Avalon is a popular American song written by Al Jolson , Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose, published in 1920 1 . It was recorded for the first time by Jolson. Jolson also used the song inmusical performances Sindbad 2 , 3 and Bombo 4 , 5 .

The song is a popular jazz standard , and it has been recorded by several artists, including Cab Calloway (1934), Coleman Hawkins (1935) and Eddie Durham (1936). In 1938, Benny Goodman played it in his famous concert in Carnegie Hall , New York 1 . The song was included in The Jolson Story (1946) and The Benny Goodman Story (1956) 6 .

The opening of the song was copied from the aria E lucevan the stele of Giacomo Puccini , opera Tosca 1 .

Interpretations

  • Red Nichols and His Five Pennies (February 27, 1928)
  • George Monkhouse and his Cambridge Quinquaginta University Ramblers (March 12, 1930)
  • Spike Hughes and his Dance Orchestra (May 23, 1930)
  • Joel Shaw and his Orchestra (August 1932)
  • Billy Cotton and his Band (July 21, 1933)
  • Casa Loma Orchestra (August 16, 1934)
  • Cab Calloway and his Orchestra (September 4, 1934)
  • Scott Wood and his Six Swingers (18 December 1934; 1 st September 1936)
  • Joe Venuti and his Orchestra (December 26, 1934)
  • KXYZ Novelty Band (January 29, 1935)
  • Coleman Hawkins (March 2, 1935)
  • Quintet of the Hot Club of France (July 1935)
  • Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra (September 30, 1935)
  • Harry Roy and his Orchestra (November 8, 1935)
  • Val Rosing and his Swing Stars (November 18, 1935)
  • Ballyhooligans (July 7, 1936)
  • Benny Goodman Quartet (June 29, 1937, September 28, 1937, January 16, 1938)
  • Joe Daniels and his Hotshots (September 28, 1937)
  • Alix Combelle and his Orchestra (October 4, 1937)
  • Harry James and his Orchestra (July 13, 1939, November 8, 1939)
  • Willie Lewis and his Negro Band (June 27, 1941) 7

External sources

  • Text of the song on Wikisource

Notes and references

  1. ↑ a , b and c Tyle, Chris, ” Avalon (1920) ”  [ archive ] , on JazzStandards.com (accessed August 19, 2009 )
  2. ↑ ( in ) William Ruhlmann , Breaking Records: 100 Years of Hits , Routledge, ( ISBN  0415943051 ) , p.  42
  3. ↑ Kenrick, John, ” Al Jolson: A Biography ”  [ archive ] , on Musicals101.com , (accessed December 8, 2009 )
  4. ↑ ( in ) Philip Furia and Michael L. Lasser , America’s Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley , CRC Press, ( ISBN  0415972469 ) , p.  24
  5. ↑ ( in ) Ken Bloom , Broadway: Its History, People, and Places: An Encyclopedia , Taylor & Francis, ( ISBN  0415937043 ) , p.  96
  6. ↑ ( in ) David A. Jasen , A Century of American Popular Music: 2000 Best-Loved and Remembered Songs (1899-1999) , Taylor & Francis, ( ISBN  0415937000 ) , p.  14
  7. ↑ ( in ) Richard Crawford and Jeffrey Magee , Jazz Standards on Record, 1900-1942: A Core Repertory , Center for Black Music Rsrch, ( ISBN  0929911032 ) , p.  6-7