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The underrated
recording
Indigos (1957) showcases
Ellington, Shorty Baker, and Johnny
Hodges on a relaxed and bluesy
“Prelude to a Kiss.” |
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- JW
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“Prelude to a Kiss” has undoubtedly
become one of the top jazz standards,
but its evolution to greatness was
slow. On August 9, 1938, Duke Ellington
and His Orchestra, featuring
Johnny Hodges, recorded “Prelude
to a Kiss” for the Brunswick label.
A second version was recorded fifteen
days later for the Vocalion label.
This time it was by
Johnny Hodges and His Orchestra
with vocalist Mary McHugh.
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Johnny
Hodges’ “orchestra” was
composed of members of the Duke
Ellington Orchestra including
Ellington himself. Mary McHugh
was with the Ellington band in
1938, recording a little over
half a dozen songs. Along with
“Prelude to a Kiss” she was the
first to record “Lost in
Meditation” with Ellington.
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The public liked the Mills/Gordon
lyrics, and the Mary McHugh rendition
went onto the charts in October
rising to number thirteen. The instrumental
charted a week later, rising to
number eighteen.
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Although “Prelude to a Kiss”
is more popular with jazz performers
today, Ellington’s 1938 million-selling
“I
Let a Song Go Out of My Heart”
overshadowed both of its initial
hit recordings. Rising to number
one with both the Ellington and
Benny Goodman orchestras, “I
Let a Song Go Out of My Heart”
stayed on the charts for nearly
six months.
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According to several Ellington
experts, “Prelude to a Kiss” was
adapted from a melody by alto saxophonist
Otto “Toby” Hardwick. The resulting
composition is often characterized
as graceful, sensual, sultry, seductive,
and tender--a perfect fit for
Johnny Hodges’ alto saxophone
abilities. In the book
Jazz Styles: History and Analysis,
author Mark C. Gridley comments
that
[Hodges] is
particularly known for a romantic
approach to ballad playing that
has pervaded American music
… His work on “Prelude to a
Kiss” typifies that side of
his talents.
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Written in an A1-A2-B-A2 form, the melody in
the first and third measures of each A section sidles
down the scale five halftones in a chromatic decline
while the fifth measure starts out with a note repeated
four times. The overall effect is a general flattening
of the melody, drawing the ear to Ellington’s rich
supporting harmonies.
The chromatic nature of “Prelude to a Kiss” produces
a plaintive sound, a sad serenade that Gordon and
Mills reflect in their lyrics. It’s the bridge,
however, that brings true emotional release, almost
to the point of seeming celebratory. Its corresponding
lyrics express Ellington’s dramatic change in mood,
relating the transformation of a pitiful love song
into a Schubert symphony. -JW
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Musical analysis of
“Prelude to a Kiss”
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| Original
Key |
C major,
modulating to E major during the “B”section |
| Form |
A1 – A2 –
B – A2 |
| Tonality |
Primarily
major |
| Movement |
The “A” section
consists of downward chromatic passages,
flattening out into repeated notes before
leaping up a ninth and down a sixth. It
then ascends stepwise again. Section “B”
dances across the range of the tune before
flattening out into repeated notes; it eventually
climbs chromatically, returning to the final
“A.” |
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Comments
(assumed
background)
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Like the Basie/Hefti classic “Li’l
Darlin’,” this starts on the secondary
dominant V7/V with a II7 – V7 – I sequence.
The I, which contains a seventh at this
point, is itself a secondary dominant of
IV to which the progression continues. This
same “circle of fifths” sequence is repeated
a minor third lower, ending on a ii7 – V7
– I to which the composers add embellishing
chords to delay the final resolution to
I. At the end of the second “A,” the tonic
is followed by a VII7 chord which easily
modulates into the new key. In section “B,”
a I – vi – ii7 – V7 progression is used
along with its functional variant, iii –
biii˚7 – ii7 – bII7.
