“Lady Be Good” (PDF) from the James & Troy Andrews album, 12 & Shorty

In his book The Jazz Standards, historian Ted Gioia suggests that “Oh, Lady Be Good!,” an early showtune by George & Ira Gershwin, “risks marginalization as a period piece, relied on to evoke the spirit of a bygone era rather than reflect the musical tastes of the current era.” Given the tune’s simple chord changes and singable melody, “Lady Be Good” is often overlooked by post-modern and doctoral musicians in debt to their previous lives. But in such a timeless city as New Orleans, music does not get erased - modern jazz is a living preservation of early traditions and spirits that prolong legacy rather than recycle invention.

For example in 2004, trombonists Troy Andrews and Craig Klein recorded separate versions of “Lady Be Good,” a tune popularized in 1941 by New Orleans saxophonist Sidney Bichet, that showcase New Orleans’ musical tastes for old and new. Both recordings capture the musicians at different points in their respective careers: Andrews graduating from the street to the stage, and Klein as a bandleader branching off from Harry Connick, Jr. and Bonerama. Likewise, the two rhythm sections feature generational talent like Dr. John, Stanton Moore, and Gerald French - most likely recorded in between late-night performances throughout the bustling city. If anything, Gioia’s own marginalization of “Lady Be Good” as “a period piece” holds merit within these recordings that capture the sound of a city washed away by Hurricane Katrina.

Here is YouTube video of a young Troy Andrews with the elder Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, only months prior to the storm’s landfall:

Recommended reading: The Jazz Standards: A Guide to the Repertoire by Ted Gioia. Published by Oxford University Press.