Arguably the quintessential nostalgic song, I’ll Be Seeing You was composed in 1938. (music by Sammy Fain, words by Irving Kahal)
That year it was inserted into a Broadway musical…which flopped.
The song, however, became a “standard”, covered by countless singers…and not a few instrumentalists.
It was a #1 hit for Bing Crosby in 1944.
Frank Sinatra recorded it more than once.
Even Eric Clapton did so, in 2016.
The most celebrated recording – Billie Holiday’s 1944 version – is the one which reached Mars in 2018, as the conclusion to NASA’s final transmission to its Explorer rover.
However, the most “out of this world” version to reach this Earthling’s ears is a “live” and exploratory instrumental trio treatment, delivered in “the city of fallen angels”, in June 2016.
This is an exquisite example of the art of deeply, lovingly addressing a particular song, whilst also taking it to places its authors would never have imagined.
Guitarist Julian Lage is leader, with bassist Scott Colley and drummer Kenny Wollesen, at the Blue Whale in LA:
(this is properly recorded, so if you can pump its audio through your hi-fi, you should do so)
Click here to discover more about the song’s history, see its lyric, and hear Billie Holiday sing it.
Julian Lage has just issued a wonderful album – his best, to date, I think.
Squint is a trio set, with bassist Jorge Roeder and drummer Dave King.
You can preview all of it here:
(again, you will be richly rewarded if you hear its audio properly, through proper speakers)
The photo atop this post is copyright Doug Spencer; it shows a hibiscus on a sunny winter’s day in West Leederville, June 2021.