So, the first classic decade of ‘popular’ songwriting established a trend that should have been nearly impossible to follow.

Ten years of deeply sophisticated, clever, and emotionally moving songs appeared from the pens of a small number of immensely talented songsmiths that seemed unbeatable by any standard, but they only set the bar. Thanks to the technology of radio and film, along with the high-minded draw of theater, these writers probably saw themselves as simply filling a demand, but they pushed popular music to a level that was previously unknown. The trend continued into the next decade, as this show amply testifies.

Featured tracks include:

You Were Meant for Me – Sting

Beyond the Blue Horizon – Michael Nesmith & the First National Band

Body and Soul – Coleman Hawkins

But Not for Me – Chet Baker

Dancing on the Ceiling – Frank Sinatra

Exactly Like You – Count Basie

Georgia on My Mind – Ray Charles

Get Happy – Bud Powell Trio

Happy Days Are Here Again – Lou Levin

I Got Rhythm – Don Byas & Slam Stewart

Little White Lies – Dick Haymes

Love for Sale – Ella Fitzgerald