Flashes (song)

1931 sheet music cover, Robbins Music, New York.
"In the Dark" and "Flashes" released by Jess Stacy as a Decca 78, 18119A, 1941.

"Flashes" is a 1931 jazz composition for solo piano by cornetist Bix Beiderbecke. The song is the third work in a series of four compositions for piano composed by Bix Beiderbecke during his career.

Bix Beiderbecke did not record the song himself but copyrighted the composition on April 18, 1931 along with "In the Dark", also a piano work, as "A Modern Composition for the Piano". Bill Challis assisted with the transcription for piano. "Flashes was recorded by jazz pianist Jess Stacy on November 15, 1935. Jazz trumpeter Bunny Berigan recorded the song in 1939 and released it as a 78 single on RCA Victor, 26121-A. In 2010, pianist Bryan Wright recorded the work on piano along with the three other piano compositions by Bix Beiderbecke, "In a Mist", "Candlelight", and "In the Dark".

Notable recordings

The composition has been recorded by Jess Stacy, Bunny Berigan, Ry Cooder, Bernd Lhotzky, and Bryan Wright.

Sources