Nathan King
Alto Sax Solo on
Love Is Here to Stay

About

Nathan King's alto saxophone solo is the second of two solos on this uptempo swing reading of Gershwin's "Love Is Here to Stay" from Alexis Cole's 2021 album Sky Blossom. Following pianist Alex Flavell's extended solo, King takes seven-eighths of a chorus over the 32-bar ABAC form in B-flat at 156 BPM. The slightly truncated chorus length creates a sense of concision after Flavell's more expansive piano feature, maintaining the performance's momentum as it heads toward its conclusion. Gershwin's composition was the last song he completed before his death in 1937, lending it a particular poignancy that resonates through every interpretation.