Earlier this month, I praised Cyrus Chestnut's version of "Moonlight In Vermont." Another standout cover on his latest "Melody, Rhythm, And Harmony" release is "Autumn Leaves." Autumn, which begins this afternoon, is my favorite season, so I've never thought of it in sorrowful terms. However, when I hear "Autumn Leaves" sung, especially by Nat King Cole, I understand why the lyrics use falling leaves as a metaphor for a terminated relationship. Chestnut conveys the tune's inherent elegance and melancholy bent just as compellingly on the piano, though.
It speaks well of any artist, I think, who call pull off a standard instrumentally, despite its lyrics being critical in setting the mood.
