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If you're here for your first visit to Battle of the Bands then let me quickly explain the concept. It's quite simple. Two versions of one song are presented in this post. You vote on your favorite version and tell us why you prefer that version. Battle of the Bands originates from the bloggers at Far Away Series and Stephen T McCarthy (note that he has a brand new blog dedicated to the Battle of the Bands posts). After you've voted on my contest, be sure to visit those blogs as well as the others listed at the end of this post.
Who isn't familiar with the iconic statue of Christ overlooking Rio de Janeiro? If you watched any of the World Cup this summer you undoubtedly saw repeated images of the statue. Today's Battle song for Tossing It Out was inspired by the statue and is appropriately called "Cristo Redentor".
Donald Byrd "Cristo Redentor" (1963)
Written and arranged by jazz pianist Duke Pearson, "Cristo Redentor" first appeared on trumpeter Donald Byrd's A New Perspective in 1963. He had a bit of hit with his rendition though I don't recall ever having heard it before compiling this BOTB post. This version has Duke tickling the ivories and Donald blowing a horn like a cool cool breeze. And there's a choir of angels in the background. This is about as good as it can get.
Harvey Mandel "Cristo Redentor" (1968)
Then again maybe Harvey Mandel's mellow guitar sound will win you over. This version still has the angels, but with a harp and strings that are as sweet as ethereal syrups drizzled over a platter of pancakes from heaven. This is the first version that I heard of this song back around 1971 or so. A friend played me Mandel's album and I immediately went out and procured a copy of my own.
Want More?
If you're diggin' this song as much as I do you might want to check out the samba version by Vince Guaraldi, a very nice jazzy version by saxophonist David Sanborn, and the amazing tour-de-force by blues harpist Charlie Musselwhite. Don't vote on any of these as much as you might be tempted to so we can keep the contest simple, but I just wanted to offer a few other versions cause I absolutely dig this song.
Now Vote Please
In the comments tell us which version you prefer and why. And then after you've voted here, visit the following blogs to vote on their Battles:
‘FAR AWAY SERIES’ by clicking HERE.
'Stephen T. McCarthy' by clicking HERE.
‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’ by clicking HERE.
‘DISCCONNECTED’ by clicking HERE.
CHRIS FRIES by clicking HERE.
'A WRITER'S LIFE IN PROGRESS' by clicking HERE.
Thanks for participating!
