June 14, 2025

Next Time: Sat., 6/21, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. We mostly play out of the Real Book (vols. I-IV), or you can bring handouts. 

The group kept growing as the session progressed: Raphael (bass), Bill (drums), Tom (piano), Craig (guitar), Jan (trumpet), Steve (soprano), Ari (trumpet, flugelhorn), Matt (vocals),  John L (trumpet), Serdar (guitar), John C (trombone). 

Bill started us out with a bit of Latin, How Insensitive (I-xxx). Tom had us do a bit of ear training by calling Ja-Da (IV-xxx), since most of us had forgotten vol. IV. Craig stayed there, opting for Puttin' On The Ritz (IV-xxx). Matt got us out of there, calling Fly Me To The Moon (II-xxx). Ari put us in a different era with Footprints (I-xxx). Matt took another, handing out Wave, in F, which is much better than the Real Book version. John thought it would be cool to toss in some Mingus, calling Jelly Roll (I-xxx). Raphael got creative with the lovely Ellington/Strayhorn ballad, Isfahan (III-xxx). Back to Matt, another handout made it possible for us to join him on Nice and Easy. Jan finally got a turn, choosing Pick Yourself Up (III-xxx). On your scribe's way out the door, Serdar was just counting off Road Song (I-xxx). 

A pretty decent couple of hours of playing.

--SJH

June 7, 2025

Next Time:

Bring your own stand!

Without a regular drummer again, but Steve and Ari managed to keep a steady beat going throughout on the workshop snare and hi-hat. Otherwise present were Raphael (bass), Tom (piano), Steve (sax, drums), Jan (trumpet), Matt (vocals), Craig (guitar), John (trombone), Ari (trumpet, drums), Jeffrey (vocal)

The record is imcomplete, but here at least is a list of the songs we played that afternoon.

All of Me (I-20) (Jeffrey)

Gypsy In My Soul (I-169) (Jan)

How About You (handout) (Matt)

Bunko (II-xxx) (Tom)

Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You (I-xxx) (Matt)

Falling In Love With Love (I-xxx) (Raphael)

Blue Skies (handout) (Matt)

How High The Moon (I-xxx)

Anything Goes (handout) (Matt)

Basin Street Blues (Ari)

Other songs were probably played upon your scribe's departure (whether in sadness, celebration, or indifference is hard to say).

--SJH

May 31, 2025

Next Time: Sat., 6/7, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. 

In some sort of silly oversight, no one took notes last session, though we had a good time. Jack played a short set of drums, Steve H played piano, Raphael was on bass, Serdar on guitar, Jan on trumpet, John on trombone, and Matt had a triumphant return on vocals.

Hope to see you next time.

--SJH

May 24, 2025

Next Time: Sat., 5/31, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand!

Here's who was there:

Craig (guitar), Jan (trumpet), Raphael (bass), John (trombone, piano), Bill (drums), Steve (sax, piano), Carl (bass), Serdar (guitar), Ari (trumpet, flugelhorn)

Here are the tunes:

Craig: Fly Me To The Moon (II-xxx)

Jan: Black Coffee (I-45)

Carl: Dream A Little Dream Of Me (I-124)

Steve: Broadway (I-64)

Serdar: Blue Monk (I-xxx)

John: Chegua de Saudade (I-xxx)

Raphael: Lotus Blossom (II-250)

Craig: Mercy Mercy Mercy

Carl: Paper Doll (I-319)

Ari: Sugar (I-xxx)

Steve: Take the A Train (I-398)

--SJH

May 17, 2025

Coming soon!

May 10, 2025

Next Time: Sat. 5/17, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand! We usually play out of the Real Book vols. I-IV.

Last week we had three bass players; this week, we had none. But Tom (piano) applied a strong left hand to his instrument, and kept us going. Also present were John C (trombone), John L (trumpet), Bill (drums), Jan (trumpet), Craig (guitar), Steve (soprano), Ari (trumpet), and Serdar (guitar).

Craig called Scotch and Soda (I-xxx) to get our sessions started. John C went next to Blue Bossa (I-xx). Tom picked something here, but your scribe failed to write it down. Bill actually took a turn to request Topsy (I-415). John L almost didn't take a turn, but ended up opting for Satin Doll (I-349). Jan turned to another Latin tune, this time How Insensitive (I-181). Ari quickly chose Four (I-149). 

Back to Craig, he went to another one he had been lobbying for, Night Train (I-304). Tom's next choice was It Could Happen To You (II-204). Yours truly opted for the lesser-known but lovely A Portrait Of Jennie (II-319), at around 100 rather than the standard ballad tempo, which worked to keep things moving. John C called Dizzy Gillespie's Manteca (II-259). Serdar finally got a chance, picking Out Of Nowhere (I-318).

There were more tunes played after your scribe had to depart, and more fun was had.

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH

May 3, 2025

Next Time: Sat. 5/10, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand.

A fun group arrived, though in fits and starts: Bill (drums), Carl (bass), Raphael (bass), Paul (bass), Steve (alto), Jack (trumpet), Tom (piano), Serdar (guitar), and Ari (trumpet).

We began the session with drums, three basses, and an alto sax. Yours truly moved over to piano when another horn player, Jack, arrived, then went back to the alto with great relief during the second tune when Tom got there. After that, things settled in. 

Somehow, Paul got the first call, so we got rolling with All Of Me (I-20). Raphael opted for Miles' Four (I-149). Tom asked that we play If I Were A Bell (II-194), and we obliged. Jack chose, and sang on, Isn't It Romantic (I-219). Your scribe was feeling both Latin-y and upbeat, so we went with a quicker version of The Girl From Ipanema (I-158). Serdar decided to go with a favorite, Billie's Bounce (II-44). 

Back to Paul again, we had a good run on There Will Never Be Another You (I-407). Carl finally took the opportunity to call Misty (I-277), which we took in half-choruses given that we played it as a slow ballad. The next tune, Tom's choice of Little Sunflower (II-244), oddly took almost as long to play through. Raphael had been thinking all week about Topsy (I-415), so we had a swinging time with that. Ari pulled out a second Charlie Parker tune, Au Privave (I-97).

Your scribe had to make for the doors at this juncture, but there were still plenty of players left.

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH