Tuesday, August 11, 2015

August 10, 2015



 Doxy, Bags’ Grove, Ghost of A Chance, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Sweet Pumpkin,
Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West, I Could Write A Book, One Note Samba, Come Rain Or Come Shine, Blues In The Closet, Exactly Like You, Cousin Mary, For Sentimental Reasons, Black Coffee, Misty.

Players:
Steve M-Alto Sax, Wes-Tenor, Tony V-Bass, Sam-Trumpet, Gene-Drums, Tom-Drums,
Carl -Trombone.

Vocalists:

Annie

NOTE:  The freedom Jazz Festival will be September 19th at Minnihaha Falls Band Shell Starting at noon. 

The Jazz Workshop will play.

Friday, August 7, 2015

August 3, 2015

The Freedom Jazz Fest is back on!

We play on Saturday, September 19, 1:00pm at Minnehaha Falls.


We began again with two drummers (Gene and Tom) and two sax players (Steves M and H). Wes came in just after we had begun trying to play a few tunes. Steve M began things with Lush Life (I-258). Steve H backed up a page and we tried Lullaby of Birdland (I-256). Wes (tenor) arrived and got set up while we played Lazy River (I-242). Wes had an off-book copy of Green Dolphin Street, which we did in the traditional alternating Latin/Swing. During some banter, I must have said the phrase, “All right, OK,” because Gene thought that a fine idea for a song (I-24). We moved on to Doxy (II-111) as a way of prepping for the Jazz Fest gig.

By now, Carl (trombone) and Annie (vocals) had found some seats; Serdar (guitar) and Dick (vocals) were not far behind. We started the vocal portion with Annie’s requests: first, My Ship, followed by Sophisticated Lady (I-376). Next up was Dick’s call, The Nearness Of You (II-285). Annie picked the trickier-than-it-sounds I Concentrate On You (III-154). We followed that with Dick’s choice, A Sunday Kind Of Love (I-392).  Annie suggested the musicians take a turn, and Carl pulled out Blue Monk (I-52); to our surprise, Dick had vocalese lyrics, which Annie sang.  Time After Time (III-408) was Annie’s next tune; Dick went with one of his favorites, Out Of Nowhere (I-318). We had Serdar take a turn, and he went with Black Orpheus (I-49); Dick joined on vocals, accompanied by the charming visitor Angel and her parents on a shaker egg. We finished up with Annie on vocals on Like Someone In Love (I-243).

Participant Picks
Carl and Annie: Abbey Lincoln, Learning How To Listen

Tom: Herbie Hancok, Watermelon Man (two very different versions)

Annie and Wes: Billy Eckstine, I Apologize

A Sunday Kind of Love (various versions which may or may not prove Wes’ thesis)
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBJVL_DDFh8

Steve H: Zoot Sims and Joe Pass, Pennies From Heaven


Enjoy!

--SJH