September 26, 2015

When I arrived, there sat Steve M, all alone in the day care room. We waited together for awhile, until I suggested that I drag the piano out of the closet and through the rec center so I could play some chords and he some alto. As I was writing out some chord changes to Charlie Parker's Barbados (II-45), Wes (tenor) arrived, followed shortly by Ahmed, an old friend who hasn't brought his trumpet around for some time. He was in turn followed by Gene and his drums. We tried out Barbados a few times, then Early Autumn (II-##). A guy we've never met, and whose name I did not catch, came by to play some tunes with us, but we couldn't find the right instrument for him. Perhaps he'll return next week with his own rig. We tried C-Jam Blues (II-##), and were about to move to Lullaby of the Leaves (III-260), when Ken stopped in, saving everyone from my pianorific ministrations. He even had his own piano.

We did Lullaby of the Leaves right after the arrival of Annie (vocals) and Carl (trombone). Annie called for Cole Porter's All of You (I-71). Around this time, not only did Dick (vocals) arrive, but Joe (trumpet) and Elmer (tenor) to round out the group. Dick had us dig in to In a Mellow Tone (I-206). Ahmed and Wes asked for All Blues (I-18) as an instrumental. We moved on to Dick's vocal on Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (I-3##); Annie took a turn on September Song (II-345). Elmer thought Birk's Works (II-48) would be fun, and it was. I Should Care (I-194) was one I had not heard before, but it sounded good when rendered by Dick. Annie then called for It Could Happen To You (II-204).  We took an instrumental turn with Blue Bossa (I-50). Dick's last turn came with Have You Met Miss Jones (I-172), and Annie finished things out with a sultry version of Honeysuckle Rose (II-167).

Will we have as big a crowd next week? We hope so!

Participant's Picks

Annie (song) and Gene (artist)

Damita Jo

It Could Happen to You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QfpZ5TewZo

Wes

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

Along Came Betty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTzRHq_cH5E

Ahmed

Miles Davis

Yesterdays

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpzwuXn9bog

Elmer

Stan Getz and J. J. Johnson at the Opera House

(with Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, Herb Ellis)

Billie’s Bounce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZzXZ-dR5cs

Joe

Clark Terry

Mumbles

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

Steve H

Fats Waller

Your Feet’s Too Big

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRC16gBAwck (original release)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in1eK3x1PBI (movie version)

Enjoy!

--SJH