Early Autumn (song) explained

Early Autumn
Type:	Song
Genre:	Jazz
Composer:	Ralph Burns Woody Herman
Lyricist:	Johnny Mercer

"Early Autumn" is a song composed by Ralph Burns and Woody Herman with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The song grew out of the fourth segment of Burns's "Summer Sequence" concert piece.^[1] The original recording was made by Herman's second herd on December 27, 1947, which had a notable eight-bar solo by saxophonist Stan Getz.^[2] Herman asked Johnny Mercer to write lyrics in 1952 and he re-recorded the song taking the vocal duties himself.^[3]

Woody Herman and Jo Stafford recorded versions of the song that both charted in the US in 1952.^[4]

Notable covers

• Woody Herman — instrumental version (1949).^{[5] [6]}
• Woody Herman — single release in 1952 for the Mars label (catalog No. 300).^[7]
• Ted Heath and His Music, vocal by Lita Roza (1952).^[8]
• Jo Stafford — single version that peaked at #25 on the Billboard singles chart.^[9]
• Ella Fitzgerald – a single release for Decca Records (catalog No. 29810) in 1956 (recorded in 1952)^[10]
• Ella Fitzgerald – new version for her album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Johnny Mercer Songbook (1964)
• Johnny Mathis – Wonderful, Wonderful (1957)
• Anita O'Day - Anita O'Day Sings the Winners (1958)
• Stan Getz – Stan Getz & Strings (1961)
• Cleo Laine - I Am a Song (RCA Victor, 1973)
• Anita Kerr Singers – Round Midnight (1975)
• Patricia Barber - Split (1989)
• Mel Tormé – Night at the Concord Pavilion (1990)
• Diana Krall - included on the Mark Whitfield album Forever Love (1997).
• The Four Freshmen – In Session (2005).
• Patti LuPone – The Lady with the Torch (2006).

Personnel

Personnel on the 1947 recording were:^[11]

• Stan Fishelson — trumpet
• Bernie Glow — trumpet
• Marky Markowitz — trumpet
• Ernie Royal — trumpet
• Shorty Rogers — trumpet
• Earl Swope — trombone
• Ollie Wilson — trombone
• Bob Swift — trombone
• Woody Herman — clarinet
• Jimmy Giuffre — clarinet
• Sam Marowitz — alto saxophone
• Herbie Steward — tenor saxophone
• Stan Getz — tenor saxophone
• Zoot Sims — tenor saxophone
• Serge Chaloff — baritone saxophone
• Ralph Burns — piano
• Walt Yoder — bass
• Terry Gibbs — vibraphone
• Don Lamond — drums

External links

• "Early Autumn" at Jazz Standards

Notes and References

1. Book: Gioia, Ted . 2011 . The History of Jazz (2 ed.) . Oxford . Oxford University Press . 312-313, 336 . 9780190087210 .
2. Book: Giddins. Gary. Visions of Jazz. 1998. Oxford University Press. New York. 0-19-507675-3. 407.
3. Web site: 45cat.com. 45cat.com. February 20, 2018.
4. Book: Whitburn. Joel. Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. 1986. Record Research Inc. Wisconsin, USA. 0-89820-083-0. 495.
5. Web site: 45worlds.com. 45worlds.com. February 20, 2018.
6. Web site: Gilliland, John. . Pop Chronicles 1940s Program #22 - All Tracks UNT Digital Library . Digital.library.unt.edu . 197X . 2021-02-15.
7. Book: Whitburn. Joel. Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. 1986. Record Research Inc. Wisconsin, USA. 0-89820-083-0. 211.
8. Web site: 45worlds.com. 45worlds.com. February 20, 2018.
9. Web site: 45cat.com. 45cat.com. February 20, 2018.
10. Web site: The Online Discographical Project. 78discography.com. February 20, 2018.
11. Web site: The Early Autumn Story and 10 Faves . Myers . Marc . October 26, 2021 . JazzWax . August 29, 2023 .