Sorry AJ, have to agree with Spalding here. No comparison.

chas

Sorry AJ .No offence intended . Just my immediate response . This kind of song needs two handed rhythmic soulful playing . Without it , the song loses pretty much all its liveliness and joy . Still appreciate your post though my brother 👍🏿

There are various version of this great tune.

Here is the version the Audya followed:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyjf6rEnwcg

Now, all we need to do is add vocals :-)

Here's how it should NEVER be done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM75PC5mIao

chas

You're right, Chas. That version was AWFUL. The arranger version wasn't any better.


R.

I agree with chas' comments about the various versions, but just to clarify, after doing some research I found that the SUNY -State University of NY in Purcase NY) Soul Voices is (or at least was in 2011 when this was recorded) an elite and diverse group of vocalist in the school ....
So, chas, while some of them MIGHT be 'soccer moms' now, I don't know if any of them were then ...

And the second vocal version was obviously more about the conductor than the group ...

Okay Tony, I admit I didn't check to see who those 'soccer moms' were (well they LOOKED like soccer moms ). I should have known they sounded wayyy too good to be a bunch of total amateurs. I guess that's what prompted YOU to check them out . Of course I'm kind of disappointed. I so wanted to believe that a first-rate choir/chorus director could take a bunch of no-names and whip them into a great-sounding choir. Oh well. Thanks for bursting my bubble .

chas

So sorry, chas ... but they ARE still 'no names' ... does ANYONE know any of their names ?!? ... other than friends and family of course ...

At the end of the day, there is no global right/better nor wrong/worst version - thus no one can determin how it can/should and can't/should not be done as such a decision (if it exists) lies in the hands of those for whom the song is being performed for. So ... if playing for a jazz crowd (for an example), then doing the funky / arranger version may probably cut it ... just as if playing for an up-beat latin crowd, the 'choir' /mellow/laid back version may easily be frowned upon as well.

AJ, I like that, I so agree. We only have opinions. We see and hear things through our own eyes and ears.

John C.