St. Thomas (jazz standard)
St. Thomas is a jazz standard by Sonny Rollins ; the song was first recorded by him in 1956 on his album Saxophone Colossus . It is based on a traditional song that probably originated in the Caribbean . Lyricist Ray Passman released a text version of the song as Down St Thomas Way .
History of the song
When Rollins was in the studio to record the album Saxophone Colossus , he also used a melody he knew from early childhood from his mother, who came from the island of Saint Thomas in the Virgin Islands . He named the piece after the island. Randy Weston , whose grandfather came from Jamaica , played an almost identical melody as Fire Down There as early as 1955, also for Prestige Records - for Orrin Keepnews a calypso song that was treated in an Afro-Cuban way. Weston stated it was a traditional way. Also Mal Waldron knew the piece (as The Carnival ).
reception
Rollin's version was well received by the audience. Even if he later took up other calypsothems such as Don't Stop the Carneval or Brown Girl , he repeatedly interpreted St. Thomas , which he alone is in twelve versions on record and which became his most famous composition. Numerous other jazz musicians took up the piece. Ted Gioia highlights the interpretations of Hampton Hawes (1964), Eric Kloss (with Pat Martino , 1967), Jim Hall / Ron Carter (1972), Monty Alexander (1979), Branford Marsalis (1987), David Murray (1992), Bill Holman (with the SWR big band , 1993) and the 18-minute version by Joshua Redman (with Pat Metheny , 1994).
literature
- Ted Gioia: Jazz Standards. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2012, ISBN 0-19-976915-X .
Individual evidence
- ↑ In the text accompanying the CD box The Complete Prestige Recordings , Rollins states that he gave the authorship of the song on the advice of the record company.
- ↑ Liner Notes to Randy Weston Get Happy .