Monday, November 15, 2010

Oh, the weather outside is frightful

but jazz is so delightful. However, only four of us braved the snow (and what one usual participant described as "bumper cars") to come to the workshop. This was about the smallest turnout in the past two years, but easily the worst weather conditions as well. And to think that one week ago it was sparklingly beautiful. So, today, Bill (tenor ukulele), Tim (guitar) and Annie and Matt (vocals) turned up. The focus was on holiday music in preparation for the annual "Santa Breakfast" at McRae Park.

Hopefully the weather will be more cooperative next Saturday (11/20/10). The odds are good the park building will be closed the Saturday after Thanksgiving (11/27/10) but if you want to hear some jazz that evening, you can. Several workshop regulars and "occasionals" have formed Optimum Trajectory and will be playing at the Gingko Coffee House in St. Paul (Snelling and Minnehaha) from 8:30-10:00 PM.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

The Night Has a Thousand Eyes

Or at least it seems like that during deer season if you're driving on rural roads.

It was another week of spectacular, unseasonable weather- underscored by the afternoons being relatively long due to Daylight Savings Time. But that ended hours after the end of the Jazz Workshop of 11/6/10. To celebrate the end of DST and a return to early sunsets, a baker's dozen musicians got together to play jazz in the afternoon: Josh and Tim on guitars, Bill on ukulele, Max on bass, Gene on drums, Peter on bari sax, Wes on tenor sax, Ahmed on trumpet, Paul on piano and vocalists Annie, Toria, Matt and Cheryl.

The music of the day included "Footprints," "Along Came Betty," "Dindi," "Birdland," "East of the Sun," "When Sunny Gets Blue," "Anything Goes," "I've Got It Bad," "My Favorite Things," "Witchcraft," "C'est Si Bon," "Out of Nowhere," "How High The Moon," "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes," "Change Partners," "Bewitched." And that was a wrap!

Photos to come, I did manage to remember my camera this time.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Sunny

The beautiful fall weather continued nto the last weekend of October, perhaps creating some competition for the Jazz Workshop. Despite that, a dozen folks came out to McRae Park to sing and play jazz. We had trumpeters Todd, Steve and Sam; bari sax player Peter and tenor sax player Wes; drummer Gene; ukelelist Bill; vocalists Toria, Matt and Annie; and guitarists Craig, Bob and Tim. I couldn't find my camera before leaving to get to the park, so no photos from today.

The set list included "Nostalgia in Times Square," "Dear Old Stockholm," "In the Wee Small Hours," "Girl From Ipanema," "Close Your Eyes," "Till There Was You," ""Every Time We Say Goodbye," "Put Your Dreams Away," "Satin Doll," "Canteloupe Island," "No Moon At All," "Somewhere My Love," "Easy Living," "Embreaceable You," "Moon River," "Watch What Happens," "Along Came Betty," "Day By Day," "I'll Be Around" and "We'll Be Together Again." In that order.

Next week: the last Jazz Workshop in Daylight Savings Time for the year. We are heading into the cooler and darker part of the Endless Summer but fear not, the days will start getting longer in only 7 1/2 weeks!