My man's gone now

The opera/musical “Porgy and Bess was written by American composer George Gershwin, with a libretto by DuBose Heyward and lyricist Ira Gershwin and premiered in 1935. It is undeniable and unfortunate that this work has been the subject of much controversy over the years due to it’s racially charged content. However, it is equally undeniable that it has produced some great song standards including “Summertime”, “My Man’s Gone Now”, “I Got Plenty Of Nuttin’”, “Bess You Is My Woman Now”, “It Ain’t Necessarily So”, “I Loves You Porgy”, and “There’s A Boat Dat’s Leaving Soon For New York”. There have been dozens of great versions of the song “Summertime” from the soft jazz of Ella Fitzgerald to the ruckus sounds of Janis Joplin. However, this stunning version by opera soprano Harolyn Blackwell is a pure, hidden jewel. There was a production of “Porgy And Bess” during the 80s and The Cast Recording was nominated for a Grammy Award. It was the first time the entire world got to see Harolyn Blackwell perform “Summertime” live. She was incredibly mesmerizing and beautiful to watch. Her tone was crystal clear and her pitch was perfect. The glorious expression on her face during the glissando on the high note at the end gave one the feeling that she owned the song. This is the studio version of Ms. Blackwell singing “Summertime”. Enjoy!