Fall begins here in the Northern Hemisphere when the autumnal equinox occurs. The word “equinox” comes from the Latin word for “equal night,” because the night and day today are equal in length as we go toward winter and the days shorten. One sad reminder of summer’s end is that here in the Northeast U.S., I have probably eaten my last good peach, sweet corn on the cob, and flavorful red tomato for the year.
But, as we move on, we can look forward to fresh flavorful crisp apples and everything pumpkin. And of course, there are those beautiful autumn leaves and some beautiful music of autumn. Speaking of which, below is Eva Cassidy’s recording of the classic “Autumn Leaves,” which was originally a French song with music by Joseph Kosma. English lyrics were added by Johnny Mercer.
Eva Cassidy grew up in Maryland and was well known in the Washington, D.C. area for her outstanding interpretations of music ranging from folk to blues to jazz. She died at the young age of 33 from melanoma, but her fame has continued to grow since her death. Awhile ago, there even were rumors that a movie would be made about her life.
Cassidy suffered from Seasonal Affective Disorder, and once stated that she had difficulty enjoying autumn knowing that winter was around the corner. One may only speculate how she used that feeling to bring more emotion and compassion to singing “Autumn Leaves.”
One should check out the entirety of her Live at Blues Alley
So, as the nights get cooler and the leaves begin to fall, watch the video below of Cassidy singing “Autumn Leaves” at the Blues Alley jazz club in Georgetown, DC, on January 3, 1996. And think of the end of the summer and the loss of a great artist.
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