Avalon (Al Jolson song)
Avalon is a popular song from 1920, written by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose.
The first version of the song was recorded by Jolson 1921. Jolson had used him in the musicals Sinbad (1918 /19) and Bombo (1921 /22).
The song soon became a popular jazz standard; so have, inter alia, Benny Goodman several times, Cab Calloway (1934 ), Coleman Hawkins ( 1935) and Eddie Durham ( 1936) recorded versions. The Benny Goodman Quartet played the song in 1938 in the famous concert at Carnegie Hall.
The melody at the beginning of the song is from the aria E lucevan le stelle from Puccini's opera Tosca, and was only slightly modified by Rose. The Ricordi publishing house as an agent of Puccini sued the composer for plagiarism; Ricordi won the dispute and got the sum of $ 25,000 awarded, as well as all future income from the title.
Versions
- Red Nichols and His Five Pennies (27 February 1928)
- George Monkhouse and his Cambridge University Quinquaginta Ramblers (12 March 1930)
- Spike Hughes and his Dance Orchestra (23 May 1930)
- Joel Shaw and his Orchestra ( August 1932 )
- Billy Cotton and his Band (July 21, 1933)
- Casa Loma Orchestra (16 August 1934)
- Cab Calloway and his Orchestra (4 September 1934)
- Scott Wood and his Six Swingers ( December 18, 1934, September 1, 1936 )
- Joe Venuti and his Orchestra (26 December 1934)
- Kxyz Novelty band (29 January 1935)
- Coleman Hawkins (March 2, 1935)
- Quintette du Hot Club de France (July 1935)
- Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra (30 September 1935)
- Harry Roy and his Orchestra (8 November 1935)
- Val Rosing and his Swing Stars (18 November 1935)
- Bally Hooligans (7 July 1936)
- Benny Goodman Quartet (June 29, 1937 September 28, 1937, January 16, 1938 )
- Joe Daniels and his Hotshots (28 September 1937)
- Alix Combelle et son Orchestre (4 October 1937)
- Harry James and his Orchestra (July 13, 1939 November 8, 1939 )
- Willie Lewis and his Negro band (27 June 1941)
Others
From Van Morrison albums are titled ' Avalon Sunset'.