Trumpeter Al Hirt was famous in his hometown of New Orleans when he covered this one, making it a #1 easy listening hit and a Top 5 on the pop charts in late February '64. It was written and first recorded as a piano-based song by another Big Easy music legend, Allen Toussaint. Famed Nashville piano man Floyd Cramer also covered this. Big Al owned a popular jazz club in the French Quarter and was an original minority owner of the NFL's New Orleans Saints.
Al Hirt - Java
1 comment:
I love this short instrumental.
Al Hirt himself, however, stated that he's "always hated it". Or so I've read, anyway.
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