCA Victor LP "There'll Always Be a Christmas":

Fun to hear the early stereo. But where have I heard that "jet speed" line before?

The title track of that LP was actually originally one side of an RCA Victor holiday single from the boys in 1954:

Kind of an odd pairing, but the quartet was pretty versatile and easily went from novelties to ballads.

One thing about the Ames Brothers is that they were definitely not a bunch of Scrooges, as they recorded quite a few Christmas songs!

Their first was a coupling of "White Christmas" and "Winter Wonderland" on Coral Records in 1949. This single was paired with 1951's single of the Vaughn Horton adaptation of "Jolly Old Saint Nicholas" and Horton's "Ting-A-Ling-A Jingle" on the "Christmas Greetings" EP.

Here are both sides:

Of note is that the same two Vaughn Horton tunes were released as a single by the Pinetoppers with the Marlin Sisters also on Coral Records also in 1951!

Presumably Coral put together that EP because the Ames Brothers had recently moved to RCA Victor and they wanted some competing product out there.

With Coral in 1950, the Brothers also had a ten-inch album of Christmas carols titled "Sing a Song of Christmas," which included these two also released on a 78 record:

Very nice, with just simple accompaniment. They had a great blend!

Jumping ahead to the 1960s, Ed Ames had a solo career as an actor (notably on TV's "Daniel Boone") and singer and he actually had two more Christmas albums on RCA Victor!

Ed's version of "Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!" from 1967 is particularly memorable to me as it was contained in the various artists Christmas album shown above, side one of which I played a lot as a kid!

Here it is, with the rarely heard verse:

Takes me right back!

Ed Ames is still around at age 94, so Happy New Year to him!

And for more holiday spirit, here's a clip of the Ames Brothers singing a medley of Christmas tunes on the Ed Sullivan show in 1959:

Fun!