Dat Dere

Dat Dere (Bobby Timmons (music) and Oscar Brown jr. (lyrics)

Pianist Bobby Timmons recorded this song in 1960 for his debut album 'This here is Bobby Timmons'. The lovely lyrics, written from a child's perspective ("Daddy can I have dat big elephant over dere?") were added later by Oscar Brown jr. It has been recorded by Mel Tormé and many others.

This arrangement starts with double bass and vocals only. The horns come in gradually and then there is a solo for alto (example lines provided) - or - for demanding singers - an (optional) written out duet for alto and vocal scat (mail for a demo). After a 16 bar tutti the 'jazzmarch' bridge leads us back to double bass and vocals only and finally to the uplifting turnarounds at the end.

In the audio-demo below we hear the arrangement recorded with samples and sung by Chrisje Catlender.