Harlem Nocturne

"Harlem Nocturne"
Song
Written 1939
Writer Earle Hagen, Dick Rogers
Recorded by Sil Austin, Sam Taylor, Herbie Fields, Georgie Auld, Lou Donaldson, Johnny Otis,Glenn Miller Orchestra, Ken Mackintosh, Bill Haley and His Comets, The Lounge Lizards, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Earl Bostic, King Curtis, Anton Szandor LaVey, Big Jay McNeely, Willy Deville, David Sanborn, Alicia Keys, Michael Lington, Sonny Moorman, The Ventures, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Danny Gatton, The Viscounts

"Harlem Nocturne" is a jazz standard written by Earle Hagen and Dick Rogers in 1939 for the Ray Noble orchestra they played in. [1] The song was adopted by bandleader Randy Brooks the next year as his theme song.[2]

Recording artists

"Harlem Nocturne" has been frequently recorded. Artists include Sil Austin, Sam Taylor, Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, Georgie Auld, Woody Herman, Bill Doggett, Carla White, Johnny Otis, Lou Donaldson, Big Jay McNeely, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Randy Brooks, Ken Mackintosh(UK), Bill Haley and His Comets (performed live),[3] The Lounge Lizards, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Earl Bostic, King Curtis, Anton Szandor LaVey, Herbie Fields,[2] Willy Deville, David Sanborn,[4][5] Alicia Keys, Michael Lington,[6] Sonny Moorman, The Ventures, the Brian Setzer Orchestra, and guitarist Danny Gatton;[7] as well as Herbie Mann, Wildflower, Messer Chups(Russia), Esquivel, Flat Duo Jets, Ray Anthony, Les Brown & His Band of Renown, Chakachas, Jake H. Concepcion, , Illinois Jacquet, The Knickerbockers, Quincy Jones, Boots Randolph, Quartet San Francisco, New York Ska-Jazz Ensemble, Charlie Musselwhite, Ulrich Tukur+ Rhythm Boys, Mel Torme, Mel Taylor & The Magics, Louis Prima & Sam Butera, Terry Edwards & the Scapegoats with Lydia Lunch, and The Brian Rodwell Quartet.[8] The haunting version by The Viscounts has the distinction of being a tune released twice by the same band and rising high on the Billboard charts each time:[9] first in 1959, when it peaked at #53, and again in 1966, peaking at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2] It has been reported that there are about 500 covers of this classic.[8]

Detail

In 1990, pianist Kofi Wilmot gained popularity in the instrumental world for his cover from the album of the same name Harlem Nocturne.[10]

The piece was used as the theme song for the television series Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer[3] and The New Mike Hammer[11] Harold Faltermeyer recorded a version for the soundtrack to the film Tango & Cash.

Some vocalists have recorded this song, adding lyrics to it. Mel Tormé recorded a version with lyrics for his 1963 album Songs of New York, beginning "a nocturne for the blues", and in 2009 Sylvia Brooks recorded a different version, arranged by Jeff Colella, on her Dangerous Liaisons CD,[12] starting "deep music fills the night", which has since been covered.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "'Andy Griffith' composer dies at 88". CNN. May 27, 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  2. 1 2 3 Marsh, Dave (1999). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. De Capo Press. p. 610. ISBN 978-0-306-80901-9.
  3. 1 2 McLellan, Dennis (May 28, 2008). "Television composer Earle Hagen wrote memorable tunes". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2008-12-15.
  4. ↑ "Time Again overview". Allmusic.com.
  5. ↑ "Time again - David Sanborn". JazzTimes.com.
  6. ↑ "Michael Lington overview". Allmusic.com.
  7. ↑ Gress, Jesse (2006). Guitarevolution: Lessons from the Groundbreakers & Innovators. CMP Media. p. 84. ISBN 0-87930-868-0.
  8. 1 2 "42 Versions of Harlem Nocturne", WFMU's Beward of the Blog, May 29, 2008.
  9. ↑ Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 7th edn, 2000.
  10. ↑ "Harlem Nocturne overview". Allmusic.com.
  11. ↑ The New Mike Hammer at the Internet Movie Database
  12. ↑ Dangerous Liaisons at AllMusic


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