Episode 4: Laughing at Life, track by track! "On the Sunny Side of the Street"
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IN THIS EPISODE:
We're continuing our song-by-song exploration of our newly-released album, Laughing at Life, with this episode's chat about "On the Sunny Side of the Street," penned in 1930 by Jimmy McHugh, with lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Our producer/arranger, Oded Lev-Ari, shares how the Three Cohens' collective improvisations inspired his arrangement, as well as why he opted not to include the song's original verse for the Duchess rendition of this jazz standard.
ABOUT THAT OMITTED VERSE...
The verse of "On the Sunny Side of the Street" is great, but like Oded says, it does change the song's meaning pretty significantly. The inclusion of the verse means the singers are taking advice rather than giving it...and come on, now. You know Duchess better than that!
Here are the lyrics to the verse:
Walked with no one and talked with no one
And I had nothing but shadows
Then one morning you passed
And I brightened at last
Now I greet the day and complete the day
With the sun in my heart
All my worry blew away
When you taught me how to say
MORE ABOUT THE 3 COHENS:
The 3 Cohens (Yuval, Anat, and Avishai) are siblings, extraordinary musicians, and childhood friends of Oded Lev-Ari. In fact, clarinetist Anat is the An- in Anzic Records!
Oded co-produced their release, Tightrope, for Anzic a few years ago, and their collective improvisations provided the inspiration for the improvised vocal chorus in our arrangement of "On the Sunny Side of the Street."
WHERE TO BUY LAUGHING AT LIFE:
- Anzic Store (Support our amazing indie label! You can buy a hard copy or download, AND you'll get free shipping!)
- iTunes
- Amazon
DEEP CUTS FROM THIS EPISODE (A.K.A. OTHER VERSIONS OF "ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET" THAT WE LOVE!):
So swinging and joyful! Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, and Sonny Stitt.
Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie...they sound like sunshine.
The one, the only. Forever. Pops.