Konitz is sometimes regarded as the preeminent cool jazz saxophonist, because he performed and recorded with Claude Thornhill, Lennie Tristano (both often cited as important cool jazz proponents of the mid 1940s), and with Miles Davis' on his epochal Birth of the Cool, which gave the form its name.
Konitz has also been repeatedly noted as one of the few jazz saxophonists of the late 1940s and 1950s who did not seem imitative of the massively influential Charlie Parker.
In the early 1950s, Konitz recorded and toured with Stan Kenton's orchestra.
In 1961, he recorded Motion with Elvin Jones on drums and Sonny Dallas on bass. This spontaneous session, widely regarded as a classic in the cool genre, consisted entirely of standards. The loose trio format aptly featured Konitz's unorthodox phrasing and chromaticism.
In 1967, Konitz recorded The Lee Konitz Duets, a series of duets with various musicians. The duo configurations were often unusual for the period (saxophone and trombone, two saxophones). The recordings drew on very nearly the entire history of jazz, from a Louis Armstrong dixieland number with valve trombonist Marshall Brown to two completely free duos: one with a Duke Ellington associate, violinist Ray Nance, and one with guitarist Jim Hall.
Konitz was quite prolific, recording dozens of albums as a band leader. He also recorded and/or performed with Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, Gerry Mulligan, Elvin Jones and others.
I'll Remember April
Lee Konitz Lyrics
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We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
Alone where we have walked together
I'll remember April and be glad
I'll be content you loved me once in April
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
For flames live such a little while
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I'll remember April and smile
The lyrics of Lee Konitz's "I'll Remember April" describe the bittersweet feeling of recalling a past love while experiencing the gradual fading of that memory. The first verse sets the scene of a beautiful day that will eventually transition into a melancholic evening, where the singer will bid farewell to the love that was once had. The second verse reflects on the beauty of the spring before the eventual downfall of autumn, allowing the singer to accept the inevitability of change. The final verse describes the fading away of strong emotions and memories, but also the ability to cherish those memories with a smile on one's face.
Overall, the song's themes revolve around the passage of time and the fluctuating nature of love, where the singer seems to have accepted the transitory nature of life while still clinging to the memory of their past love. The lyrics are poignant yet subtle, allowing the listener to interpret their meaning in their own way.
Line by Line Meaning
This lovely day will lengthen into evening
The cheerful day will last longer and eventually turn into night.
We'll sigh goodbye to all we ever had
We will bid farewell to everything that we have enjoyed together.
Alone where we have walked together
I will be alone at the place where we have traveled together.
I'll remember April and be glad
Despite the separation, I will recollect the joy we shared in the month of April.
I'll be content you loved me once in April
I will be content knowing that you once loved me during April.
Your lips were warm and love and spring were new
During spring, when love is in the air, we shared warm kisses and affection.
I'm not afraid of autumn and her sorrow
I am not scared of the sadness that autumn brings.
For I'll remember April and you
I will recall the memories of you and I together in April.
The fire will dwindle into glowing ashes
The once blazing passion between us will eventually reduce to mere embers.
For flames live such a little while
As flames typically burn out quickly, so does the passionate heat we had once shared.
I won't forget but I won't be lonely
I will always hold on to those memories, but I won't become lonely without them.
I'll remember April and smile
I will keep April in my heart and evoke happy memories that will make me smile.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON RAYE, GENE DE PAUL, PATRICIA JOHNSTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Antonio Betancourt
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