Love In The Afternoon

‘The last scene from the 1957 movie; ‘Love In The Afternoon’.

This movie was huge for me, but maybe not in the way people might think, and yes, it was an on going conversation between me and my BFF. It was the ‘Song’, adapted from a very old melody and played by the Gypsies in the film. As far as I’m concerned, “Fascination” became as much a character as were Maurice Chevalier, Audrey Hepburn, or even the ‘mature’ Gary Cooper!

I Had not viewed the move in 1957, but I became entranced with the song because of Jane Morgan’s beautiful rendition!

First time to hear it played live was at a Private Club for and owned by Celebrities, the ‘Cave des Roy’.

A charming combo started playing it on a truly beautiful SoCal afternoon as our party was leaving.

Allen Weiss’ dad, Sammy was on a small set of traps… I knew him not only from the Cave, but because he was Jack Benny’s favorite drummer… and Sammy played on Jack’s TV Show every week.

Poor BFF, I must have busted an eardrum talking about this tune. The very next time I was at the Coconut Grove, Freddy Martin played it for me…. It was such a beautiful arrangement with a perfectly placed obbligato played on the alto saxophone.

The last time I heard ‘Fascination’ played live, was by Freddy again, but this time in Disneyland at the Plaza Gardens, with the obbligato being played by Nat Brown !