Fair Weather (vocal) – Kenny Dorham
Initially we're making available what we feel is the definitive Kenny Dorham Fair Weather vocal lead sheet in four different keys—male, female and choir keys. Click on the Sing Jazz! cover to hear an audio example of the choir singing our definitive melody and lyric. This exquisite ballad, with its tender melody and impassioned lyrics, is an important song in K.D.'s catalog and a welcome addition to any singer's repertoire.
- Recording: Chet Baker - 'Round Midnight
- Recorded on: July 1-12, 1985
- Label: Columbia (SC 40464)
- Concert Key: A-flat
- Vocal Range: Baritone, A-flat2 to C4
- Style: Ballad
- Vocal, Trumpet - Chet Baker
- Piano - Herbie Hancock
- Bass - Pierre Michelot
- Drums - Billy Higgins
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
Kenny Dorham's original manuscript for this glorious ballad includes his lyric. This recording by Chet Baker was the first released version. It's in A♭, the same key as Kenny's manuscript. Our lead sheet shows the definitive version; parts of the melody and lyrics in Chet's recording are different. Click on Historical Notes for more details.
Lyric description: A passionate plea for unity, harmony, justice: "Peace on earth and good will to all." K.D.'s lyrics are every bit as heartfelt as any melody he wrote or played.
The lead sheet shows three different endings. The first ending features a turnaround that goes back to A for a solo chorus. The second ending, for the out melody, holds out the last melody note over a final cadence. There is also an alternate second ending which was originally included in Kenny's copyrighted manuscript. This version goes up a fifth on a repeat of the lyric "my friend."
Currently there are four different vocal keys available. If none of these are "your key," send us your vocal range, and we'll create a new edition in that key. Best if you write to don@secondfloormusic.com.
Lyric description: A passionate plea for unity, harmony, justice: "Peace on earth and good will to all." K.D.'s lyrics are every bit as heartfelt as any melody he wrote or played.
The lead sheet shows three different endings. The first ending features a turnaround that goes back to A for a solo chorus. The second ending, for the out melody, holds out the last melody note over a final cadence. There is also an alternate second ending which was originally included in Kenny's copyrighted manuscript. This version goes up a fifth on a repeat of the lyric "my friend."
Currently there are four different vocal keys available. If none of these are "your key," send us your vocal range, and we'll create a new edition in that key. Best if you write to don@secondfloormusic.com.
This recording appeared in the soundtrack for Bertrand Tavernier's 1986 movie "'Round Midnight" starring Dexter Gordon.
Kenny Dorham copyrighted Fair Weather in 1959; his manuscript includes the melody and lyrics but only a few chord symbols. In 1964 he made a private, solo piano and vocal recording of this song at the home of Norwegian jazz critic Randi Hultin. This was released in 1998 on the CD accompanying her book, "Born Under The Sign Of Jazz." Our definitive lead sheet comes from K.D.'s manuscript with the chords filled in from his recording.
Kenny Dorham copyrighted Fair Weather in 1959; his manuscript includes the melody and lyrics but only a few chord symbols. In 1964 he made a private, solo piano and vocal recording of this song at the home of Norwegian jazz critic Randi Hultin. This was released in 1998 on the CD accompanying her book, "Born Under The Sign Of Jazz." Our definitive lead sheet comes from K.D.'s manuscript with the chords filled in from his recording.
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- Recording: jazzleadsheets - Sing Jazz!
- Recorded on: May 30, 2010
- Label: Second Floor Music (740213)
- Concert Key: F
- Vocal Range: Contralto, F3 to A4
- Style: Ballad
- Vocal - Cassie Van Stolk
- Piano - Gloria Cooper
- Bass - Daryl Johns
- Drums - Steve Johns
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
We first published Fair Weather in the "Sing Jazz!" book, though without a recording. The lead sheet in the book is in the key of F, better suited for female singers than the original male key of A♭.
Since we have no vocal recording in this key, our audio excerpt comes from our choir recording in the key of B♭. This version has the melody precisely as written in that key. Click on the next album cover for more details on this recording.
Since we have no vocal recording in this key, our audio excerpt comes from our choir recording in the key of B♭. This version has the melody precisely as written in that key. Click on the next album cover for more details on this recording.
Many other songs from the "Sing Jazz!" book are available as exclusive recordings on jazzleadsheets.com, with Minus You tracks for vocalists.
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- Recording: jazzleadsheets.com - jazzleadsheets choir
- Recorded on: May 30, 2010
- Label: jazzleadsheets.com (JLS)
- Concert Key: B-flat
- Vocal Range: , C4 to C4
- Style: Ballad
- Vocal - Cassie Van Stolk Cooke, Adam Kunsberg
- Trumpet - Don Sickler
- Piano - Gloria Cooper
- Bass - Daryl Johns
- Drums - Steve Johns
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
This exclusive recording features an arrangement by Gloria Cooper for choir and rhythm section with a horn soloist, in this case Don Sickler (trumpet). The key is B♭ concert.
