Encouraged by Willis Jackson in whose band he also played bass in the late 50s, McDuff moved to the organ and began to attract the attention of Prestige Records while still with Jackson's group. McDuff soon became a bandleader, leading groups featuring a young George Benson, Red Holloway on saxophone and Joe Dukes on drums.
McDuff recorded many classic albums on Prestige including his debut solo Brother Jack in 1960, The Honeydripper (1961), with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest and guitarist Grant Green, and Brother Jack Meets The Boss (1962), featuring Gene Ammons, and Screamin’ (1962).
After his tenure at Prestige, McDuff joined the Atlantic Records label for a brief period and then in the 70s recorded for Blue Note. To Seek a New Home (1970) was recorded in England with a line-up featuring blues shouter Jimmy Witherspoon and some of Britain's top jazz musicians of the day, including Terry Smith on guitar and Dick Morrissey on tenor sax.
The decreasing interest in jazz and blues patent during the late 70s and 80s meant that many jazz musicians went through a lean time and it wasn't until the late 80s, with The Re-Entry, recorded for the Muse label in 1988, that McDuff once again began a successful period of recordings, initially for Muse, then on the Concord Jazz label from 1991. George Benson appeared on his mentor’s 1992 Colour Me Blue album.
Despite battling health problems, McDuff continued working and recording throughout the eighties and nineties. 'Captain' Jack McDuff, as he later became known, died of heart failure at the age of 74 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Shadow Of Your Smile
Jack McDuff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you have gone
Will color all my dreams
And light the dawn
Look into my eyes my love and see
All the lovely things you are to me
It was far, too high
A teardrop kissed your lips
And so did I
Now when I remember spring
All the joys that love can bring
I will be remembering
The shadow of your smile
The Shadow of Your Smile is a poignant ballad by Jack McDuff that beautifully expresses the deep yearning when a loved one is gone. The song highlights the impact of a lover's absence on an individual's life. The lyrics demonstrate the lasting presence of love even when a person is no longer present physically. The shadow of their memory is enough to warm the dawn and color one's dreams. The poet has captured the essence of love that lingers even after a lover's departure.
The second stanza emphasizes the depth of love and how much it means to the singer. The poet calls upon the listener to look into their eyes and see all the beautiful things they mean to them. The fact that the singer can remember the joys of love demonstrates that it is a powerful catalyst that leaves an indelible mark on our hearts. Therefore, even though the lover is gone, they will leave a shadow of their smile that would be a lasting memory.
Line by Line Meaning
The shadow of your smile
The memory of your happy face
When you have gone
Once you've left my life
Will color all my dreams
Will influence all my thoughts and memories
And light the dawn
And bring hope to the start of each day
Look into my eyes my love and see
Please gaze into my eyes and understand
All the lovely things you are to me
All of the wonderful qualities you possess that I admire
Our wistful little star
Our small, nostalgic symbol
It was far, too high
It seemed unreachable and distant
A teardrop kissed your lips
A droplet of water met your mouth
And so did I
And so did I share in your sadness
Now when I remember spring
When I reminisce on the season of rebirth
All the joys that love can bring
All of the happiness that love can provide
I will be remembering
I will envision
The shadow of your smile
The memory of your happy face
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Johnny Mandel, Paul Webster
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jeanpaulbaldinger1726
Écouté ce matin 5h10 sur jazz radio
Magnifique 💕
@marshalllsmith2095
( Shadow Of Your Smile Haven't ) heard this cut in over fifty years....
What a difference a day makes.
@Spectrescup
You youngsters with your jeans round your knees- this is where you're meant to have your waistband.
@bennyjazzful
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen 74yo Aussie fan.
@marcottavi2655
i've must have been 20 years old or maybe 19 , around 2005, 2006....i did order an album by the post, i was trying to find back an old blues guitar tune somebody played to me when i was a kid , i've made a mistake and when i opened the letter this album was inside . i put it on and was instantly fascinated by the groove and the sound of "the shadow of your smile ", and the whole album .. i started to play it on repeat.. i was living with my mum who was back on product at the time , i was young and happy and sad meanwhile, i was in love and i was listening to this on my own in my room on a cheap cd player . I will never forget it
@KinnyMack
nuff respect to JacK McDuff and everybody involved in creating this timeless masterpiece. yeah i am gonna say that hip-hop brought me to this particular piece, but again nuff respect to the originators!
@Jm-ue8ze
Capital steez, action bronson . Who else used it?
@medallionmotionpictures
what a smokers delight this is. the organ takes me to paradise brother jack mcduff is angelic with his blessed hands. thanks for this post. one of my favorites.
@theflyingnimbus9705
RIP STEEZ
@JJJerrel
thank you action bronson for sampling this and keeping good music alive