Moody’s Mood For Love

My neighbor and friend DiĆ©ry Prudent is working on a documentary on the bebop saxophonist and flutist James Moody, best known for his 1949 recording “Moody’s Mood For Love.” It’s an improvised solo over the changes to “I’m In The Mood For Love,” one of those off-the-cuff jazz solos that came out so tightly structured as to stand on its own as a melody. For jazz listeners, “Moody’s Mood” has eclipsed the pleasant but corny tune it was based on. It supports my assertion that jazz arrangements of standards are analog remixes.

“Moody’s Mood” went on to inspire further analog remixing. In 1952, Eddie Jefferson wrote lyrics to Moody’s solo, and King Pleasure recorded them in 1954 with Blossom Dearie. Here’s Moody himself singing the Eddie Jefferson lyrics with Dizzy Gillespie – he sings Blossom Dearie’s part too:

Also, here’s a delightful performance of “Moody’s Mood” from the Cosby Show (sorry, no embedding.)

Continue reading