Once again I’m talking about some timeless great melodies and lyrics and some of the ways they get reinterpreted by jazz artists.

I start with some great (and one not-so-great) recordings of Skylark, written by Hoagy Carmichae and Johnny Mercer, for a musical that never happened. And the melody was based on a Bix Beiderbecke improvisation.

Someday My Prince Will Come was written by the same person who wrote Who’s Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf. I play two great versions fully and just a snatch of the ‘original’ as well as a bit of the first jazz recording.

Liza (All The Clouds’ll Roll Away) was first sung by an audience member in a musical. Mind you, the audience member was Al Jolson and it was probably a gimmick. I play an amazingly fast version by Bill Charlap, as well as an interpretation by Oscar Peterson.

Central Park West is a John Coltrane composition that only recently has found some lyrics. Two different sets. And another sung version by Lakecia Benjamin and Jazzmeia Horn has no lyrics. I play all three versions plus the original, and each one is so different—so you won’t get tired of it. I assure you!