Sample played by David Stewart and London Brass

10032 – My Funny Valentine

R. Rodgers/L. Hart

Arranged by Mark Nightingale

Difficulty: Medium

Price: £22.50

Programme notes:

This tune was written in 1937 for the musical “Babes in Arms”. The list of artists who have recorded it since then contains virtually every great ballad singer as well as quite a few jazz players; amongst many others are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Stephan Grapelli, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Gerry Mulligan and Miles Davis. The lyrics are noteworthy for the wonderfully inventive rhyme “Your looks are laughable, Un-photographable!”

Performance notes:

Make sure the balance between the solo bass trombone and the rest is always good; especially between B and C. be careful at C that the crescendos in the trumpet figures don’t cover the horn solo, grade them carefully and get a good match throughout the parts. When the band takes over at E let it go a bit but don’t be tempted to go over the top.