Within a few days a huge amount of money will be spent on firework displays all over the world to celebrate the beginning of the Twenties. But it will probably be nothing compared to a night in November 1833 when “Stars Fell On Alabama.”

Jack Teagarden and his Sextet -- which is actually an octet -- in 1951. The bandleader is Jack Teagarden, also known as “Big T,” with his ever-so-easy trombone style and his laid-back singing which are both the very essence of jazz. The trumpet player is Jack’s kid brother Charlie Teagarden, known to the boys as “Little Tea.” The clarinetist is Don Bonnee, and the saxophonists are Pud Brown on tenor and Heinie Beau on alto. Beau, a veteran of the Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman bands also made the arrangement. The rhythm section is formed by pianist Marvin Ash, bassist Ray Leatherwood and drummer Ray Bauduc.

“Stars Fell On Alabama” is a classic jazz standard written in 1934 by Massachusetts-born pianist/composer Frank S. Perkins (1903-1988) with lyrics by Tin pan Alley songwriter Mitchell Parish (1900-1993), who was born as Michael Hyman Pashelinsky to a Jewish family in Lithuania, and emigrated to New York City before he was one year old.

The song title was borrowed from the title of a similarly named book by Carl Cramer. It refers to the 1833 Leonid meteor shower that shot thousands of luminous bodies in quick succession across the Alabaman firmament in every direction.

Closing my eyes and imagining such a natural phenomenon I wish you all a bright and illuminating 2020.