Lush Life
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- Jerry Gleason
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Lush Life
Occasionally, there has been some discussion here of the song "Lush Life", Billy Strayhorn's classic jazz ballad. I thought it might be interesting to try it as a steel guitar instrumental. It's probably been done before, but I couldn't locate a version on any steel records, so I decided to work up one myself.
It's probably just as well that I didn't hear a good steel version, because I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to try it myself if I knew someone had already done it much better than I could.
For me, this song is difficult to pull off as an instrumental, not so much because of it's harmonic complexity, but because so much of the emotion and pathos is in the lyrics. It's hard to believe that Strayhorn wrote this as a teenager.
Anyway, my version is not too adventurous, sticking mostly to the Real Book changes, and no harmonic accompaniment, just naked steel guitar, with some upright bass sprinkled in here and there.
So, here, for what it's worth, is my humble submission:
Lush Life
It's probably just as well that I didn't hear a good steel version, because I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to try it myself if I knew someone had already done it much better than I could.
For me, this song is difficult to pull off as an instrumental, not so much because of it's harmonic complexity, but because so much of the emotion and pathos is in the lyrics. It's hard to believe that Strayhorn wrote this as a teenager.
Anyway, my version is not too adventurous, sticking mostly to the Real Book changes, and no harmonic accompaniment, just naked steel guitar, with some upright bass sprinkled in here and there.
So, here, for what it's worth, is my humble submission:
Lush Life
Last edited by Jerry Gleason on 15 Apr 2011 5:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Earnest Bovine
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Re: Lush Life
That sounds very nice indeed.
Maybe it helps to sings along silently as you play. I do that sometimes.Jerry Gleason wrote: .. this song is difficult ... because so much of the emotion ... in the lyrics.
- Jerry Gleason
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I hate responding to a thread when I don't have anything constructive to add, but I just had to say...
That was really nice, Jerry !
"It's hard to believe that Strayhorn wrote this as a teenager."
I'll say. I could never get over that. If that was his audition tune, no wonder Ellington hired him.
Jerry Gleason remains the only steel player on the planet (including me) who my Mother likes to listen to.
-John
That was really nice, Jerry !
"It's hard to believe that Strayhorn wrote this as a teenager."
I'll say. I could never get over that. If that was his audition tune, no wonder Ellington hired him.
Jerry Gleason remains the only steel player on the planet (including me) who my Mother likes to listen to.
-John
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- Jerry Gleason
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Thank you, Andy. I played this on a standard 10 string C6 pedal tuning with a G on top. Yes, those arpeggiated harmonics are similar to the way Lenny Breau does it on standard guitar. Unfortunately, I can't play those with fingerpicks on, so I have to play the whole thing without picks, but that's okay.
John, please give my regards to your Mother.
John, please give my regards to your Mother.
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Very nice Jerry.
Jerry is also a fine graphic artist. He drew this:
Some of you may recognize it as the basis of a certain CD cover.
Jerry is also a fine graphic artist. He drew this:
Some of you may recognize it as the basis of a certain CD cover.
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
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- Jerry Gleason
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Wow, Thanks so much to all who have responded. I've always loved that song, and noodled around with it occasionally, but it's only recently that I finally put some effort into working out how I might play it on steel guitar.
My favorite version of Lush Life has always been the Coltrane / Johnny Hartman rendition. That's what I had going through my head when I was working on this. Man, that used to be my "mood music" record, back when I was young and single, and had a date.... But I digress....
You'd think that Db might be an awkward key, but it actually opens up some interesting open string possibilities on C6th that I hadn't used before. It does use a lot of the guitar, for sure. Every one of five knee levers and five pedals gets a workout on that one.
My favorite version of Lush Life has always been the Coltrane / Johnny Hartman rendition. That's what I had going through my head when I was working on this. Man, that used to be my "mood music" record, back when I was young and single, and had a date.... But I digress....
You'd think that Db might be an awkward key, but it actually opens up some interesting open string possibilities on C6th that I hadn't used before. It does use a lot of the guitar, for sure. Every one of five knee levers and five pedals gets a workout on that one.
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Thanks, Jerry! I've loved that tune since I heard it by Ella with Joe Pass circa 1975. Your rendition is worthy of a great jazz guitarist like Pass or Johnny Smith.
Last edited by Andy Volk on 22 Jan 2008 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.