After spending time with the Lloyd Price orchestra, he recorded extensively for Blue Note, and performed or collaborated with Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, and John Zorn.
His music evolved to incorporate elements of modal and free jazz, without ever losing the basic, earthy groove that he brought to it from the beginning.
He wrote some classics and will be remembered fondly both by musicians and fans. His stellar work included "Funky Mama" and Along Came John. During the late 60s John recorded some very adventurous music for the Blue Note label with artists such as Harold Alexander and George Coleman on lps such as Understanding and Accent on the Blues. Of particular note on the early sessions recorded for Blue Note both under his own name and also with George Braith, Don Wilkerson and Lou Donaldson was the superlative empathy he developed with guitarist Grant Green and drummer Ben Dixon - an organ trio whose work in the soul jazz genre remains unsurpassed to this day.
Since the resurgence in interest in music from this period Blue Note has unearthed many sessions that lay in the vaults. LPs such as Blue John which was actually penciled for release, but never was, and two fantastic (and forward looking) albums Boogaloo and Memphis New York Spirit saw the light of day and showed the world more of this exceptional artist's work.
He continued recording until the late 1990s and his lps (listed below) are well worth finding. In these later years he developed a loyal following in both Japan and Europe - which he toured to great acclaim. He also played live in the US and abroad to great acclaim with several dates having been recorded by collectors. Most recently George Braith issued Eagle Eye Blues on his own label.
The Shadow Of Your Smyle
John Patton 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
In "The Shadow of Your Smile," John Patton sings about how the memories of his lover's smile will stay with him even long after she is gone. The song begins with the idea that the shadow of her smile will color all his dreams and light the dawn. The lyrics hint at the depth of his affection for his lover, as he describes all the lovely things she is to him. He urges her to look into his eyes, so she can see the depth of his love for her. The mood of the song is wistful and melancholic, as if the singer is already mourning the loss of his love, even though she is still with him.
In the chorus, the singer remembers how they first met, when they were both young and full of hope, represented by the wistful little star that was far too high for them. But then a teardrop kissed her lips, and he did too. This moment represents their union and their love for each other.
In the final verse, the singer reflects on the joys of their love and what it meant to him. He says that when he remembers spring and all the joys that love can bring, he'll remember the shadow of her smile. The lyricist uses this powerful image of the shadow of her smile to suggest that although she may be gone, her memory and their love will continue to color his dreams and his life.
Line by Line Meaning
The shadow of your smile
The lasting memory of your smile
When you have gone
When you are no longer here with me
Will color all my dreams
Will influence and impact all my dreams
And light the dawn
And fill my mornings with hope and happiness
Look into my eyes my love and see
Look deep into my eyes and understand
All the lovely things you are to me
All the wonderful and cherished qualities you possess
Our wistful little star
Our star, which had a melancholic quality
It was far, too high
It was unreachable and too distant
A teardrop kissed your lips
A tear rolled down your face and touched your lips
And so did I
And I, too, shed a tear for our star
Now when I remember spring
Now when I think back to a time of renewal and new beginnings
All the joys that love can bring
All the happiness and ecstasy that love can bring
I will be remembering
I will recall
The shadow of your smile
The lasting memory of your smile
Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PAUL WEBSTER, JOHNNY MARDEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Maxim Popov
Jazz is the healer 💙☮️💙
Los coros que yo me sé
Sencillamente supremo !!! Y el estilo (únicooooo) de tocar la guitarra de Frisell !!!!!!
Martin Babb
Oh wow... this knocked my socks off. Smooth as silk.. dark as chocolate.. immaculate. Enchanting. Thank you..
jozzey2008
Very slow, blue but sung with almost a smiling voice is the perfect match of the 'musical ambiance' I'm looking for. Pitchblack is the night with somewhere in the far distance just a tiny light bowl, hardly to see... Small steps must I make on the invisible road who's heading to an insecure, unknown destiny, surrounded in darkness. Decisions have to be made. Not only by me. The answers I'm looking for are vague, like the shadow of myself on the dark road, who's behind me.
NycBeauty
Lovely 🥰
El The Greatest
Beautiful
Jonathan Baladì
Amazing
Michael Harmon
One dislike? They didn't really try to listen.
Robert Giles
One dislike is like a miracle on YouTube; I've seen brilliant performances by solo guitarists at the highest level dissed.
Michael Powell
My Mom would like the singer. Gray haired crowd, 8:33pm on a Friday night. Old Town School of Folk Music. Now your in the Elevator Hall of Fame. good night...............