"Nuages" () is one of the best-known compositions by Django Reinhardt. He recorded at least thirteen versions of the tune, which is a

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive lis ...

and a mainstay of the

gypsy swing Gypsy jazz (also known as gypsy swing, jazz manouche or hot club-style jazz) is a style of small-group jazz originating from the Romani people, Romani guitarist Django Reinhardt, Jean "Django" Reinhardt (1910–53), in conjunction with the Fre ...

repertoire. English and French lyrics have been added to the piece which was originally an instrumental work. The title translated into English is "Clouds", but the adaptation with English lyrics is titled "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues". In 1940, Django made two recordings of Nuages in F major, and with a clarinet melody. (Some later recordings are in G major, perhaps to suit the violin.) Unhappy with the first recording, Reinhardt added a second clarinet, creating a renowned arrangement for the December 1940 recording. Reinhardt's 1946 recording (as can be heard in the sample) is in the key of G major. A final recording was made at a 1953 session just before he died, where we hear Django with only Maurice Vander on piano, Pierre Michelot on bass, and Jean-Louis Viale on drums. He was using an electric guitar by this time. "Nuages" was released by Django Reinhardt and the

Quintet of the Hot Club of France The Quintette du Hot Club de France ("The Quintet of the Hot Club of France"), often abbreviated "QdHCdF" or "QHCF", was a jazz group founded in France in 1934 by guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli and active in one form ...

on the French Swing label as a 78-RPM single in 1940. The flip side is "Les Yeux Noirs".

Other recordings

* Sidney Bechet – ''Rendez-vous avec Sidney Bechet et Andre Reweliotty'' (1953) * Tony Bennett – used the music with new lyrics that he wrote for a song titled "All for You" on '' The Art of Romance'' (2004) * Benny Carter – ''Elegy in Blue'' (1994) *

Lucienne Delyle Lucienne Delyle (16 April 1917 – 10 April 1962) was a French singer. After the very famous song ''Mon amant de Saint-Jean'' (my lover from Saint-Jean), in 1942, Lucienne Delyle became one of the most popular French female singers of the ...

– vocal version of "Nuages" with French lyrics by Jacques Larue (1942) * Denny Dennis with the

Stanley Black Stanley Black OBE (14 June 1913 – 27 November 2002) was an English bandleader, composer, conductor, arranger and pianist. He wrote and arranged many film scores, recording prolifically for the Decca label (including their subsidiaries ''Lond ...

Orchestra – vocal version "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues My Baby Sings" with English lyrics by Spencer Williams (1942) * Paul Desmond with Ed Bickert – ''

Pure Desmond ''Pure Desmond'' is an album by American jazz saxophonist Paul Desmond recorded in 1974 and released on the CTI Records, CTI label.

'' (1974) *

Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress, over a career spanning seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalis ...

with Dave Barbour and His Orchestra – vocal version "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues" (1946, not issued until 2000) * Monica Lewis – vocal version titled "It's the Bluest Kind of Blues" (1947) * Joe Pass (1964)"Nuages". Second Hand Songs.
/ref> * Oscar Peterson and Stephane Grappelli – ''Skol'' (1979) * Susannah McCorkle – in both French and English on her album " From Broken Hearts to Blue Skies" *

Pino Daniele Giuseppe Daniele (19 March 1955 – 4 January 2015), known as Pino Daniele, was an Italian singer, songwriter and musician. His influences covered a wide number of genres, including pop, blues, jazz, and Italian and Middle Eastern music. Biograp ...

– vocal version in his album – ''Passi d'autore'' (2004) * Pomplamoose – as part of their En Français collaboration with John Tegmeyer(2020) * Manhattan Transfer – on their album

Swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...

(1997) – "Clouds" – with vocal arrangement by

Gene Puerling Eugene Thomas Puerling (March 31, 1929 – March 25, 2008) was a vocal performer and vocal arranger. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Puerling created and led the vocal groups The Hi-Lo's and The Singers Unlimited. He was awarded a Grammy ...

and vocalese lyrics by Jon Hendricks – guest appearances by the

Rosenberg Trio The Rosenberg Trio is a Dutch jazz band consisting of lead guitarist Stochelo Rosenberg, rhythm guitarist Nous'che Rosenberg and bassist Nonnie Rosenberg. The band is influenced by Django Reinhardt, the gypsy jazz guitarist of the 1930s. The g ...

and Stéphane Grappelli (a founding member of Django's Quintette du Hot Club de France—one of Grappelli's last recordings) *

Allan Holdsworth Allan Holdsworth (6 August 1946 – 15 April 2017) was a British jazz fusion and progressive rock guitarist and composer. Holdsworth was known for his esoteric and idiosyncratic usage of advanced music theory concepts, especially with respe ...

– ''

None Too Soon ''None Too Soon'' is the ninth studio album by guitarist Allan Holdsworth, released on 24 September 1996 by Polydor Records (Japan), JMS–Cream Records (Europe) and Restless Records (United States);Nastos, Michael G"None Too Soon - Allan Holdsw ...

'' (1996) * Andy Summers and John Etheridge – Invisible Threads (1993)

References

{{Authority control Clouds in culture Songs about weather Instrumentals Jazz compositions 1940s jazz standards 1940 songs Swing music Tony Bennett songs Jazz compositions in G major