Paris toured with Charlie Parker. He also tap-danced from his youth and into his years in the US Army, entertaining his fellow soldiers. He is best known for his recordings of "Skylark" and "'Round Midnight" in the late 1940s-early fifties. Paris performed and/or recorded with Terry Gibbs, Lionel Hampton, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Donald Byrd, Gigi Gryce, Charles Mingus, and others. He won many jazz polls and awards, including those of Down Beat, Playboy, Swing Journal, and Metronome.
Carlo Jackie Paris was born in Nutley, New Jersey to an Italian-American family. His uncle Chick had been a guitarist with Paul Whiteman's famous Orchestra.Jackie was a very popular child entertainer in vaudeville, a pint-sized song and dance man, who shared the stage with — and was encouraged by — such legendary black headliners as Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and The Mills Brothers. Paris played guitar with Nick Jerret's band in the early '40s.
After serving in the army during World War II, Jackie, inspired by his friend Nat King Cole, put together a trio featuring himself on guitar and vocals. "The Jackie Paris Trio" were a smash hit at the Onyx Club on New York's 52nd Street. They played at the club for an unprecedented 26 weeks, perhaps the longest-running residency in the history of Swing Street.
The first song Jackie ever recorded was "Skylark", on one of two sessions made by his trio, for MGM Records in 1947. Composer Hoagy Carmichael once said of Jackie's rendition that "the kid sings the hell out of it."
In 1949, Jackie was the first white vocalist to tour with the famous Lionel Hampton Orchestra. He remembered an occasion when he actually did 78 consecutive one-nighters with the band. When he finally got off the road, he received an offer to join Duke Ellington's Orchestra, but at that time was too exhausted to take it. For years after, Ellington's son Mercer would tell him, "You're the only guy that ever turned down my old man."
Jackie was the first singer to record Thelonious Monk's future jazz anthem "Round Midnight", which was produced by the famous critic Leonard Feather and featured a young Dick Hyman on piano.
Jackie was the only vocalist to ever tour as a regular member of the Charlie Parker Quintet. Unfortunately, no recordings exist of the Parker-Paris combination (although the "Round Midnight" session mentioned above features Parker's bassist and drummer, Tommy Potter and Roy Haynes), but there is a classic photograph of the two working together.
In 1953, Jackie was named Best New Male Vocalist of the Year in the first ever Down Beat Critics Poll. The winning female vocalist was Ella Fitzgerald, who repeatedly named Jackie as one of her favorites.
Charlie Mingus named Jackie as his favorite singer, and used him on several recording sessions over a period of many decades, including 1952's "Paris In Blue" (written expressly for Jackie) and the Mingus classic "Duke Ellington's Sound of Love," on the album Changes Two in 1974. Paris also worked extensively with the famous bassist-composer-bandleader in clubs.
Likewise, Jackie was the only singer ever endorsed by the legendary comic and 20th Century iconoclast Lenny Bruce. Bruce not only split the bill with Jackie on many occasions, he shouted Jackie's praises to all who would listen, saying "I dig his talent. The audience loves him and he gets laughs. He is toooo muccchhh!"
Other major musicians with whom Jackie recorded include Hank Jones, Charlie Shavers, Joe Wilder, Wynton Kelly, Eddie Costa, Coleman Hawkins, Bobby Scott, Max Roach, Lee Konitz, Donald Byrd, Gigi Gryce, Ralph Burns, Tony Scott, Neal Hefti, Terry Gibbs, Johnny Mandel, Oscar Pettiford, and many others.
Some of his best-known albums include Songs By Jackie Paris (EmArcy), Jackie Paris Sings the Lyrics of Ira Gershwin (Time), The Song Is Paris (Impulse!), and many others.
Jackie recorded consistently through the years, from the 1940s up to and beyond the millennium.
In 2001, Jackie played to a standing room crowd — and to a standing ovation — at New York's Birdland, in Times Square. He was virtually the only performer to have appeared at every incarnation of the famed jazz night spot, from the legendary Birdland of the '50s up to the present.
A documentary, Tis Autumn: The Search for Jackie Paris, has been made.
Paris died in New York City.
When I Fall in Love
Jackie Paris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe I am living in the past
But when I meet the right one
I know that I'll be true
My first love will be the last
When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
Love is ended before it began
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
When I give my heart it will be completely
Or I'll never, never, never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I give my heart to you
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I give my heart to you
The lyrics to Jackie Paris's song "When I Fall in Love" speak to the timeless longing for a love that is deep, lasting, and true. The singer acknowledges that they may be seen as old-fashioned or out of touch with the times, but they believe in the power of finding the right person and being committed to them forever. They understand that in a world where love can often be fickle and short-lived, they desire a love that is enduring and steadfast.
The line "When I fall in love it will be forever" encapsulates the singer's belief in the permanence of love. They assert that if they cannot have a love that lasts forever, they would rather not fall in love at all. They are seeking a love that goes beyond fleeting moments and superficial romance.
The lyrics also highlight the fragility of love in a restless world. The reference to "too many moonlight kisses" cooling in the warmth of the sun suggests that passion and infatuation often fade when faced with the realities of day-to-day life. The singer recognizes that love requires more than just romantic gestures and temporary excitement. They emphasize that when they finally give their heart to someone, it will be with complete devotion and sincerity.
The ultimate moment of commitment is highlighted in the lines "And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too, is when I give my heart to you." The singer waits for the assurance that their love will be reciprocated before fully giving themselves to their partner. This emphasizes the importance of mutual understanding and shared feelings in the journey of love.
Overall, "When I Fall in Love" portrays a yearning for a love that transcends time and circumstances, rooted in deep commitment and mutual devotion. It is a song that celebrates the desire for lasting love in a world that often prioritizes instant gratification and temporary connections.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do
Perhaps I have a traditional mindset, with the emotions that I possess
Maybe I am living in the past
Perhaps I am rooted in a time gone by
But when I meet the right one
However, when I encounter the perfect person
I know that I'll be true
I am certain that I'll remain faithful
My first love will be the last
My initial and final love will be the same
When I fall in love it will be forever
When I experience love, it will endure eternally
Or I'll never fall in love
Otherwise, I will never experience love
In a restless world like this is
In this restless and ever-changing world
Love is ended before it began
Love often concludes even before it commences
And too many moonlight kisses
And numerous affectionate gestures under the moonlight
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun
Appear to fade away when exposed to the reality of day
When I give my heart it will be completely
When I offer my heart, it will be wholeheartedly
Or I'll never, never, never give my heart
Otherwise, I will never bestow my heart upon another
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
And the instant I sense that you reciprocate the same emotions
Is when I give my heart to you
That is the moment when I completely give my heart to you
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
And the instant I sense that you reciprocate the same emotions
Is when I give my heart to you
That is the moment when I completely give my heart to you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Edward Heyman, Victor Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind