Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Next Time: June 2

Workshop resumes Saturday, June 2, 1-5 pm at The Hook and Ladder, Minnehaha and Lake.


Add-a-Tune: Big P (II-41)

--SJH

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

May 19, 2018

No Workshop May 26 (Memorial Day weekend)

Next Workshop: June 2

A little behind schedule getting started, but eventually we were in and set up and ready for action. On hand to start were Sam (trumpet and trombone), Steve M (alto), Jack K (trumpet), Victor (vocals), Raphael (bass), and Steve H (piano). Jim D (alto and clarinet) and Wes (tenor) were in by 2:00, with Dick (vocals), Carl (trombone), and Annie (vocals), in by the beginning of the vocal segment.

We started with some Work-On tunes from Sam: Sister Sadie and Recorda Me. Given our slow start, we moved on to regular instrumentals. Raphael got the first call with Miles Ahead which, for one reason or another, gave us absolute fits--couldn't find the rhythm on it. Steve M took the next one, Charlie Chaplin's Smile (IV-401). Up next, Wes asked for Donna Lee (I-123). Before he took off, Jack K asked for Now's The Time (II-293).

Victor started the vocal segment with Avalon (II-20). Jim D took a vocal spin on Just Friends (IV-237). Dick opted for an easy swing on Dearly Beloved (I-103). Annie wanted to work on the lovely Skylark (III-356). Raphael called the instrumental, Tune Up (I-418). Victor got another round going with gently swinging Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise. Dick took There Will Never Be Another You (I-407) at a medium pace. Annie got us bouncing through Let There Be Love (III-236). Dick got one more with I Could Write A Book (I-186). Annie wrapped things up with a softly swinging Something Wonderful (I-365).

Participant Picks

Sister Sadie
Horace Silver
Woody Herman and His Swingin’ Herd
DeeDee Bridgewater

Joe Henderson, Recorda Me

Miles Ahead
Miles Davis + 19
Miles Davis Quartet

Something Wonderful
Betty Carter
Peggy Lee
Gene “Jug” Ammons


Enjoy!

--SJH

Thursday, May 17, 2018

May 12, 2018

Upcoming: Saturday, May 19, 1-5pm, Hook and Ladder (Lake and Minnehaha)

Work-On Tunes: Recorda Me (I-337), Dear Old Stockholm (I-102), Have You Met Miss Jones (I-172), Now's The Time (II-293)
Add-A-Tune: Sister Sadie (III-355)

We were a bit of a reduced group, but in a satisfying combination: Sam (trumpet and trombone), Steve C (piano), Raphael (bass), Serdar (guitar) and Steve H (alto). Ray stopped by briefly with some news, but did not stay to play.

We began with the Work-On tunes for the week: Red Garland's Blues By Five (III-59), Recorda Me (I-337), Benny Golson's Blues March (II-62), and Add-A-Tune, Wes Montgomery's Road Song (I-334).

Returning to the regular order, Raphael got the first nod with Ornithology (I-317). Yours truly chose to alternate between Latin and swing on More (III-284), which was less successful than it sounded in my head. Sam opted for a Latin version of All The Things You Are (I-22). Serdar went with a favorite, Black Orpheus (I-49). Steve C, finally forced to pick, went with a somewhat swing version of Darn That Dream (I-99). Back to Raphael, we took up Ceora (I-72) next. Serdar returned to one from the previous week, Tenor Madness (II-390). We'd had a lot of Latin and blues by this time, so your scribe called the 3/4 Up Jumped Spring (I-425). Sam went one step further by choosing the 5/4 Take Five. Steve C pulled up Ellington's Cottontail (I-90), which we did not play to speed, but it hopped along just fine, thanks. Raphael countered with John Lewis' Django (I-114). Another blues tune for Serdar, this time Billie's Bounce (II-44). This writer decided on a mid-tempo swing version of I Could Have Danced All Night (III-156). Sam chose to combine the variant blues and the 3/4 with West Coast Blues (I-436). Raphael found another nice John Lewis song, this time Afternoon In Paris (I-12). Serdar called old standby Song For My Father (I-373). Sam convinced him to stick around for a couple more minutes with St. Thomas (II-339).

