April 25, 2015

A lovely afternoon was developing as the group slowly gathered. We did not actually count off the first tune until almost noon. Sam (bass) chose St. Thomas (II-339) to kick things off. Wes (tenor) brought in a non-Real Book tune, Coltrane’s A Love Supreme. Yours truly (alto), went with a bouncy version of the ballad Too Young (II-403). Jack K (trumpet) also brought some outside material, pulling out the Sam Rivers tune Beatrice. Gene (drums), after naming several tunes we couldn’t find (he has a million of them in there), finally settled on we could find, but still didn’t know, Like Young (II-240), during which Jack pulled up stakes. Sam, under the influence of Todd (trumpet), came back with the familiar How High The Moon (I-180).

By this time Annie (vocals), Carl (trombone) and Divk (vocals) arrived. Annie took two: the smoky Teach Me Tonight (III-387), and the gentle The Folks Who Live On The Hill (III-136). Dick responded with two of his own, In A Mellowtone (I-206), and Have You Met Miss Jones (I-172).  Time for an instrumental: while Gene took a break, I sat down at the drums to keep time on Tune Up. Wes kept a beat going on drums while we played Annie’s next request, My Romance (I-289), followed by My Shining Hour (I-290). On Dick’s next turn, we took up Dearly Beloved (I-103). As an instrumental, we took on one that Annie had decided against earlier, One Note Samba (I-314). We finished off the afternoon with two more from Annie, Sugar (I-387) and They’ll  Be Some Changes Made (I-408).

Participant Picks

Sam: Bozen Brass, Black and White (not exactly jazz, but cool nonetheless)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxu0AboM2FY

Greg: Peggy Lee, Why Don’t You Do Right? (A pick left over from last week)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kCzVzDcPuk

Gene: Dizzy Gillespie, Chega de Saudade (No More Blues) (Jobim)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdsKNqeJ3eQ

Wes: John Coltrane, Up Against the Wall

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrJt7RlPSUA

Jack K: Sam Rivers, Beatrice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxMIiTW59Co

Annie: Bill Henderson, The Folks Who Live On The Hill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qupYmbaUZtk

Dick: Sammy Davis Jr., My Shining Hour

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45oM8ANs8MI

Steve H:  Here are two songs that got me through a few break-ups, when played back to back really loud about fifteen or twenty times in a row until the roommates complain: Duke Ellington, Prelude to a Kiss and Perdido

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4EnjP2NGcE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n33aPxK_xj8

April 18, 2014

As I write, it is a dreary and chilly Monday evening (though the Wild have just scored their second goal in game 3), but Saturday was anything but--a beautiful warm spring day. Some of our number were discussing the various opportunities to hear and play jazz outdoors in the summer, and members of the workshop certainly hope to be able to partake of these opportunities.

Sam (bass), Gene (drums), Wes (tenor), Steve M (alto), Jack D (trumpet), and yours truly were there to open the session, with Jack calling Thou Swell (I, 44). Gene, back and bolstered by the wonders of modern medicine, suggested Groovin' High (I, 166). Wes followed with Blues for Alice (I, 55). I had been waiting to give an airing to It's All Right With Me (II, 208), which, as with many Cole Porter tunes, is much longer than it appears on the page, even played up-tempo. Jack took another turn and went with When I Fall In Love (I, 437). Next up was Steve M's pick, one most of us were not familiar with, I Wished On The Moon (III, 173). Greg and his guitar had arrived at some point, and chose I Wish You Love (III, 172). Sam changed the mood considerably with Watermelon Man (III, 429). Gene responded to someone's suggestion by calling Walkin' My Baby Back Home (III, 428). Then Wes called for another of his favorites, Blues For Alice (III, 22).

I had to leave, but before heading out, we played some C-Jam Blues, during which Annie and Dick arrived to open up the vocal portion of the afternoon. The report I received from Sam is as follows. Annie wanted to sing Hello Young Lovers. Dick followed this with a request for From Here To Eternity. Back to Annie for a go at Don't Blame Me. There was a break then for an instrumental, How Insensitive. The singers prevailed once more, Annie calling Dearly Beloved, and Dick singing Again. Another instrumental, Triste, and the final three vocals: I Get Along Without You Very Well (Annie), There Will Never Be Another You (Dick), and Time After Time (Annie).

Participant Picks
I wasn't around long enough to check what tunes the others might want on this weeks Participant Picks.  Sam sent one along beforehand, though, and Greg two last week, thus saving the day.

Sam's isn't a particular song choice. Here is a whole live televised set by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE1-MFXmjJY

Greg sent two last week, so here's one: Peggy Lee singing Goody Goody.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMRcCJRe1A4&list=RDaMRcCJRe1A4

I think some day I would like to put together a compilation album entitled "The Exquisitely Lonely June Christy," or perhaps "June Christy: Painfully Yours." Here are my top two candidates for that release:
Something Cool
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn8EtaxGJP0
Lonely Woman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XAtln1Rmlo

Enjoy, if you can.

--SJH