In the Dark (Bix Beiderbecke song)
"In the Dark" is a 1931 jazz composition for solo piano by cornetist Bix Beiderbecke. The song was the fourth in a series of four piano works composed by Bix Beiderbecke during his career.
Background
Bix Beiderbecke never recorded the song himself but copyrighted the composition on April 18, 1931 along with "Flashes", a similar piano work for solo piano, as "A Modern Composition for the Piano". Bill Challis assisted in the transcription of the composition for piano. The score and sheet music for the composition were published by Robbins Music in New York. Jazz trumpeter Bunny Berigan recorded the song on December 1, 1938 in New York and released it as a 78 single in an arrangement for orchestra and trumpet in 1939. In 2010, pianist Bryan Wright recorded the composition on piano and released it on Rivermont along with the three other piano compositions by Bix Beiderbecke, "In a Mist" (1927), "Candlelights" (1930), and "Flashes" (1931).
A copy of a 1931 "In the Dark" sheet music cover was dedicated and signed by Bix Beiderbecke to trumpeter Leo McConville:
To Leo:
One of the best personally and musically — thanks for saving my life on the Camel Hour numerous times — The Best Bix Beiderbecke.
Notable recordings
"In the Dark" has been recorded by Bunny Berigan and His Men, Jack Teagarden, Kenny Werner, Dick Hyman, Bryan Wright, Chris Madsen Trio, Francis Faulin, The Dukes of Dixieland, Oscar Pettiford featuring Tom Talbert, Patrick Artero, Geoff Muldaur's Futuristic Ensemble, The Tiger Dixie Band in 2005.
Album appearances
- Bix Beiderbecke: Bix Restored, Vol. 1, Origin Records, 1995
- Bix Beiderbecke: In a Mist: His Best Works, Definitive Classics, 2007
Sources
- Berton, Ralph. Remembering Bix. Harper & Row, 1974.
- Castelli, Vittorio, Evert (Ted) Kaleveld, and Liborio Pusateri. The Bix Bands: A Bix Beiderbecke Disco-biography. Raretone, Milan, 1972.
- Collins, David R. Bix Beiderbecke: Jazz Age Genius. Morgan Reynolds, Inc., Greensboro, North Carolina, 1998.
- Evans, Philip R. and Linda K. Evans. Bix: The Leon Bix Beiderbecke Story. Bakersfield, Calif.: Prelike Press, 1998. ISBN 0-9665448-0-3.
- Lastella, Aldo. "La vita e la leggenda di Bix Beiderbecke". Nuovi Equilibri S.R.L., Roma, 1991.