"In a Mist" is a 1927 composition for piano by
Bix Beiderbecke.
Background
"In a Mist" was first recorded by Beiderbecke as a piano solo on September 9, 1927, in New York and released as OKeh 40916 backed with "Wringin' an' Twistin'" which was recorded with
Frankie Trumbauer and
Eddie Lang.
"In a Mist" mixes elements of late impressionism with early jazz.[citation needed] While written in C-major, the piece is heavily chromatic. Beiderbecke mostly plays on the fourth and fifth, often inserting sharp or flat accidentals, while avoiding the tonic to increase tension. Harmonically, the piece features melancholic, rich chords; the swing tempo gives the piece a joyful quality. These tensions drive the piece, finally settling on a hopeful C-major.[citation needed]
Cover versions
Red Norvo, on marimba, 1933.
Frankie Trumbauer, 1934, including Charlie and Jack Teagarden, Roy Bargy, and Dick McDonough and released as Brunswick 6997.
Lilian Crawford, 1934, released as Champion 16817.
Manuel Salsamendi, 1935, recorded on Argentinian Odeon.
Benny Goodman, 1936 radio broadcast.
Jess Stacy, recorded from a Benny Goodman Camel Caravan broadcast.
Bunny Berigan and His Men, 1938
Larry Clinton, 1938
Alix Combelle, 1941
Mel Henke with the Honeydreamers, 1947, as Vitacoustic U-669
Jimmy McPartland, 1949, with Marian McPartland on piano.
Sauter-Finegan Orchestra in an arrangement by Eddie Sauter
Les Jowett, 1957
Manny Albam, 1958, with Art Farmer, Donald Byrd, Ernie Royal, Bob Brookmeyer, Jerome Richardson, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Pepper Adams, Milt Hinton, Osie Johnson, and Eddie Costal.
Lou Busch, 1958
Michel Legrand, 1958
Dick Cathcart, 1959
The Metropolitan Jazz Octet, 1959
Johnny Guarnieri, 1961
Lew Davies, 1962
Ralph Sutton, 1963
Clark Terry, 1964
Armand Hug, 1968, released on Dulai.
Len Bernard, 1968 on Swaggie.
Ralph Sutton, 1969
Dill Jones, 1972, on the Chiaroscuro album Davenport Blues.
Jack Crossan, 1972
Freddie Hubbard, 1972
Bucky Pizzarelli, arranged for guitar, 1974
Geoff Bland, 1974
Dick Hyman, 1974
Swingle Singers, 1975
Trace, 1975
Keith Nichols, 1975
Armand Hug, 1976
Dave Frishberg, 1977
Kenny Werner, 1978
Ry Cooder, 1978
Vintage Jazz Band, 1978
Eddie Higgins, 1978
Charlie Byrd, in a guitar duet with Laurindo Almeida, 1980.
Franca Mazzola, 1981, released on Carosello.
Bucky Pizzarelli, with son John, Jr., 1984
Lou Stein, 1984
Bob Haggart, 1986
Marco Fumo, 1987
Saint Louis Stompers; released in 1988 in Argentina.
Juliet Kurtzman and Pete Malinverni, Candlelight: Love in the Time of Cholera
References
Bix: Man and Legend by Richard M. Sudhalter & Philip R. Evens, Quartet, 1974.
Bix: The Definitive Biography of a Jazz Legend by Jean Pierre Lion with the assistance of Gabriella Page-Fort, Michael B. Heckman, and Norman Field, Continuum Publishers, New York/London, 2004.
Remembering Bix by Ralph Berton, Harper & Row, 1974.
Bix Beiderbecke by Burnett James, Cassell & Co, Ltd., 1959.
"Our Language." Episode 3, Jazz (television miniseries) by Ken Burns, PBS Home Video/Warner Home Video, 2001.