For those seeking refuge from summer’s heat, stopping the sun likely sounds like a fantastic idea. This instrumental track comes from a collection I recently obtained from eBay. Bunny Berigan: The Key Sessions 1931-1937. Berigan was a giant of the jazz trumpet, whose ability allowed him to collaborate with many of the other musical greats of his era. Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman were associates of Berigan’s, and he backed vocalists such as Bing Crosby and The Boswell Sisters. Unfortunately for Berigan, his musical success was fraught with personal suffering. Berigan would combat alcoholism, and would lose that battle at the age of thirty-three. Berigan’s legacy, however, will live forever. The collection I obtained was a five CD glimpse into his body of work. Today’s featured track was the piece I sought out this collection for.
The track hails from 1931 and is fantastic at not letting any of its sections linger too long. Just when the listener feels they have a grip on what the instrumental holds in store, the music obligingly changes course. For example, just a minute in to the piece, the clarinet solo comes onto the scene, signaling perhaps the best segment of the tune. The overall mood of the tune is somber, as illustrated by the most repeated melody segment. There are a few places where the tune ventures into upbeat areas, but it quickly returns to its downtrodden roots. Even the clarinet solo dances on the line between whimsy and woe. It was this emotional honesty that led me to seek out this track after just one initial listen. I believe it offers a fantastic sample of Bunny Berigan’s work, and the gift he gave to the world of jazz.
Music Through the Mists of Time 