1949 on a visit to Sweden, James Moody played an iconic improvised solo on “I’m in the Mood For Love”. Four years later, Eddie Jefferson – known for putting lyrics to jazz tunes – memorialized James Moody’s solo by writing lyrics to it.

It came to be called “Moody’s Mood For Love” in 1954 when King Pleasure recorded a very popular version of the tune. Eddie eventually went on the road with Moody and sang his own version of the tune on his “Main Man” CD.

Since then a number of people have recorded this beautiful tune but to my knowledge, no trombone players. It’s a great vehicle for me in that it is a very organic melody that requires my full two and a half octave range as well as giving me an opportunity to write for string ensemble. It also gave me the opportunity to record with my good buddy and smooth tenor sax man, Bill Lieske. Nice!

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