The modulation back to section “A” is
a masterpiece of subtlety: it begins with
what appears to be a I – IV cadence on paper
(E – A in the original), except that the
IV contains the minor seventh and a flatted
ninth, clearly sounding as if it were going
“somewhere else.” (The A7(b9) here is really
a V7 of D, with the flatted ninth adding
a strong hint of vii˚7 of D). The resolution
turns out to be a Dm11 (the melody note
is the 11th in this case). The harmonic
progression rises two half-steps to Em11,
then back down to Eb7, and eventually to
the initial D13 in the first measure of
“A,” while the melody continues upward,
landing on the B natural that is the first
melody note as well as the13th of the D
chord.
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K. J. McElrath - Musicologist for JazzStandards.com
Check out K. J. McElrath's book of Jazz Standards Guide Tone Lines at his web site (www.bardicle.com). |
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“Prelude to a Kiss” has always been one of my favorite
ballads. The melody has a lot of beautiful chromatic
movement, and there are enough key centers and resolutions
to keep things interesting when soloing. The only
problem is to getting your improvisation to approach
the haunting tenderness of Duke’s themes.
John
Stowell, jazz guitarist
www.johnstowell.com
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Instrumentalist?
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“Prelude to a Kiss”
was included in these films:
- Fabulous Baker Boys (1989,
The Duke Ellington Orchestra)
- Glengarry Glen Ross (1992,
Bill Holman Big Band)
- Prelude to a Kiss (1992, Deborah
Harry)
- White Man's Burden (1995,
The Michael Lang Trio)
And on stage:
- Sophisticated Ladies (1981,
Phyllis Hyman) Broadway musical
- Play On! (1997, Carl Anderson)
Broadway musical
And on television:
- Play On! (2000, Raun Ruffin)
PBS Great Performances
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Click on a CD for more details
at Amazon.com
Brad Mehldau
Introducing Brad Mehldau
1995 Warner Bros. 45997
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| Pianist Mehldau’s 10-minute arrangement
of the piece is one of the most thoughtful
and mesmerizing renditions of any song,
let alone this one. |
Joe Lovano
Rush Hour
1995, Blue Note 29269
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| Saxophonist Lovano is backed by
an orchestra conducted by Gunther Schuller
on this full-bodied track. The result is
lush. The jazz group is given space to improvise
in the foreground while enjoying Schuller’s
support rather than direction. |
Claudia Acuña
Wind From the South
2000, Verve 314543521
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| Chilean singer Claudia Acuña provides
an upbeat rendition of the song. The tempo
and her Latin vocals give the Ellington
ballad a touch of the exotic. |
Bobby Timmons
This Here Is Bobby Timmons
1991, Orig. Jazz Classics #104
Original recording, 1960
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| Pianists seem to love “Prelude to
a Kiss.” Timmons takes it sweetly as a solo
before bassist Sam Jones and finally drummer
Jimmy Cobb join him. The other eight cuts
are divided between standards and Timmons’
own witty compositions. |
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Texas tenor saxophonist John Hardee, a late, swing-era, rising star, unfortunately
came along as jazz was moving into bebop. His style had a nice, Don Byas-type approach
but was just too similar to other players, and he left New York, returning to Dallas.
His 1948 recording of “Prelude...” shows that he had fine ability with a ballad,
and the record also spotlights bop pianist Al Haig.
Composer Duke Ellington, in an unusual album as a featured solo player, recorded
an excellent trio version of his tune in 1953.
In a 1954 session with strings, “used to be Duke Ellington tenor player” Ben
Webster pays homage to his former section mate, alto saxophonist
Johnny Hodges, for whom the tune was a feature with Ellington.
Chris Tyle - Jazz Musician and Historian
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| This section shows the jazz standards
written by the same writing team. Click on a name
to see all of a writer's jazz standards.
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Additional information on “Prelude to a Kiss” may be found in:
1 page including the following types of information: music analysis.
1 paragraph including the following types of information: music analysis.
Includes the following types of information: song lyrics.
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