After You've Gone - Benny Goodman Quartet

Here’s my transcription of the tour-de-force ensemble performance by the Benny Goodman quartet of After You’ve Gone, featuring the brilliant swing piano of Teddy Wilson. Originally featured in the Walt Disney jukebox-style animated film “Make Mine Music” from 1946, the music accompanied an amazing surreal animation sequence. It was later released as an animated short called "2 for the Record" in 1954 with an accompanying 45 single.

Personnel are Benny Goodman (clarinet), Teddy Wilson (piano), Sid Weiss (bass) and Cozy Cole (drums).

Teddy Wilson’s playing is so thrilling but was meaningless out of context, so a transcription of the entire band’s performance was necessary.

Teddy's playing represents a transition between stride and be-pop. There are familiar stride figures in his LH patterns but the highly chromatic and linear nature of his RH shows a closer lineage to later be-pop piano styles. His feel is much lighter with a more delicate swing that sometimes borders on almost even quavers.

Not being a clarinettist, bassist, or drummer, I have tried to emulate the players' articulations as accurately as possible. Please forgive the sampled band sounds. No software can successfully replicate such brilliant playing. Here are the notes as close as I can get, but always refer to the original recordings as the ultimate performance guide. Some piano notes are sometimes inaudible, and these moments are noted in the score.

Here is the original animated short:

   • Make Mine Music - After You've Gone  

Here is the soundtrack single:

   • Benny Goodman In Walt Disney's 2 For ...  

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