Welcome to Week 11 of The Definitive Version, a new weekly feature of my website. You can read more about the project here.
Song: “But Beautiful”
Composer: Jimmy Van Heusen
Lyricist: Johnny Burke
Form: ABAB’
Standard Key: G Major
“But Beautiful” is a relatively late jazz standard, having been composed in 1947 for the Bing Crosby movie Road to Rio. Unlike many jazz standards, it is almost always interpreted as a ballad. The song possesses both a lovely melody and a lovely harmonic progression – it takes you into interesting harmonic places, and when it gets there, the melody often lands on interesting notes like 9ths or 13ths, rather than blander roots and fifths.
Definitive Version: Tony Bennett (1975 from The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album) – featuring Bill Evans on piano
Form: Intro | Chorus | Piano solo | Vocal Chorus | Vocal final B’
Feel: Ballad
Key: A-flat Major
Instrumentation: Piano
The Tony Bennett / Bill Evans Album is among the most celebrated jazz vocal duo albums, and deservedly so. This particular track gives a good idea of why. Bennett and Evans were kindred musical spirits, bringing a combination of sensitivity and drama that serves this song very well. Bennett interprets the melody with care and accuracy, but with a willingness to phrase in service to the story, and to bring the wide melodramatic range for which he’s so well known. Evans’ piano supports Bennett’s interpretation and brings numerous musical colors in support of their collaboration.
Also Recommended:
- Bille Holiday (1958 from Lady in Satin) In the final months of her life, on one of her final albums. Her voice is weak but her interpretation is strong.
- Shirley Horn (1989, from Close Enough for Love) – Shirley Horn uses space better than any other interpreter of ballads.
- Nat King Cole (1958 from The Very Thought of You) – Cole with strings and an always-elegant interpretation.
- Nancy Wilson (1969, from But Beautiful) – Lovely version with guitar-centric rhythm section.
- Carmen McRae & Betty Carter (1987, from Duets) – Live, with great examples of interaction in a singer-duo format.