Friday, November 29, 2013

Summer's Waltz

I came across this tune while looking around on YouTube to see if there were any jazz waltzes out there about summertime. In fact I was hoping to find one with the title "Summer's Waltz." And I did! It also happened to be a very lovely tune.

It was written by jazz bassist David Carpenter. He wrote it in 2001, and unfortunately passed away a few years later at the very young age of 48. I got in touch with his widow (with the help of drummer Peter Erskine), and sent her this demo. She really liked it! 

I hope you will too!



(click on the title to listen)

Summer’s coming, the days grow long.
Bees are humming their old sweet song.
Birds are chirping, kids slurping their milk shakes and malts
and dancing to summer’s waltz.

There’ll be lakes to swim in and bikes to ride,
stones for skimmin’ and kites to glide,
there’ll be T-shirts and concerts and sweet somersaults
and dancing to summer’s waltz.

You can eat your fill at an outdoor grill
then find a girl to help you count the stars at night.
Yes, a summer fling may not mean a thing
but then again, who knows, it might.

(And though you hope that) summer leaves lasting mem’ries of
the dreams it weaves into summer love
there’s a reason the season hurries then halts—
it’s dancing to summer’s waltz

Music © 2001 by David E. Carpenter
Mild Cheddar Music (BMI)


Lyric © 2013 by Lee Charles Kelley
West Sixty Ninth Street Music (ASCAP)