Our audio excerpt above starts at the beginning of the arrangement, with a four-measure intro. To get a real sense of this song as it appears in the definitive lead sheet, listen to this sample as well [clip] beginning right at A and including the entire melody chorus. This version features the choir and rhythm section only, with the trumpet edited out.
This arrangement presents the melody precisely as written in the lead sheet. Any solo vocalist is free to play around with the melodic rhythm. For example, both Chet Baker and Sheila Jordan start the melody after the downbeat of the first measure.
Our audio excerpt above starts at the beginning of the arrangement, with a four-measure intro. To get a real sense of this song as it appears in the definitive lead sheet, listen to this sample as well [clip] beginning right at A and including the entire melody chorus. This version features the choir and rhythm section only, with the trumpet edited out.
This arrangement presents the melody precisely as written in the lead sheet. Any solo vocalist is free to play around with the melodic rhythm. For example, both Chet Baker and Sheila Jordan start the melody after the downbeat of the first measure.
This arrangement is also available as a Minus You track for a horn soloist to accompany the choir and solo; check out the instrumental version for this track.
In 2010, pianist/vocalist/arranger Gloria Cooper, along with Second Floor Music employees Adam Kunsberg and Cassie Van-Stolke, spent the day at the Van Gelder Recording Studio, recording 12 choir arrangements with overdubbed vocals.
In 2010, pianist/vocalist/arranger Gloria Cooper, along with Second Floor Music employees Adam Kunsberg and Cassie Van-Stolke, spent the day at the Van Gelder Recording Studio, recording 12 choir arrangements with overdubbed vocals.
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- Recording: Sheila Jordan - Little Song
- Recorded on: June 3-4, 2002
- Label: HighNote (HCD 7096)
- Concert Key: E-flat
- Vocal Range: Contralto, E-flat3 to G4
- Style: Ballad
- Vocal - Sheila Jordan
- Flugelhorn - Tom Harrell
- Piano - Steve Kuhn
- Bass - David Finck
- Drums - Billy Drummond
Video
- Description
- Historical Notes
- Solos
- Piano Corner
- Bass Corner
- Drum Corner
- Guitar Corner
- Inside & Beyond
- Minus You
Sheila Jordan's version, in the key of E♭, is closely based on our definitive lead sheet though with plenty of her unmistakable phrasing. She begins the melody rubato with piano, right on the top of the head, delaying the first phrase until after the piano chord on the downbeat. The bass and drums enter in time on the third measure.
Sheila Jordan's Ballad For Miles is in the "Sing Jazz!" book. When Don Sickler gave her a copy of the book, he suggested that she might like to sing Fair Weather. She said Kenny had given the song to her years ago, when he and her then-hustand, pianist Duke Jordan, rehearsed at their apartment. Besides the "Little Song" version, Sheila also recorded Fair Weather again in 2021 on "trioTrio Featuring Sheila Jordan" with pianist Jacob Sacks, bassist Dave Ambrosio and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza. Lord discography lists a third recording, a radio broadcast from Toronto in 2005 featuring pianist Don Thompson.
On the 100th anniversary of Kenny's birth (August 30, 2024), at Dizzy's Club in Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC, Sheila delivered a very emotional performance with a trio of Jeb Patton, David Wong and Kenny Washington.
Don Sickler: "This recorded track also features the great trumpet/flugelhorn player Tom Harrell. Tom has been a friend for many years and on one evening of my second week-long Kenny Dorham Festival at the Jazz Standard in NYC (November 28, 2000), Tom did a two-trumpet night with me where I'm sure we also played my two-flugelhorn arrangement of Fair Weather."
On the 100th anniversary of Kenny's birth (August 30, 2024), at Dizzy's Club in Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC, Sheila delivered a very emotional performance with a trio of Jeb Patton, David Wong and Kenny Washington.
Don Sickler: "This recorded track also features the great trumpet/flugelhorn player Tom Harrell. Tom has been a friend for many years and on one evening of my second week-long Kenny Dorham Festival at the Jazz Standard in NYC (November 28, 2000), Tom did a two-trumpet night with me where I'm sure we also played my two-flugelhorn arrangement of Fair Weather."
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Kenny Dorham
August 30, 1924 – December 15, 1972
August 30, 2024, was Kenny Dorham's 100th birthday: jazzleadsheets.com has added 10 new K.D. compositions: K.D.News! Check them out! Kenny was inducted into the Lincoln Center Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame On October 16, 2024, with a Tribute Concert at Dizzy's Club. Four of Kenny's daughters were in attendance. Read more...
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