Harlem Nocturne by Earle Hagen (1919-2008) Earle Harry Hagen was an American composer who created music for movies and television. He is remembered for co-writing and whistling “The Fishin’ Hole”, the melody of the main theme to The Andy Griffith Show, the instrumental classic “Harlem Nocturne” used as the theme to television’s Mickey Spillane’s Mike …
Night Train by Jimmy Forrest (1920-1980) Jimmy Forrest was an African American jazz musician, who played tenor saxophone throughout his career. Forrest is famous for his first solo recording of “Night Train”. It reached #1 on the Billboard R&B chart in March 1952, and stayed at the top for seven weeks. “Hey Mrs. Jones” and …
BWV 85 God Is My Shield by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) In the early 1700s, Bach’s chorales enchanted listeners with their inventive harmonies, chromaticism, contrapuntal motion, and changes of tonal center. Since that time, music students the world over have studied the chorales as a paragon of “common practice” harmony and voice leading. And, by …
BWV 85 God Is My Shield by Johann Sebastian Bach (Guitar Tab) Read More »
Fly Me To The Moon by Bart Howard (1915-2004) Bart Howard was the composer and writer of the famous jazz standard “Fly Me To The Moon”, which has been performed by singers (among others) Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Della Reese, Diana Krall, June Christy and Astrud Gilberto. It is also played frequently by …
Stormy Weather by Harold Arlen (1905-1986) Harold Arlen was an American composer of popular music, having written over 500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In addition to composing the songs for The Wizard of Oz, including the classic 1938 song, “Over the Rainbow,” Arlen is a highly regarded contributor …
BWV 227 Jesus My Joy by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) In the early 1700s, Bach’s chorales enchanted listeners with their inventive harmonies, chromaticism, contrapuntal motion, and changes of tonal center. Since that time, music students the world over have studied the chorales as a paragon of “common practice” harmony and voice leading. And, by virtue …
BWV 227 Jesus My Joy by Johann Sebastian Bach (Guitar Tab) Read More »
Blue Skies by Irving Berlin (1888-1989) Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history. The song was composed in 1926 as a last minute addition to the Rodgers and Hart musical, Betsy. Although the show only ran for 39 performances, “Blue Skies” …
The Nearness of You by Howard Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael (1899-1981) Howard Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing “Stardust”, “Georgia On My Mind”, “The Nearness of You”, and “Heart and Soul”, four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.
Stardust by Howard Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael (1899-1981) Howard Hoagland “Hoagy” Carmichael was an American composer, pianist, singer, actor, and bandleader. He is best known for writing “Stardust”, “Georgia On My Mind”, “The Nearness of You”, and “Heart and Soul”, four of the most-recorded American songs of all time.
Polka Dots and Moonbeams by Jimmy Van Heusen (1913-1990) Jimmy Van Heusen was an American composer. He wrote songs mainly for films and television (but also for the theater), and won an Emmy and four Academy Awards for Best Original Song.
