Something In A Summer's Day – Kirk Nurock

The instrumental version of A Something In A Summer's Day is very much as effective as the song with Kirk's adaptation of Emily Dickensen's poetry. Though it can be played as a ballad, our recording is at a ballad tempo with a groove - sort of a very slow bossa or a bolero. This is a song that establishes a secondary key center before settling in the ultimate key; the first four measures of the A and C sections land on B minor, going to the tonic E minor in the fifth measure. This is particularly deceptive as the piano intro on this recording sets up B minor; the bass and drums only enter on the first E minor chord. The bridge modulates to A♭ major; this unusual key change is reflected in the lead sheet by a key signature change to cut down on accidentals.

The main melodic theme is transformed over the course of the song: beginning as an ascending line, the second A section adds upper neighboring notes, while the C section has largely the same notes in a more convoluted order. The form is a 37-measure AABC, with tags extending the second A and C sections to 10 measures, and the bridge to 9.

The lead sheet contains the melody lines of Kirk's intro and end figures as recorded, as well as a suggested melodic embellishment (also taken from the recording) in the tag ending.