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Composition by Randy Weston
"Hi-Fly " (also sometimes spelled "Hi Fly " or "High Fly ") is one of the best known compositions by American jazz pianist
Randy Weston , written in the 1950s and inspired by his experience of being 6 feet 8 inches tall,
[1] "and how the ground looks different to you than everybody else".
[2] Since first being recorded on 1958's
New Faces at Newport ,
[3] "Hi-Fly" appears on several other albums by Weston, including
Live at the Five Spot (1959),
[4]
Niles Littlebig (1969),
[5]
Tanjah (1973),
[6] Perspective (with
Vishnu Wood , 1976),
[7] Rhythms and Sounds (1978),
[8] Earth Birth (1995),
[9] Zep Tepi (2005),
[10] and The Storyteller (2009).
[11]
Jon Hendricks wrote lyrics to the song,
[12] recorded first in 1959 on the album
Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross!: "The Hottest New Group in Jazz" and also appearing on 1961's High Flying With Lambert, Hendricks & Ross . Among others who have recorded vocal covers are
Abbey Lincoln (on The World Is Falling Down , 1991),
Mel Tormé (on 1962's
Comin' Home Baby! and other albums),
[13]
Karin Krog on (
Hi-Fly with
Archie Shepp )
[14] and
Sarah Vaughan (
In the City of Lights , 1999).
Selected covers
Now a
jazz standard , "Hi-Fly" has been recorded in many versions by other leading musicians,
[14] including:
Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis :
Smokin′ , 1958
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross :
The Hottest New Group in Jazz , 1959
Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers :
At the Jazz Corner of the World , 1959
Cannonball Adderley Quintet:
The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco , featuring
Nat Adderley , 1959
Slide Hampton Octet:
Sister Salvation , 1960
Lambert, Hendricks & Ross: High Flying With L, H & R , 1961
The Jazztet (
Art Farmer and
Benny Golson ):
Big City Sounds , 1961
Johnny Coles :
The Warm Sound , 1961
Jaki Byard :
Hi-Fly , 1962
Lionel Hampton : Many Splendored Vibes , 1962
Al Grey :
Snap Your Fingers , featuring
Billy Mitchell , 1962
Cannonball Adderley :
Phenix , 1975
Horace Parlan :
No Blues , 1975
Archie Shepp with
Karin Krog :
Hi-Fly , 1976
Eric Dolphy :
The Berlin Concerts , 1977
[15]
Horace Parlan:
Hi-Fly , 1978
Dexter Gordon :
Gotham City , 1981
Shelly Manne : Goodbye for Bill Evans , 1981
Ted Dunbar :
Jazz Guitarist , 1982
George Shearing with
Mel Tormé :
Top Drawer , 1983
Peter King :
Hi-Fly , 1984
Monty Alexander : Full Steam Ahead , 1985
Rio Nido :
Hi Fly , 1985
Max Roach Double Quartet:
Bright Moments , 1985
Donald Byrd :
Harlem Blues , 1988
Art Taylor :
Mr. A.T. , 1992
Jimmy Smith :
Damn! , 1995
Ron Carter :
So What , 1998
Ray Bryant : Ray's Tribute to His Jazz Piano Friends , 1998
Sarah Vaughan :
In the City of Lights , 1999
Ahmad Jamal : A Quiet Time , 2009
[16]
Tom Brantley : Boneyard , 2009
References
^
Biography , Randy Weston official website.
^
"Jazz Legend Randy Weston: The Complete Democracy Now! Interview" , Democracy Now! , February 24, 2012.
^
"New Faces at Newport" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Live at the Five Spot" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Niles Littlebig" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Tanjah" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Perspective" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Rhythms and Sounds" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Earth Birth" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Zep Tepi" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"The Storyteller" , Randy Weston Discography.
^
"Hi-Fly" , International Lyrics Playground.
^
"Mel Tormé – Hi-Fly" at AllMusic.
^
a
b
"Hi-Fly" at SecondHandSongs.
^
"Hi-Fly by Eric Dolphy" . SecondHandSongs.
^
"Hi-Fly by Ahmad Jamal" . SecondHandSongs.
External links