A rough cut from the DeAngelo Trio's forthcoming debut record. Please support our funding campaign and pre-sale here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/deangelo-trio 

SWEET GEORGIA BROWN

Our evolving version of the classic. Here is some background on the song:

“Dark Eyes,” which is known in its original Russian as “Ochi Chyornye” or in French as “Les Yeux Noirs,” has become something of the unofficial Gypsy anthem. In the first part of the 20th century the song was primarily known as a vocal showcase--the Russian opera singer Fedor Chaliapin had great success with it as did Al Jolson--but when Django Reinhardt recorded the song in 1940 it started to be known as an instrumental showpiece for guitarists. The song is usually described as an old Gypsy melody but it turns out the lyrics were really written by the Ukrainian poet Yevhen Hrebinkain 1843 and were set to the melody of the German composer Florian Hermann's “Valse Hommage” in 1884. “Dark Eyes” has a simple chord structure but its passionate melody seems to inspire improvisers to some of their best work. 

Probably the most famous guitar version of “Dark Eyes” was played by Django Reinhardt. He actually recorded the song three times, twice in 1940 and once in 1947. The version here is his first recording from 1940 which featured a new version of the Quintet of the Hot Club of France that replaced one of the two rhythm guitarists with a drummer and Stephane Grappelli’s violin with the clarinet of Alix Combelle.
-Michael John Simmons

Cory DeAngelo