Porgy and Bess, the opera by George Gershwin, has been recorded by a variety of artists since it was completed in 1935, including renditions by jazz instrumentalists and vocalists, in addition to operatic treatments.

Operatic and Broadway versions

  • Highlights from Porgy and Bess (RCA 1935), recorded days after the premiere by popular white opera singers with Gershwin's approval.
  • Mabel Mercer Sings, Cy Walter Plays, Selections From George Gershwin's Porgy And Bess (Liberty Music Shop 78 rpm album, 1942); Mabel Mercer sings three songs accompanied by Cy Walter, and Cy plays three solo songs. The album was reissued twice by AEI, as Cabin In The Sky/Porgy And Bess (AEI 1107, 1979 LP), and as Cabin In The Sky/Porgy And Bess/Carib Song (AEI-CD-17, 1995 CD), each with Cy's three songs combined as a single medley.
  • Selections from George Gershwin's folk opera Porgy and Bess (Decca 1940 & 1942) Two sets of recorded selections with members of the original cast and the 1942 Broadway revival cast including Anne Brown, Todd Duncan and Avon Long. Later reissued as a single LP with the misleading label, "original cast recording".
  • Porgy and Bess (RCA 1950), eight selections from the opera sung by Robert Merrill and Risë Stevens.
  • Porgy and Bess (Columbia Masterworks 1951), the first recording of the full opera (after the customary cuts), with Lawrence Winters as Porgy and Camilla Williams as Bess.
  • Porgy and Bess, (RCA 1963), a single disc of selections that brought back together the stars from the opera's world tour in the 1950s, Leontyne Price and William Warfield. Also included were the original Sportin' Life, John W. Bubbles, and McHenry Boatwright. Leontyne Price won a Grammy for her performance.
  • Porgy and Bess (Decca/London 1976), an uncut complete studio production starring Willard White and Leona Mitchell with the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Lorin Maazel. A Grammy Award winner.

Jazz versions

  • The Complete Porgy and Bess (1956), Mel Tormé and Frances Faye. The first recording of nearly the entire work using jazz singers and instrumentalists.
  • Porgy and Bess (1957), Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald collaborated in another jazz interpretation of the opera
  • Porgy and Bess (1958), Miles Davis and Gil Evans recorded their own jazz instrumental interpretation of the opera.
  • Porgy and Bess (1959), Sammy Davis Jr. and Carmen McRae recorded their own jazz vocal interpretation of the opera.
  • Oscar Peterson Plays Porgy & Bess (1959), Oscar Peterson recorded his instrumental interpretation of ten selections from the opera.
  • Porgy and Bess (1959), Harry Belafonte and Lena Horne released an album of ten selections.
  • The Jazz Soul of Porgy & Bess (1959), Bill Potts recorded his own big band interpretation of selections from the opera for United Artists.
  • Porgy and Bess in Modern Jazz (1959), Ralph Burns recorded his own jazz instrumental interpretation of the opera for Decca.
  • Porgy and Bess (1959) Diahann Carroll and the André Previn Trio recorded a version for United Artists Records.
  • Porgy and Bess (1959), Hank Jones (on piano) recorded selections from the opera for Capitol.
  • Porgy & Bess (1959), Mundell Lowe (on guitar) recorded selections from the opera for RCA Camden.
  • Porgy and Bess Revisited (1959), Rex Stewart and Cootie Williams (on trumpet) recorded selections from the opera for Warner Bros. Records.
  • Porgy & Bess (recorded 1957 released 1959), Buddy Collette (on flute and bass clarinet) recorded selections from the opera for Interlude. Also available as Pete Jolly Gasses Everybody for Charlie Parker Records.
  • The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess (1965), The Modern Jazz Quartet recorded their interpretation of seven instrumentals from the opera.
  • Porgy and Bess (1976), Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass recorded selections from the opera.
  • Porgy and Bess (1976), Ray Charles and Cleo Laine recorded selections from the opera for RCA.
  • Porgy and Bess (1997), Joe Henderson (on tenor sax) recorded selections from the opera for Verve.
  • George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess (2003), Clark Terry with Jeff Lindberg and the Chicago Jazz Orchestra. An interpretation of the Gil Evans arrangements (transcribed by Lindberg) from the 1958 Miles Davis album (with a new arrangement of "I Loves You, Porgy" by Charles Harrison III).

Film soundtrack version

  • Porgy and Bess (Columbia 1959), excerpts from the motion picture soundtrack, featuring the voices of Robert McFerrin and Adele Addison, who dubbed the singing for Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge as Porgy and Bess in the film. Pearl Bailey and Brock Peters are also heard, but Cab Calloway substitutes on the record as Sportin' Life for Sammy Davis, Jr. because of contractual conflicts. Revised orchestrations and a new overture were written by the film's music director, André Previn who also conducts.

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