Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers is a jazz standard written by jazz pianist Steve Kuhn. [1] It was first recorded and released by Monica Zetterlund in October 1972. The song was also featured in Steve Kuhn Live in New York. [2]
In an interview with Sheila Jordan in a book entitled Jazzwomen: Conversations with Twenty-One Musicians, Jordan noted: "Some people used to think [the song] was about a child who dies at an early age. Actually, it was originally named after a piano player who was advertised in the back of a Down Beat magazine. Steve saw the name and liked it. He never knew the guy, but he was intrigued with his name.” [3]
The piece is a waltz with three distinct tonal centers. The piece begins with 16 bars in the key of E minor, and it modulates to D minor for the second 16 bars. Following this, there is an 8-bar bridge in Abmaj7#11. The song ends with 16 bars in the key of C minor.
"Layla" is a song written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, originally recorded by Derek and the Dominos, as the thirteenth track from their only studio album, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs (1970). Its contrasting movements were composed separately by Clapton and Gordon. The piano part has also been controversially credited to Rita Coolidge, Gordon's girlfriend at the time.
"Linus and Lucy" is a popular instrumental jazz standard written by American jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, appearing in many Peanuts animated specials. Named for the two fictional siblings Linus and Lucy van Pelt, it was originally released on Guaraldi's album Jazz Impressions of A Boy Named Charlie Brown. However, it gained its greatest exposure as part of the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack the following year. It is one of the most recognizable pieces by Guaraldi, and has gained status as the signature melody of the Peanuts franchise.
"Here Comes the Sun" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album Abbey Road. It was written by George Harrison and is one of his best-known compositions. Harrison wrote the song in early 1969 at the country house of his friend Eric Clapton, where Harrison had chosen to play truant for the day to avoid attending a meeting at the Beatles' Apple Corps organisation. The lyrics reflect his relief at the arrival of spring and the temporary respite he was experiencing from the band's business affairs.
William Godvin "Beaver" Harris was an American jazz drummer who worked extensively with Archie Shepp.
Monica Zetterlund was a Swedish jazz singer and actress. Through her lifetime, she starred in over 10 Swedish film productions and recorded over 20 studio albums. She gained international fame through her collaborative album with Bill Evans, Waltz for Debby.
Reginald "Reggie" Workman is an American avant-garde jazz and hard bop double bassist, recognized for his work with both John Coltrane and Art Blakey.
Sheila Jordan is an American jazz singer and songwriter. She has recorded as a session musician with an array of critically acclaimed artists in addition to recording her own albums. Jordan pioneered a bebop and scat jazz singing style with an upright bass as the only accompaniment. Jordan's music has earned praise from many critics, particularly for her ability to improvise lyrics; Scott Yanow describes her as "one of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers." Charlie Parker often introduced Jordan as "the lady with the million dollar ears."
Steve Kuhn is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and educator.
Arild Andersen is a Norwegian jazz musician bassist, known as the most famous Norwegian bass player in the international jazz scene.
Juvenal de Holanda Vasconcelos, known as Naná Vasconcelos, was a Brazilian percussionist, vocalist and berimbau player, notable for his work as a solo artist on over two dozen albums, and as a backing musician with Pat Metheny, Don Cherry, Björk, Jan Garbarek, Egberto Gismonti, Gato Barbieri, and Milton Nascimento.
Eric Andersen is an American folk music singer-songwriter, who has written songs recorded by Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Linda Ronstadt, the Grateful Dead and many others. Early in his career, in the 1960s, he was part of the Greenwich Village folk scene. After two decades and sixteen albums of solo performance he became a member of the group Danko/Fjeld/Andersen.
Karin Krog is a Norwegian jazz singer.
Paul Haines was a poet and jazz lyricist. Born in Vassar, Michigan, Haines eventually settled in Canada after spending time in Europe, Asia, and the United States; he had a long stint as a French teacher at Fenelon Falls Secondary School, in Ontario, Canada. Active in New York City in the 60s, he recorded Albert Ayler's Ghosts. A second recording made by Ayler called "Spiritual Unity" included a printed folio with text by Paul Haines called "You and the Night and Music." Haines, a month later to record a Michael Snow film called New York Eye and Ear Control.
Willis Robert "Billy" Drummond Jr. is an American jazz drummer.
Harvie S is an American jazz double-bassist.
West Wind Records was a jazz record label that released albums by many notable musicians during the 1980s. Some of these albums were previously issued on labels such as Circle Records.
Last Year's Waltz is a live album by the Steve Kuhn Quartet featuring Sheila Jordan recorded in 1981 and released on the ECM label.
Edda Karin Hjartardóttir Magnason is a Swedish singer-songwriter, musician and film actress of Icelandic descent. She has released three albums, Edda Magnason (2010), Goods (2011), and Woman Travels Alone (2014). She has also released a soundtrack album, Monica Z - Musiken från filmen (2013). She made her debut as an actress in the film Waltz for Monica, playing the leading role of Monica Zetterlund.
Steve Kuhn Live in New York is a live album by American jazz pianist and composer Steve Kuhn recorded in 1972 and originally released on the Cobblestone label but rereleased as Raindrops on the Muse label.
"Countdown" is a hardbop jazz standard composed by American jazz saxophonist John Coltrane which was first featured on his fifth studio album, "Giant Steps", in 1960. The song is a contrafact of Miles Davis' Tune Up which is reharmonized to the Coltrane changes. The original recording has been described as having "resolute intensity. .. [that] does more to modernize jazz in 141 seconds than many artists do in their entire careers".