Tuesday, March 24, 2015

March 20, 2015

The MacRae Park Bunny Brunch for kids is coming up next Saturday, March 28, from 10 to noon. The Workshop participants will be playing a few Easter and Spring-related tunes for the grown-ups. Maybe we'll see you there, or afterwards if we keep playing.

This week, though, was just a standard workshop. Sam (bass), Wes (tenor), Steve M (alto), Greg (guitar), yours truly (alto) were there at the beginning. Todd was also there, bringing in not only his trumpet, but his guitar. He and Steve M started noodling around on All The Things You Are (I-22) while the rest of us got set up and joined in. We moved on to Greg's pick on the next page, Always (I-23), which we played in 3/4 time rather than the written 4/4. Our arrangement of Four Brothers was Sam's call, with Todd, Steve M, Steve H and Wes trying to be Zoot, Stan, Herbie and Serge without the same horns.

We were joined at this time by newcomer Rich, who brought his flugelhorn and, when that proved to have a balky valve, his cornet. Sam called another, The Song Is You (I-374). Wes decided on Charlie Parker's Blues For Alice (I-55). Rich's first turn came up, and he wanted Song for My Father (I-373). Todd called for a down-tempo version of There Will Never Be Another You (I-407). Your scribe, up next, changed books with Old Devil Moon (II-297). Annie, Carl and Dick arrived in the meantime, and Annie joined in a chorus.

Annie felt like trying out a lot of new things this week, beginning with the funky Feel Like Makin' Love (III-119); turns out we're not a particularly funky group. Dick brought us back to normal with Come Rain Or Come Shine (II-88). Alright, OK, You Win (I-24) was Annie's next new choice, and went better. Dick picked one of his favorites, Mean To Me (III-274). Steve M finally got a chance and called It Might As Well Be Spring (II-205). Annie's next new tune was the old standard Sentimental Journey (II-343). Next up was Jobim's Meditation (I-266). To prepare for the Bunny Brunch, we took a look at Easter Parade (I-126) and finished up with Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (III-374), which is way too much of a downer to play at the Brunch, but is still an interesting song.

Participant's Picks
Lots of people had contributions this week. Check out some of these recordings.

Sam: John Coltrane, A Love Supreme

Carl: Nina Simone, Why? (The King of Love Is Dead)

Wes: Benny Golson, Along Came Betty

Greg: Thelonious Monk, Round Midnight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yg7aZpIXRI (Video, live in Norway, 1966)

Steve M: It Might As Well Be Spring. Lots of them available. Try these.
I can’t find a video of my favorite version, by local singer Karrin Allyson, but you can listen to it here if you have a Spotify account:

Dick: April In Paris (vocal). Here are a few good ones.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y87nu14ZLU4 (Doris Day, from 1952 film)

Annie: Roberta Flack, Feel Like Makin’ Love

Woody Herman, Four Brothers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK_9otl3sZ0 (Zoot, Serge, Herbie, & Stan)

Enjoy.
--SJH

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