Thriving on a Riff

In response to the Daily Prompt: Riff

While beginning assemble my Big Band Playlist for Spotify (the modern day version of a mix tape), I went through a number of track before I decided to include the track, which is probably the most famous Jazz tune of all, it is a recording by Glenn Miller and is called “In the Mood”. What you probably don’t know that the famous tune was originally recorded by Miller, but by Artie Shaw and it clocked in at around 8 minutes long. Miller, or more likely one of his arrangers, heard the record and bought it down to bare essentials.

 

But it doesn’t end there, the famous riff also appeared in a Horace Henderson composition called “Hot and Anxious” circa 1931. Recorded by the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra.

 

But even before that, a one-armed Trumpeter/Vocalist called Wingy Manone recorded this track called Tar Paper Stomp… doesn’t it sound very familiar?