“I Loves You, Porgy,” George Gershwin’s exquisite ballad from the 1935 opera “Porgy and Bess,” has seen relatively few covers, despite its beauty and depth. I first became aware of this song through Keith Jarrett’s stunning rendition from his album “The Melody At Night, With You”, and always wanted to do my own arrangement of it. This weekend, I finally released my own rendition through my solo piano project Doeke, and in this blog post I’d like to share and compare four different versions of the song: Gershwin’s original, Bill Evans’s and Keith Jarrett’s versions, and my own arrangement. I find that transcribing and comparing harmonic and melodic differences of songs I love not only serves as inspiration but also offers practical insights into harmonic techniques applied beyond theoretical concepts.
Let’s dive in!
Gershwin's original: refined lyricism
The original score by Gershwin itself is a study in harmonic intricacy. At its most basic, the chord progression is:
| I (F) | IV (Bb) | ii – V (Gm7 C7) | I (F) |
Gershwin uses several devices to enhance this basic progression. First, he uses alternative bass notes, creating inversions of the chords. Second, he creates so-called chromatic approach chords and neighbor chords. A chromatic approach chord is a chord half a step below or above a target chord. For example, on F major, he uses a B and G#, resolving to C and A, a half step higher. He combines this with a neighbor chord, which is a chord that’s one diatonic (meaning: within the key) step above or below the target chord. In this case: a D and Bb resolving to the C and A. These two chords surround the target chord as it were, and create beautiful chromatic tension.
Lastly, he uses secondary chords like diminished and dominant chords. For example, in the second measure, he uses a viio (the diminished chord on the seventh step of a scale), resolving to Bb major.
I really love this original version. It uses complexity without overbearing the melody, and elevates the lyricism of the song.
Bill Evans's version: secondary chords
Bill Evan’s has covered this song multiple times, sometimes with his trio, and sometimes solo. Let’s look at his solo rendition from his Live at Montreux album from 1968.
Using the same basic harmonic structure, Evans adds in secondary chords, like a ii – V progression (Cm7 – F7) leading to the IV chord (Bb). Additionally, he modified some of the chords slightly to create additional interest: he briefly turns the Bb chord into a #11 chord, and adds in an altered C7 chord, increasing tension and a bit of drama. Combined with his delicate signature piano voicings, and we get a lovely and moving piano arrangement.
Keith Jarrett's version: diatonic beauty
As I mentioned, this is the version that familiarized me with “I Loves You, Porgy”, and it’s the version that I used as the main harmonic reference for my own arrangement. Keith Jarrett has a way of making notes sing like no one else can — his touch, his sound, and beautiful voicings particularly shine on jazz ballads like this.
For the opening melody, he uses a C pedal, meaning: a sustained bass note underneath changing chords. It’s a simple idea, and unlike the previous versions, it’s completely diatonic. I think this is one of Keith Jarrett’s strengths: he can create the most dense and complex harmonies but also play purely diatonic and make it sound equally deep and refined.
My own version: minimalist ostinatos
Lastly, my own version is a bit of a departure from its jazz beginnings, and crosses over into the neoclassical domain. By using a left hand ostinato, I created a more minimalist, almost meditative piece. You can listen to my version on any streaming platform here.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed these four different interpretations and analysis of “I Loves You, Porgy”.
There’s probably still one thing missing though. We can talk about musical analysis, chord changes, and theory all we want, but let’s not forget the emotional value of a beautiful melody. Therefore, to conclude this blog post, I turn to the unforgettable rendition by Nina Simone. Her version of “I Loves You, Porgy” is not only beautifully sung but also carries a depth of emotion that truly captures the heart of the song:
Let me know in the comments what your favorite version is, and as always, make sure to grab my free Reharmonization Quick Guide to get started on your own reharmonizations!
