Years ago, I was primarily a piano bar player, performing almost every night at fancy restaurants in San Diego. I took requests across nearly every genre, but I’ve always had a deep love for old jazz tunes—this one in particular has stayed with me for a long time. I played it often, whenever the mood (or the moon) allowed. The lyrics spoke to me, and the “B” section’s pedaling melody against moving chords never failed to make me smile.
This version comes from the great jazz vibraphonist and drummer Cal Tjader, featured on his 1956 album Latin Kick. After serving in the Navy during WWII, Tjader returned to collaborate with legendary artists like Dave Brubeck, Charles Mingus, George Shearing, Dizzy Gillespie, Vince Guaraldi, and Tito Puente, among many others.
The song was written in 1944 by John Blackburn (lyrics) and Karl Suessdorf (music).
Fun Facts:
- The lyrics don’t rhyme!
- Each verse (except the bridge) is structured as a haiku.
- This song is often considered the unofficial state song of Vermont and has been a popular choice for first dances at Vermont weddings.
Enjoy some light ’50s Latin jazz!
Vibraphone – Cal Tjader
Saxophone – Brew Moore
Congas – Luis Miranda
Timbales – Bayardo Velarde
Piano – Manuel Duran
Bass – Carlos Duran
Song: “Moonlight In Vermont”
Artist: Cal Tjader
Album: Latin Kick
Year: 1956
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My name is Michael Sanchez and I’m an avid record collector and obscure song searcher. My goal is to post (hopefully) one song a day that’s been on my stereo/turntable frequently. If you don’t like the song… too bad 🙂 You can just wait for the next one. All the info I find is from wikipedia/youtube/interviews/news articles/personal stories I’ve heard/random googling. Sorry if there are any mistakes.
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