Saturday, February 7, 2015

February 7, 2015

It was one of those weeks where lots of people showed up, but not all at the same time. For example, just as the singers showed up, the bass player had to leave. Doesn't stop us. On occasion, we don't have a room to play in. Doesn't stop us; we played out in the central area. Turns out, people passing by kinda like it.

This week, we started with Sam controlling the bass, and Gene the drums. We had Jack K and Jack D on trumpet, Steve M and Steve H on alto, and Wes on tenor. Carl, on trombone, came in later with Annie and Dick on vocals.

Sam got things underway with Brazil (III, 60) which, while full of whole notes, proved to be harmonically challenging to the soloists.  Jack K thought we'd try something a bit more familiar with Four (I, 149); Jack D topped that with the even more familiar Fly Me To The Moon (II, 135). Steve M asked some passersby, who had applauded our last effort, for a request; one woman asked for Autumn Leaves, and she sang with us. We hope she enjoyed it as much as we did. Steve H pulled out an original blues arrangement, which we are considering for the Freedom Jazz Festival. Sam had another interesting pick with Lady Bird (I, 235). Gene pulled up Wave (I-431), another tune which, though familiar, seemed to really make us work. Wes finally got a chance, and called Blues for Alice ((I, 55).

By now, Sam had to pack up, and we had to make a go of things without bass, guitar or piano. THe two Jacks were not far behind. The remaining horns tried to compensate by playing chords behind soloists. Under these circumstances, Carl, freshly arrived, chose Blue Monk ((I, 52), a very straightforward blues tune, despite how it sounds when Monk plays it. Annie, all rested up from her recent jazz cruise, and having heard we had played Wave, asked for another chorus so she could sing it. She then moved to the very different Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? (II, 108; Miss New Orleans was not available for comment.) Dick took back-to-back songs with classics Imagination (II, 195) and Mean To Me (III, 274). Annie and Dick alternated with Let There Be Love (III, 236) and Like Someone In Love, respectively. While the vocalists took a moment to relax, Steve M suggested Lullaby of Birdland (I, 256). Annie and Dick ping-ponged again, singing I've Got You Under My Skin (III, 190), Blame It On My Youth (II, 51), Easy To Love (II, 128),  and I Could Write A Book (I, 186). Steve M thought we might have some fun with Have You Met Miss Jones? (I, 172; not to be confused with her mother, Mrs. Jones, who apparently had a thing going on with someone named Billy). Annie closed things out with a swinging rendition of Bye Bye Baby (III, 68).

And, of course, thanks to the generous ladies from the party in the big room for their offer of fresh veggies and cupcakes. Delicious!

Participants' Picks
I forgot to ask our participants this week for recommendations of great recordings. Sam, however, thoughtfully emailed one in advance, some local color with the Brad Bellows/Dave Graf Quintet on Gerry Mulligan's Blight of the Fumble Bee.


Jack D sent one along in the comments section during the week, so I bring it to the fore here: Chet Baker playing (and singing) Almost Blue.

My own picks are inspired by these two, and our visiting singer. 
First is Paul Desmond and Gerry Mulligan playing the original Blight of the Fumble Bee.
The second is a recording of Paul Desmond and Chet Baker on Autumn Leaves, with Hubert Laws, Bob James, Ron Carter, and Steve Gadd.

--SJH

No comments:

Post a Comment