Yes. Yes. YES!! I know that there is a surfeit of Porgy and Bess recordings out there. Satch and Ella, Miles, Torme’. But this one just might be the most swinging of them all. Performed back in 1992 at The Landing in San Antonio, Texas, the entire “jazz opera” is delivered in an “Original Jazz Transcription” by Jim Cullum/ct, Allan Vache/cl, Mike Pittsley/tb, John Sheridan/p, Don Mopsick/b, Howard Elkins/g-banj and Ed Torres/dr. There’s an occasional narration by the big voiced William Warfield, which works for the first listen but isn’t needed for the return trips. What you end up with is some of the most fervent readings of Gershwin’s material that you’ll come across.
You get a handful of versions of the more well known pieces like “Summertime,” as Vache’s lazy clarinet floats with Cullum on one, while Elkins’ guitar strums on another. Cullum growls on a sassy “A Woman Is A Sometime Thing” and gets Honky Tonkin on “Buzzard Song.” The entire ensemble is a swinging gas on more obscure pieces like “Oh, I Can’t Sit Down” and the banjo strumming hits just right on”I AIn’t Got No Shame.” Vache’ is lithe and rich on “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and lively on “I Loves You, Porgy.” The mix of lazy paces with juke joint jumping makes the famous songs fresh and the under-heard more desireable. Check this one out!
City Hall Records