Somewhere around 1940 or 1941 Thelonious Monk composed a tune that was originally titled I Need You So. But, by the time it was recorded by Cootie Williams and his Orchestra on August 22, 1944, it was known as ‘Round Midnight.

It has been written in Jazziz magazine that playing ‘Round Midnight is a kind of rite of passage for jazz players. While Monk is the composer and eventually recorded the song himself in 1947, the first recording by Cootie Williams’ group was just the beginning as ‘Round Midnight is, by some accounts, the most recorded jazz standard in history. It seems that all of the greats have had their turn with the song. There have been versions by Miles Davis, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Evans, Sarah Vaughan, Oscar Peterson and Sun Ra to name just a fraction. 

Here is a link to the very first ‘Round Midnight recording made by Cootie Williams on this date 82 years ago today:

"'ROUND MIDNIGHT"