Valentines

"My Funny Valentine" was one of Chet Baker's signature songs, and I'd love to give you a link to a clip of him singing or playing it. Sorry, that's not possible. A few days ago You Tube removed all of its Baker videos because of a copyright wrangle, so I looked to see who else they have performing the piece. It turns out there are dozens of versions on You Tube, maybe hundreds; I quit sampling them after the fourteenth page. You may have better things to do than roam through all of the possibilities, so here are links to six of the better ones. To watch, click on the name of the performer.

J.J Johnson with Rob Schneiderman, piano; Rufus Reid, bass; Akira Tana, drums.

Keith Jarrett, piano; Gary Peacock, bass; Jack DeJohnette, drums.

Duke Ellington's band with solos by Jimmy Hamilton, clarinet, and Quentin Jackson, trombone.

Paolo Fresu, Flugelhorn, assisted by an unidentified trumpeter who may be Franco Ambrosetti.

Wynton Marsalis in 1980 at age 19, with Art Blakey's band. The pianist is James Williams.

Tony Bennett with Buddy Rich, drums; Ralph Sharon, piano; an unidentified tenor saxophonist and a bassist who looks like John Burr.

Happy Valentine's Day.