Saturday, May 30, 2015

May 30, 2015

Jazz Workshop meeting time change.Contrary to last weeks announcement, it looks like we meet one more Saturday, June 6, at the usual time. Then we shift to Mondays evenings 5-8 for the summer, starting June 8.
Family Fun in the Park happened on Saturday, May 30. It was a relatively lively event—plenty of families and food, kid-type activities, bicycle raffles, and bands. We were told we would be going on at 1:00, but didn’t actually get going until 2:30. We were, however, the first band to play in the beer garden when it opened. And it’s always fun to play for an audience, which was not huge, but very generous.
Most of the usual gang made it: Sam on bass and trumpet, Gene on drums, Annie on vocals, Carl on trombone, Serdar and Greg on guitars, Wes on tenor, and yours truly on alto. I won’t try to tell who played all the solos, because I wasn’t keeping careful track.
We kicked things off with Take The A Train (I, 398), including a vocal by Annie. I got to announce the next tune, There Will Never Be Another You (I, 407), because it was my anniversary, and I played this tune at my wedding reception. Next up, Annie sang Out of Nowhere (I, 318). Sam moved to trumpet as we pulled out the arrangement of Four Brothers we have occasionally practiced, though several of us ended up on parts with which we were unfamiliar. We have work to do on that one. Next up was Annie’s rendering of Why Do I Love You (II, 425). We wrestled once again with the instrumental Dear Old Stockholm (I, 102). We left it to Annie to call the last tune, and she chose Satin Doll (I, 349).
Thanks for listening to us in the Park, everyone! We enjoyed playing for you.


--SJH

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

May 23, 2015

DON"T FORGET: Saturday May 30 is Family Fun in the Park at McRae. The Workshop will be playing outside in the afternoon.  (be ready to play by 1:00 pm)

NOTE:  Summer Hours will be 5:00 pm to 8:00 Starting June 1st.



Nica’s Dream, I Remember Clifford, Four Brothers, Watermelon Man, There Will Never Be Another You, Whisper Not, Saint James Infirmary, Dear Old Stockholm, Dearly Beloved,
Mean To Me, I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance, Cousin Mary, Avalon, Take The A Train,
It Don’t Mean A Thing, People Will Say We’re In Love, Perdido, Why Do I Love You?

Players:
Tom-Drums, Gene-Drums, Steve M-Alto Sax, Sam-Bass, Jim-Bari Sax, Wes-Tenor, Carl-Trombone, “The Kid” Deshaun-Drums.

Vocalists:

Annie
Dick
Victor

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

May 16, 2015

DON"T FORGET: Saturday May 30 is Family Fun in the Park at McRae. The Workshop will be playing outside in the afternoon.

A most unusual combo greeted me upon my arrival at McRae: two saxophones--Steve M on alto and Wes on tenor--and two drum sets--Gene and Tom both ready for action. Looking over this situation, I left my horn in the case and we wheeled out the piano. But because I had only an Eb book and had to transpose, and I can't do that on the spot, I had to use up precious time between songs writing up the transpositions. Still, we managed, and even proved satisfactory (though not up to standard) for Annie and Dick upon their arrival.

Before the entrance of yours truly on piano, the gang managed to work on Misty and Round Midnight. Once I got a few chords written up, we played Tom's call, a bright version of Have You Met Miss Jones. Flipping through pages, I started doodling on Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You, and all joined in. Wes requested Blues For Alice. Apparently not playing in any order this day we played a nice slow version of what looked interesting to the piano player, My Funny Valentine. Tom suggested In A Mellow Tone, which was well received. Somebody thought of Doxy, which worked OK. Steve M wanted to give Yardbird Suite a try; we played it easy, then, at Wes' request, we went more up to speed, with great success.

By this point Annie and Dick had arrived, and the vocal segment got rolling. Annie took two: The Girl From Ipanema and Hello Young Lovers. Classics All Of Me and a reprise of In A Mellow Tone featured Dick. The instrumental interlude was April In Paris, though I don't know who called it. After a discussion of the lack of Gershwin tunes in the Real Book, Annie returned with I Thought About You, and we finished up the day with Dick on Out Of Nowhere.

Participant's Picks
We note the passing of great blues guitar man B.B. King. He is survived by his true love, Lucille (nee Gibson). Our picks this week came from the group as a whole, noting two important songs: The Thrill Is Gone, and Three O'Clock In The Morning Blues. Here are three versions of each; the last version of Three O'Clock teams King with another famous guitarist.
The Thrill is Gone
Three O'Clock In The Morning Blues


Sam sent in a bit by another guitarist, Johhny Smith, playing Cherokee

Here's a few other guitarists:
Les Paul, Tal Farlow, and Bucky Pizzarelli, C-Jam Blues

Joe Pass and Zoot Sims, Blues for Two

And to bring it back to where we began:
T-Bone Walker, with JATP,  Woman You Must Be Crazy (featuring Clark Terry playing mouthpiece solo), and Goin’ to Chicago Blues

T-Bone Walker and B.B. King, Sweet Sixteen

Enjoy.
--SJH