Beautiful performance of Autumn Leaves by Duke Ellington, featuring Ozzie Nelson on vocals and Ray Nance on violin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xr1hFdvh1lk

What a hauntingly beautiful arrangement. Brilliant jazz violin by Ran Nance, who was also an excellent trumpeter. But that's Ozzie Bailey on the vocal, not Ozzie Nelson. (Though Nelson was also a big band singer who once fronted his own band.)

Thanks for posting that, Arthur.

Now I have a sudden urge to listen to some Joe Venuti.

Ray Nance is a mystery. He should have been so much bigger than he was. Good looking, not only a brilliant jazz violinist and trumpter, but also a great vocalist, he should haVe been a super star.

Hi Bob ... of course I meant Ozzie Bailey ... don't know how my fingers found Nelson as I was typing.

"Hauntingly beautiful" is exactly how I would describe Duke's arrangement, too. Very interesting, in one of the sections, how a seemingly "wrong" unison note is held by the horns, which actually precedes a chord about 4 bars ahead, which then makes perfect sense. I've never heard that done by anyone else.

Hey, I second listening to some Joe Venuti ... plus a little Stephane Grapelli with Django's band!

I don't know if I could handle that! But it would be a great thing to hear.

Just listened again for that "off" note that goes into the chord. Never heard (or noticed) that before, either. Really creative and it works perfectly.