Participant Picks
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Blues March

Wes Montgomery, Road Song

Red Garland, Blues By Five

The Modern Jazz Quartet with Phil Woods, Django

I Could Have Danced All Night
Andre Previn Trio
Shelley Manne and His Friends (same people as previous)
Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

Wes Montgomery, West Coast Blues


Sonny Rollins w/John Coltrane, Tenor Madness

Enjoy!

--SJH

Thursday, May 10, 2018

UPDATE: Location change for MAY 12

We'll be at TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park) from 11 to 3 this coming Saturday, MAY 11.
--SJH

Tuesday, May 8, 2018

May 5,2018

Attendees:  Serdar (Guitar),  Raphael (Bass), Craig (Guitar), Steve M. (Alto), Jack K.(Trumpet),
                    Jack D. (Trumpet), Sam (Trombone/Trumpet). Carl (Trombone), Annie (Vocals),
                    Victor (Vocals).


Tunes Played:  Nostalgia In Times Square ( I - 306 ) , Once I Loved (I -311),
                          Dear Old Stockholm ( I - 102 ), Pent Up House ( I - 324 ), So Nice ( I - 362 ),
                          Satan Doll ( I - 349 ), Two Degrees East Three Degrees West ( II - 408 ),
                          My Little Suede Shoes ( II - 282 ), How Deep Is The Ocean ( III - 150 ),
                          Avalon ( II - 25 ), A Sleepin' Bee ( III - 357 ), Stardust ( II - 367 ),
                          Time After Time ( III - 408 ), Tenor Madness ( II - 390 ),
                          Bye Bye Blackbird ( II - 73 ), Fine And Mellow ( III - 122 ), Skylark ( III - 356 ),                                  When I Fall In Love ( I - 439 ), Across The Ally From The Alamo ( IV - 10 ).

Thursday, May 3, 2018

April 28, 2018

Next Session: Saturday, May 5, Hook and Ladder (Lake and Minnehaha), 1-5pm


Early Work-On tunes: Nostalgia in Times Square (I-306); Once I Loved (I-311); Dear Old Stockholm (I-102); Pent Up House (I-304)
Add-A-Tune: So Nice (I-362)

Sorry for the delay in reporting on last week's Workshop, but here it finally is.

After getting set up, we got rolling about 1:20. Present were Sam (trumpet/trombone), Jack K (trumpet), Jack D (trumpet), Wes (tenor), Steve M (alto), Steve H (alto), Raphael (bass), newcomer Jeremy (piano), Craig (guitar), Annie (vocals), Carl (trombone), Serdar (guitar), and Ken (piano).

All but the last five were present when we did our Work-On tunes: Reflections in Blue BR2, Black Coffee (I-45), Four Brothers (II-138), and Take The A Train (I-398). Carl, Annie and Craig came in during the opening work.

We started the regular fun just after 2:00 with Wes' pick, the tricky Joy Spring (I-229), which we took at a manageable tempo. Carl had brought material from home, a version of The Preacher. Jack D took the next call, I Remember You (II-179). With so many people present, and a lot of solos, this was all we got to before the Vocal portion began at 3:00.

Annie was ready to go with I Love You (I-190). Victor took two. We struggled to get Stardust (II-367) going, but Avalon (II-22) went just fine. Annie took her second, Get Out Of Town (II-148). Steve M got the choice on the instrumental break, It Might As Well Be Spring (II-   ). Victor went to another traditional standard, Bye Bye Blackbird (II-73). Annie opted for My Funny Valentine (I-287) next. Victor surprised us with his choice of Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (II-355). Annie rocked the room with A Good Man Is Hard To Find (III-133). Serdar got the call on the next instrumental, Billie's Bounce (II-44). Victor wanted to work on In The Still Of The Night (II-198), but we could not get the rhythm of it. Annie finished the afternoon with Broadway (I-61). Unusually, we ended the afternoon around 4:30 due to a lot of early departures.

--SJH