A 2021 performance of Burton Lane's On a Clear Day by the LA Jazz Connection, featuring Danny Janklow on alto saxophone and Josh Mellicker on electric guitar. Taken at 173 BPM in D with a swing feel, the 36-bar ABCA' form is navigated with one chorus each from Janklow and Mellicker. The tune, from the 1965 Broadway musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, became a jazz standard through recordings by artists including Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, and Barbra Streisand. Its bright, optimistic melody and moderate harmonic complexity make it an inviting vehicle for improvisation. The one-chorus solo format keeps the performance concise and focused. Janklow's alto saxophone brings a clean, articulate approach to the changes, while Mellicker's electric guitar offers a complementary voice with different timbral characteristics. The relatively uncommon key of D major may reflect the ensemble's interest in fresh approaches to familiar repertoire, as the tune is more commonly performed in concert pitch keys like E-flat or F.
