Why this tune?
I’m always trying to learn more tunes from the jazz repertoire by heart, so I can play them
reliably without having to look at the music. The latest addition to this set is “I Hear A
Rhapsody,” a 1941 pop song by George Fragos, Jack Baker and Dick Gasparre. “Rhapsody” was a hit for Jimmy Dorsey in 1941, and soon entered the jazz canon as an instrumental starting with a 1945 recording by Erroll Garner.
I think the music in this song is much stronger than the lyrics. That may explain the relatively small number of vocal recordings. There are some fine vocal takes, including a
2010 release by the legendary singer and teacher Jay Clayton. I associate the song with the great Boston pianist (and my former teacher) Harvey Diamond, who recorded a lovely trio version in 2015.
Tunes On Tuesday Reel
Check it out
Full piano track
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 