Les da Pres would invent his own melodies that were as good as the outstanding tune he was playing around with, if not better. I know that this sort of invention happens a lot in mainstream jazz, but very rarely as well as this guy could do...
Who the hell is talking in the background while Praz plays? Oh yeah, it's that drunken crowd at the club. People – if you wanna drink and talk, go to a bar…. otherwise let the man have his golden moment, let him express (on a quiet sound canvas, in peace) all the wonder and pain that a man feels as he crawls upon the surface of the earth with only his art to keep him company, to keep his soul warm.
Marvelous melodic lines, listen to the version with Count Basie on piano and Freddy Green on guitar, too.
