The image shows the sky above Australia’s Perth on 13 April 2020, at 5.31 pm – 27 minutes before sunset.
You almost certainly already know one of this post’s three sky songs, but almost certainly not its particular version.
Nuages (clouds) is one of the best loved compositions by its original guitarist, Django Reinhardt.
Some believe that this bittersweet 1940 creation was Django’s musical response to Paris having recently fallen to Nazi German invaders.
(as Romani/gypsy, and as “jazz” musician, Reinhardt was both “vermin” and “decadent”, according to Nazi ideology)
It is impossible to know the truth or otherwise of that notion, but it is true that for the next several years Nuages became an alternative/underground “national anthem”, notwithstanding the fact that its author was born in Belgium.
Even now, Nuages is a “compulsory” repertoire choice, and/or “test piece” for every swing guitarist.
This unusually lovely version is Italian:
(although better known for his “Tuscan, folk” aspect – especially as primary singer/guitarist in Riccardo Tesi’s Banditaliana – Maurizio Geri has another and equal musical passion)
One of the more haunting sky songs was written by Billy Edd Wheeler (born in West Virginia in 1932. His best songs are all connected to Appalachia) – a great songwriter, but so-so singer.
On stage at Town Hall, New York City, on 21 March, 1964, Judy Collins delivered the finest version I have heard of Wheeler’s Winter Sky.
Beneath an Evening Sky was composed by its original guitarist/pianist Ralph Towner; he has recorded several quite different versions, and not a few others have covered it.
You have almost certainly never before heard this post’s version.
It is not a hi-fi recording, but is a beautiful interpretation.
Ralph Towner is playing 12 string acoustic guitar. John Abercrombie is its late great electric guitarist.
(the actual start is 24 seconds into the video…and the audience does quieten down)
Here, I think, Abercrombie is playing his so-called “electric mandolin”, which was really more of a “dwarf electric guitar”: