Canadian Sunset Explained
"Canadian Sunset" is a popular song with music by jazz pianist Eddie Heywood and lyrics by Norman Gimbel. An instrumental version by Heywood and Hugo Winterhalter reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 7 on the R&B chart in 1956.[1] A version sung by Andy Williams was also popular that year, reaching No. 7 on the Billboard chart.[2] The Sounds Orchestral, conducted by Johnny Pearson, hit the Easy Listening chart reaching No. 14 and the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965 reaching No. 76.[3] In Canada their version reached No.25 on the Top 40 charts.[4]
Emergence as a jazz standard
The tune has been covered by a number of jazz performers beginning in the 1960s.
- Wes Montgomery (guitar) recorded the piece with small combo. The recording features his signature octave melodic technique.
- Danny Gatton (guitar) playing with Buddy Emmons (pedal steel) produced a funky version of the tune with the "redneck jazz" sound they developed (jazz played on instruments normally relegated to country music)
- George Shearing (piano) recorded the piece with his quintet along with an orchestral arrangement of his writing.
- Floyd Cramer (piano)
- Gene Ammons (tenor saxophone) on the 1960 album Boss Tenor
- Earl Bostic (alto saxophone)
- Earl Grant (organ)
- The Impacts (R. Baber, H. Brooks, H. Powell, C. Mattocks and K. Seymour) recorded a doo-wop version in 1959 that can be found on The Doo Wop Box II.
- Etta Jones (vocals) recorded this tune on her album Something Nice in 1961
- Cedar Walton made it funky on the 1976 album Beyond Mobius
- Sam Cooke did a version on his You Send Me album
- Dean Martin recorded a version on his 1959 album A Winter Romance
- Beegie Adair (piano) recorded the piece with her trio on Moments to Remember in 2009
- Carey T. Smith recorded a version on his 2009 album Birdy
- Horst Jankowski recorded a version on his 1965 album More Genius of Jankowski
- Earl Klugh recorded a version on his 2008 album The Spice of Life
- Doc Severinsen recorded a version on his 1967 album The New Sound of Today's Big Band
Notes and References
- http://musicvf.com/song.php?id=19589 Eddie Heywood and Hugo Winterhalter, "Canadian Sunset" chart positions
- http://musicvf.com/song.php?id=2397 Andy Williams, "Canadian Sunset" chart positions
- http://musicvf.com/song.php?id=38615 Sounds Orchestral, "Canadian Sunset" chart positions
- Web site: RPM Top 40 Singles - August 9, 1965.