"ROSE ROOM". AN EXAMPLE OF SONG VERSIONS
Let's now see how the same song has been modified by arrangers and bands of different eras.
Rose Room is a jazz standard based on a composition by Art Hickman in 1917 and popular since its premiere at the Midnight Frolics show the following year. It was originally thought to have a foxtrot rhythm, as can be seen in the first recording that was made in 1918. The structure it had was three verses of 8 eight (16 bars) that were inserted between two groups of two ABAB choruses (for more information see the function of the verse and its disappearance in swing music). In addition, each of the sections was interpreted without any variations or solos, as you can see below:
There are very few versions, whether old or new, that use the original Harry Williams lyrics. Listen to this one here, dating from 1928, where the verse is maintained and there is a sung chorus. The song, although it still sounds a lot like the original foxtrot, is already taking on certain aspects of swing and some of the breaks that will be included in many later versions.
One of the first versions that, besides having swing, already has many of the elements of swing music, is that of Duke Ellington, recorded in 1932 with three choruses. The first and third contain the theme (head), while in the second there is a Duke Ellington piano solo which draws heavily on the original melody. In the first chorus there is a background riff, which gives the version a very interesting rhythmic sensation. In the heads there is a break at the fourth eight of the two B sections, stopping at the first beat in both cases. In the solo chorus there are no breaks, which is quite common in swing music (although the last eight of the chorus closes with a soft break in the fifth beat). You can see that it is a version that has definitely lost the verse and really swings.
Although the Duke Ellington version is already very good for dancing, in 1934 Jimmie Lunceford recorded a new version of Rose Room, which is sublime for dancers. This was in the same year he had began to work with his orchestra at the Cotton Club in New York with a completely new style compared to the orchestras that triumphed at that time. His arrangements were well studied and well executed, with many contrasts, with countermelodies that respond to the melody almost always with very simple, but extremely inspiring, ideas. The public -and the dancers in particular- raised him, within a very short time, to the height of the bests.
Listen to his version of Rose Room and pick out the features mentioned above. Note how the participation of all the instruments is very balanced, as it constantly plays with contrasts (for example, moving from a two to four-beat rhythmic sensation, changing the intensities, introducing interludes that do not only have the basic function of breaking the dynamics of the song, but in this case enrich it or make each of the choruses have a different rhythmic loudness and features) and how he prepares the breaks, putting more tension in the accompaniment to simplify anticipation by the dancers, but without doing it in the same way every time. Note how, in the first chorus, he uses exactly the same riff of the Duke Ellington version. This version, arranged by Sy Oliver (who was also the lead trumpeter of the band) incorporates an interlude. And also note how the breaks of the last eight of the first and third choruses link, masterfully, with the interlude and the ending, respectively. This ending, in addition, ends up being a very expressive interpretation by Sy Oliver himself.
Artie Shaw, clarinetist and leader of numerous bands, also made several versions of Rose Room. The one we include here does not have interludes or riffs. This is a version that we could define as sweet, with melodies that are not supported by the beat, quite common features of the commercial swing made by white musicians and designed for a white audience.
In a large part of the song there is a single melodic line, very adorned and often doubled or harmonized by the other instruments, with few countermelodies or responses to the melody. The harmonic base to accompany the melody usually consists of very long legato notes, which can last up to two bars (one eight) and give a tender character to the song. This version is unsuitable for dancers. In fact, Artie Shaw himself publicly acknowledged that he did not like to play for dancers.
The rhythmic base is quite rigid, with drummer playing a little bit abruptly at times and not being very flexible. This stiffness is passed on to the other instruments, giving the piece, in our opinion, very little swing. Listen to it here:
As we have seen, of these five versions of Rose Room, there are some that not only have more swing but also have more elements of swing music and, therefore, they are the ones that work best for dancing lindy hop. The ones we would choose would be Duke Ellington and, above all, the one by Jimmie Lunceford.
Which one most incites you to dance?
Here are more versions of Rose Room (you can listen by clicking on each of the names of the performers or going to the list we have created in Spotify). The list includes details of the structure of each one:
- Benny Carter: Intro ABAB ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- Benny Goodman Sextet: Intro ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro (Charlie Christian solo 2nd chorus, Lionel Hampton solo 3rd chorus)
- Django Reinhardt/Stéphane Grappelli: ABAB ABAB ABAB ABAB
- Duke Ellington (1938): Intro ABAB ABAB Outro (intro the one he will use in 1939 for In a Mellow Tone, with the same chords)
- Earl Hines: ABAB ABAB ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- Eddie Condon: ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- Fletcher Henderson: Intro ABAB interlude ABAB interludi ABAB Outro
- Harry James: ABAB interlude ABAB ABAB ABAB
- Henry "Red" Allen: ABAB ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- John Kirby/Paul Whiteman: ABAB ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- Nat King Cole: ABAB ABAB Outro
- Sidney Bechet: ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- Teddy Wilson: ABAB ABAB ABAB
Some modern bands have also made versions of this song. Bearing in mind that scores of the arrangements of the swing era are rarely available, the bands end up making their own versions or in some cases copy a version from an existing recording.
One example is the 2011 version by The Solomon Douglas Swingtet that copies, as faithfully as possible, Sy Oliver's arrangement for Jimmie Lanceford's Orchestra we looked at a moment ago. As you will realise, unfortunately they do not achieve the level of swing present in the original arrangement.
Listen to some other modern versions. You'll see that some are based on the older versions we have already discussed.
- Boilermaker Jazz Band (2015): Intro ABAB ABAB interlude ABAB ABAB ABAB
- Glenn Crytzer (2008): Intro ABAB ABAB interlude ABAB Outro
- Hot Swing Sextet (2018): Intro ABAB ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- Jonathan Stout (2017): Intro ABAB ABAB ABAB
- The Coquette Jazz Band (2018): Intro ABAB interlude ABAB ABAB ABAB Outro
- The Solomon Douglas Swingtet (2011): Intro ABAB interlude ABAB ABAB Outro
If you wish, you can now also visit the other pages dedicated to this topic:
What are jazz standards and swing classics?
Versions. The same song, with different arrangements.