Stardust

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Stardust (m. Hoagy Carmichael, w. Mitchell Parish)

From Wikipedia (image added):

According to Carmichael, the inspiration for “Stardust” (the song’s original title was “Star Dust”, which has long since been compounded into “Stardust”)^[3] came to him while he was on the campus of his alma mater, Indiana University, in Bloomington, Indiana. He began whistling the tune, then rushed to the Book Nook, a popular student hangout, and started composing. He worked to refine the melody over the course of the next several months, likely in Bloomington or Indianapolis (sources cite various locations, and Carmichael himself liked to embellish the facts about the song’s origins).^[4] “Stardust” was first recorded in Richmond, Indiana, for Gennett by Carmichael with Emil Seidel and his Orchestra and the Dorsey brothers as “Hoagy Carmichael and His Pals” on October 31, 1927, as a peppy but mid-tempo jazz instrumental.^[5] Carmichael said he was inspired by the improvisations of Bix Beiderbecke.^[6] The tune at first attracted only moderate attention, mostly from fellow musicians, a few of whom (including Don Redman) recorded their own versions.

Mitchell Parish wrote lyrics for the song, which were published in 1929, based on his and Carmichael’s ideas. A slower version had been recorded in October 1928, but the transformation came on May 16, 1930, when bandleader Isham Jones recorded it as a sentimental ballad.^[7] “Stardust” is a 32-bar melody with a slightly unusual ABAC structure preceded by a 16-bar verse. Although the verse is often omitted in recordings, Frank Sinatra made a recording in 1961 (released the next year on Sinatra and Strings) of just the verse. The verse and chorus have the same final cadence, though other than that they are musically distinct.

Excerpt from an article published at WICN.org (now defunct):

It seems almost churlish to dispute Carmichael’s legendary story of how he came to write “Star Dust,” since it fits so well with the song. Will Friedwald, in his book Stardust Melodies, describes Carmichael’s version of the event: “Our hero, while paying a nostalgic visit to his alma mater [Indiana University], happens to pass the campus’s lover’s lane, or “spooning wall” as it was known, and begins thinking about all the girls he’d loved and lost in his college days. While pondering on one old school romance in particular, the kernel of a melody just pops into his head. A frantic Carmichael dashes in search of a piano and locates one in the campus coffee house – a cozy little joint called the “Book Nook” – where, oblivious to all else, our hero works the melody out and gets it down on paper. Shortly afterward, he plays it for a friend and former classmate named Stu Gorrell, who remarks that it reminds him “of the dust from the stars drifting down through a summer night.” From there comes the title “Star Dust.” “I had no idea what the title meant,” Carmichael later said, “but I thought it was gorgeous.”

Hoagy Carmichael & His Pals — recorded on 31 October 1927; issued in January 1928 on the 10-inch 78 rpm single Gennett 6311, as the B-side of “One Night in Havana”

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Irving Mills and his Hotsy Totsy Gang — recorded on 20 September 1929; issued on Brunswick 4587, c/w “Melancholy,” the opposite side recorded by Joe Rines and his Triadors

personnel (from the session(s)?), adapted from the list given by the YouTube provider:

• Manny Klein, Leo McConville — trumpet
• Miff Mole — trombone
• Jimmy Dorsey, Arnold Brilhart — clarinet, alto saxophone
• Pee Wee Russell — clarinet, tenor saxophone
• Hoagy Carmichael — piano, cello
• Joe Tarto — brass bass (tuba)
• Chauncey Morehouse — drums

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Louis Armstrong and his Orchestra — recorded 4 November 1931; issued on the 78 rpm single Columbia 2574-D, c/w “Chinatown, My Chinatown”

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Isham Jones and his Orchestra – 1931

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Django Reinhardt

Recorded 2 March 1935, in Paris – Coleman Hawkins (ts), Stephane Grappelly (p), Django Reinhardt (g), Eugene d’Hellemmes (b), Maurice Chaillou (d)

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Garnet Clark and his Hot Club’s Four — Paris —  Django Montreal dates this recording 23 November 1935 while Djangopedia has 25 November and the youtube provider says 25 December, Christmas Day. I’m going with Django Montreal.

Bill Coleman (trumpet and vocal)
George Johnson(clarinet and alto sax)
Garnet Clark (piano)
Django Reinhardt (rhythm guitar)
June Cole (bass)

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Hoagy Carmichael: piano, vocal; Spike Jones: drums — recorded 11 May 1942, Los Angeles, according to the site 20sJazz.com

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Harry James & his Orchestra, vocal: Frank Sinatra — Live from the Roseland Ballroom, New York City, 8 July 1939  – According to the discography, blue-eyes.com, the arrangement was by Andy Gibson and the recording was an “aircheck.”

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Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra, vocals: Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers — recorded 11 November 1940

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Artie Shaw and his Orchestra – recorded 7 October 1940, Hollywood, CA

Artie Shaw (clarinet), Billy Butterfield (trumpet), Johnny Guarnieri (piano), Jack Cathcart, George Wendt (trumpet); Vernon Brown, Jack Jenney (trombone); Les Robinson, Neely Plumb (alto sax); Bus Bassey, Jerry Jerome (tenor sax); Al Hendrickson (guitar), Jud DeNaut (bass), Nick Fatool (drums), and a 9-piece string section — arrangement: Lennie Hayton & Artie Shaw

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Lionel Hampton and the Just Jazz All Stars – Pasadena Civic Center, Pasadena, CA – 4 August 1947

Bass – Slam Stewart
Guitar – Barney Kessel
Piano – Tommy Todd
Saxophone, Alto – Willie Smith (1910-1967)
Saxophone, Tenor – Corky Corcoran
Trumpet – Charlie Shavers

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Dave Brubeck Quartet — concert at College of the Pacific, 14 December 1953

• Dave Brubeck – piano
• Paul Desmond – alto saxophone
• Ron Crotty – bass
• Joe Dodge – drums

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Artie Shaw and his Orchestra – from the album Moonglow – 1956

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Sarah Vaughan – from No Count Sarah – 1958

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Clark Terry – London, 1967

Adapted from the description attached by the video provider:

During a JATP [Jazz at the Philharmonic] concert in London Clark Terry is featured on fluegelhorn in “Stardust”. With him are Teddy Wilson: piano, Louise Bellson: drums, and Bob Cranshaw: bass.

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Wynton Marsalis – Hot House Flowers – 1984

Wynton Marsalis (trumpet)
Branford Marsalis (tenor and soprano saxophone)
Jeff Watts (drums)
Ron Carter (bass)
Kenny Kirkland (piano)