My mother, who was a big fan of Billie Holiday (who just happened to have written this tune), used to sing this song to me when I was a kid. I always loved it, both the message and the music, but never really tried to play it. I simplified the chords since I'm too lazy to look up the correct ones and decided not to overembelish the melody after all the recent 'opinions' on "melisma". This is just a simple expression of my memory of it (it was also done by Blood, Sweat and Tears w/ David Clayton Thomas - a very nice version but I still prefer the Billie Holiday version with the Eddie Heywood Orchestra).

The 'piano' is "Romantic Piano" from my old Triton Classic as is the muted trumpet. The echo'y trumpet in the first bridge is also from the Triton called "ghosttown cornet". Guitar, as usual, is "Jazz guitar" from my old Tyros2 and organ is my Keyb Duo Mark111. The drum loop is actually a Country pattern which I thought would give it a 'different' feel. Plenty of mistakes but who cares.

https://app.box.com/s/13h1olzygxc78mp1r1nemvjgnix1lpll

chas

"Them that's got shall get, them that's not shall lose;
So the Bible says, and it still is news;
Mama may have, Papa may have,
But God bless the child that's got his own. That's got his own".

I try to play this every time I work. I started when it became a hit for Blood Sweat and Tears in the 70's, but was aware of it as a Billy Holiday classic. Herb Ellis had actually showed me the tune in the 60's.

Beautiful, sad tune. It's kind of what Jazz is all about; for me, at least!

Russ

Nice job Chas on a classic tune,.....aside from a little EQ as I struggled to hear the muted Trumpet, but overall I really enjoyed listening,...love the Organ Perc also

Thanx for sharing.

Good job Chas . Loved the organ . Was the piano a little detuned ?

chas ... thank you ... another addition to my collection ...
I felt the same as Donny on the Muted trumpet in the background, and despite all the melisma opinions, I was just hoping for a 'bust out' organ solo ... ...
Really nice work ... thanks again ...

Not really 'detuned'....hard to hear but that patch is actually layered with strings, which gives it sort of a detuned quality.

Tony - "I felt the same as Donny on the Muted trumpet in the background"

Okay, here's the scoop on the muted trumpet....Miles used to do stuff like this behind a lot of artists (like Chaka Khan) and I loved it. I wanted to do something similar but couldn't really come up with anything interesting to play (unlike Miles ). I started to delete it but then just decided to turn it down to nearly inaudible.....should've deleted it (or spent more time trying to come up with something creative. On the 'bust out' organ solo....yeah, I'm thinking about doing it again with just organ - I'm feeling a little timid about messing with that beautiful melody .

DNJ - "...love the Organ Perc also"

Yeah Donny, The Percussion on the KeyB is about as close to a real B3 as I've heard in a 'Clonewheel'; plus, it's tweakable. Also sounds very 'tube-y' (analog'y), even though it's straight into the recorder (no nice wooden Leslie to help it along).

chas

chas ... yeah, that's what I was looking for ...



com'on ... we KNOW you can do it ...



Actually I think right where you started the organ would be a great spot for it ... It's like "OK,children, here comes the organ player - hold on to your seats" ...
I'm waiting to hear it ...

Hey Chas... Nice recording. #thanksforsharing

Hey Charles:

Nice rendition. This tune has resonated with my inner-being since childhood. The Billie Holliday version is one of my favorites. I can see why it has a special meaning for you.

Thanks for sharing,

Dave Rice

I'd like to play on this...maybe next trip!


Russ

Nice job old man. Maybe you can teach me this when you come to the boat this fall. Most likely, I will have all my gear onboard.

Gary

Yeah Russ. Then maybe it'll get the great jazz chords it deserves. To all the rest of you, thanks, even though it's not deserved, as this is about as lazy an effort as you can get. I'm finding that the older I get, the lazier I get and the more tolerant I am of mistakes. I also lack the energy and patience to go back and correct them. I think that's why I have all but quit playing live. Oh well.

chas

chas ... sounds like you need a musical kick in the a$$ ... book a gig for a few weeks from now with some top players and "go to the woodshed" ... ... you will be much happier ...

Nice !! Especially that organ, sounds right on. The muted trumpet is a great touch too.
Didn't know Billy holiday wrote it.

Makes me want to just drop playing all the party and dance music garbage and just play great stuff like that.

Thanks Bill. Yeah, Billie co-wrote it with Arthur Herzog, Jr. in l939 and recorded it May 9, 1941. May 9th is my birthday, BTW, in case anyone wants to ship something my way .

chas