Next session: Hook and Ladder, 3010 Minnehaha Ave. S., MPLS, Saturday, November 11, 1-6pm.
Early session work-ons: Groovin' High (I-166), Red Top (III-332), Robbins Nest (II-330)
Add-A-Tune: Swing 42 (IV-442) (Sam will have copies in concert key.)
Sorry about missing last week's post. Your scribe forgot to scribe; not a single note about what we played.
This week, however, all is as usual. For a while it was just yours truly on piano, with Steve M on alto. We started working through the A's in Vol. I: Afternoon in Paris, Alice in Wonderland, All the Things You Are, Angel Eyes. Soon Jim D (alto, clarinet, piano) dropped in, followed by Craig (guitar). I got out the alto for Beautiful Love, and turned the keyboard over to Jim for a couple of tunes. Craig asked us to give the Beatles' Michelle a whirl, but after several attempts it slipped our grasp. It's not a hard tune, but being creatures of ancient habits, we struggle with songs that are not in an old pop standard form (AABA, ABAC).
By now, Annie (vocals) and Carl (trombone) had arrived. While they got comfy, I returned to the ivories, and we took Jim's request of Cheesecake (II-82). Dick (vocals) also arrived, followed by Vicki (vocals), and finally Sam (bass). The vocals got rolling with Annie's choice, Autumn in New York (I-38). Dick took a turn with Where Or When (III-438). He returned the mic to Annie, who gave us a fun rendering of You Made Me Love You (III-459). Vicki took a swing at Fly Me To The Moon (which is in vol. II, but we played in a key with music supplied by Miss V). Dick sang about The Nearness of You (II- ); Annie offered a rebuttal to his position with It Never Entered My Mind (II-205). This caused Vicki to sing Cry Me A River (another version supplied by the singer). I'm Confessin' (II-185) was Dick's next call.
Jim decided he wanted to get in a vocal for the day, and he performed a vocalese version of Red Top (III-332). Sam had been waiting for an instrumental, and requested Grover Washington's funk tune, Mr. Magic (II-268). (I have frequently said that people of a certain age got no business playing funk, but this turned out not so bad.) Back to the singers, Annie declared Let There Be Love (II-236). Vicki handed out another tune, this time You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You. Dick's last call was I Could Write A Book (I-186). As some packed up, Vicki and the Remainders gave us Bye Bye Blackbird.
Participants' Picks
Afternoon in Paris
John Lewis
Alice in Wonderland
Bill Evans
All the Things You Are
Laura Osnes and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Charlie Parker
Angel Eyes
Gene Ammons
Julie London
DeeDee Bridgewater
Enjoy!
--SJH
