I am looking for music that is similar to The Mooche by Sidney Bechet (sp?). I found this song through the movie Flirting. It is playing during the dance practice scene with Thandie Newton and Nicole Kidman. There is something so evocative about that piece of music, that I would love to find similar songs. I find this particular version of the song (I have also heard a Duke Ellington version that I didn’t like nearly as much) to be so sensual - it sends my mind right to a smoky dance floor filled with beautiful women. Can anyone recommend similar pieces?
You should track down the CD “The Legendary Sidney Bechet”:
It includes that version of “The Mooche” plus another Ellington tune, “Mood Indigo,” that you might like. (Elllington wrote “The Mooche,” and Bechet played in Ellington’s band at one point…but I digress…) There are also a couple of nice slow blues pieces on that CD.
You might also enjoy Bechet’s famous version of Gershwin’s “Summertime.” You can find it on any number of CDs, including this one:
Last but not least you might give Ellington (and his sax player Johnny Hodges) another go. Try “Warm Valley” or “Passion Flower” or “I Got It Bad But That Ain’t Good.”