"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.
Bix Beiderbecke performed the composition on piano accompanied by Roy Bargy and Lennie Hayton at Carnegie Hall on October 7, 1928, at a jazz concert presented by Paul Whiteman.
Style "In a Mist" mixes elements of late impressionism with early jazz. 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.
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. Harry James, 1950 on Columbia 38902. Sal Franzella Ralph Sutton, 1950 on Commodore. Jess Stacy, 1950 on Columbia. The Les Jowett Seven, 1957 Red Nichols, 1953 Dill Jones, 1955, the first British recording Jimmy McPartland, 1956 Tom Talbert, 1956 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. Joe LoCascio, 1988 Morten Gunnar Larsen, 1989 Protosynthesis Ensemble, 1990 Cesare Poggi, 1991 Bix movie soundtrack, 1991 Eddie Daniels with Gary Burton, 1992 Butch Thompson, 1992 Eddie Daniels, 1992
Mike Polad, 1993 Guy Barker, 1993 Charlie Byrd and the Washington Guitar Quintet, 1993 Ralph Sutton, 1993 Randy Sandke and the New York Allstars, 1993 Sven-Eric Dahlberg, 1994 Jess Stacy, 1995 Roy Eldridge, 1995 Lincoln Mayorga, 1995 Eddie Higgins, 1995 Beau Hunks, 1996 Robert Smith, 1997 Joseph Smith, 1998 Duncan Browne, 1998 London Symphony Orchestra, 1998 Charlie Byrd, 1998 Dick Walter, 1998 Dean Cotrill, 2000 Andy Bey, 2001 Bucky Pizzarelli, 2001 Mark Atkinson, 2002 Dick Hyman, 2002 Geoff Muldaur, 2003 Vasari Singers, 2003 Bratislava Serenaders, 2003 Claude Bolling, 2004 Philip Aaberg, 2004 Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra East, 2004 Heinz von Hermann, 2004 Jim Martinez, 2004 Westwind Brass, 2005 Patrick Artero, 2006 Don Baaska, 2007 Wolfgang Kohler, 2007 Brent Watkins, 2007 Richard Dowling, Rhapsody in Ragtime, 2007 Ken Mathieson arranged for two brasses, three reeds, and three rhythms, Ken Mathieson's Classic Jazz Orchestra Salutes the Kings of Jazz, 2008 Bryan Wright, Rivermont Records, 2010 Bucky Pizzarelli, 2012 Claudio Cojaniz, 2014 Juliet Kurtzman and Pete Malinverni, Candlelight: Love in the Time of Cholera, 2020 Mathis Picard, Live at the Museum, 2022 Ren Takada, Concert for Modern Times, 2022 Thomas Gaucher, Brion EP, guitar, 2024 Shelly Berg and John Sheridan, piano duet, 2024
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. Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke. Red Hot Jazz.com. Pops: Paul Whiteman, King of Jazz by Thomas A. DeLong, New Century Publishers, 1983,
External links