Friday, June 28, 2019

June 22, 2019

Next Time: Sat. 6/29, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Pick Yourself Up (II-317)

Present:
Sam (trumpet, trombone), Roger (tenor, keyboard)), Steve M (alto), Raphael (bass), Tony (bass), Steve H (soprano, keyboard).

Heard:
Peri's Scope (I-326) Sam's Add-A-Tune
All Of Me (I-22) Roger
When Sunny Gets Blue (I-440) Steve M
Round Midnight (I-345) Raphael
Pennies From Heaven (II-309) Steve H
Dear Old Stockholm (I-102) Tony
My Little Suede Shoes (II-282) Sam
Why Do I Love You (II-425) Steve M
Ornithology (I-317) Roger
Honeysuckle Rose (II-167) Steve H
Reincarnation Of A Love Bird (I-362) Raphael
Have You Met Miss Jones (I-172) Sam
It Might As Well Be Spring (II-205) Steve M
Blue Monk (I-52) Tony
In A Sentimental Mood (I-xxx) Steve H
Watermelon Man (III-429) Sam
This I Dig Of You (II-395) Raphael

--SJH

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

June 15, 2019

Next Time: Sat. 6/22, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Peri's Scope (I-326)

Old faces and new at this week's workshop. Sam (trumpet and trombone), Raphael (bass), Steve H (soprano and drums), Steve M (alto), Roger (tenor), Jack K (trumpet and drums), Robert (piano), Annie (vocals), and Carl (trombone).

We got underway with Sam's Add-A-Tune, the easy swaying Ceora (I-72). Steve M called for a nice swing on Here's That Rainy Day (I-175). Jack K asked for a ballad, but not too slow, with Easy Living (I-127). Roger changed things up entirely by pulling out 500 Miles High (I-141). Raphael requested J.J. Johnson's lovely Lament (I-239). Your scribe changed tempos with a medium up version of Easy To Love (I-128). And somehow it was already 1:00.

Annie got the vocal segment off to a good start with Song For My Father (I-373), and followed up with the gospelly rocker, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free (I-195). Sam called the instrumental break, going with Little Boat (I-245). Annie finally got us out of Book I with a ballad and a slow blues: It Never Entered My Mind (III-205) and Fine And Mellow (III-122). For the next instrumental, Carl opted for old favorite 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West (II-408). More vocals from Annie, this time Without A Song (II-428), and the tricky Rodgers and Hammerstein number, Love Look Away (II-252). Steve M dug out Dexter Gordon's Cheese Cake (II-82) for the instrumental. Annie took one more, finishing her afternoon with People Will Say We're In Love (II-310). We ended the session on Raphael's choice, the alternating Latin/swing I'll Remember April.

--SJH

Monday, June 10, 2019

June 8, 2019

Next Time: Sat. 6/15, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Ceora (I-72)

Your scribe finally has a little more time, so a return to narrative. If that bothers you, please re-read last week's entry.

Present at some time or other were Sam (trombone, trumpet), Raphael (bass), Steve H (piano, soprano), Jack K (trumpet, drums), Roger (tenor, drums)), Craig (guitar), Wes (tenor), Ari (trumpet, drums), and Carl (trombone).

Sam's Add-A-Tune this week was Doxy (II-111), which got us off to a smooth start. Roger grabbed the next call with Au Privave (I-37), which Raphael continues to insist doesn't mean anything in actual French. Your scribe was up next and opted for All Of You (I-21). We had skipped Jack's turn, and now he got his chance with When Sunny Gets Blue (I-440). Raphael pulled out his list and challenged us with Minority (I-273). Craig opted for Cole Porter's peculiarly segmented In The Still Of The Night (II-198). Ari went for the simply difficult Speak No Evil (I-xxx), which somehow was not a complete disaster. An easy-speed version of Groovin' High (I-166) was Wes' pick, and it's not often when that is considered a rest song. Carl decided on So What (I-364), and we all said, Whatever.

Round 2 had us on Sam's choice, Killer Joe (II-229), which we found oddly difficult to keep from speeding up. On the other hand, Roger wanted to play Blue Bossa (I-50) up tempo, which was quite the trick. Ari's choice, My Favorite Things (II-285) was nobody's favorite by the time we finished; not one person got through a chorus without having to stop and get everyone back together. (I suspect we'll do it again next time.) Wes opted for an old favorite, Robbin's Nest (II-xxx), which got everyone back in the groove. Next up, Carl took us on a Sentimental Journey (II-343), complete with trombone phrases and some harmonies. Yours truly went with the Ellington swinger, Perdido (II-311). We finished off with Raphael's final choice, the ballad You Don't Know What Love Is (I-459).

--SJH

June 1, 2018

Next Time: Sat 6/8/19, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)


Who Was There
Sam (trumpet, for one song), Raphael (bass), Jack K (trumpet), Steve H (piano), Ari (trumpet)

What Was Played
Nuages (I-307) Sam
When I Fall In Love (I-439) Jack
I Love You (I-190) Steve
With Every Breath I Take (III-453) Raphael
Old Cape Cod (III-307) Jack
Hello Young Lovers (I-176) Steve
Song For Strayhorn (III-368) Raphael
Blue Monk (I-52) Jack
Body And Soul (I-57) Ari
Come Rain Or Come Shine (II-88) Steve
Early Morning Mood (III-103) Raphael
I've Got You Under My Skin (III-190) Ari
Lover Man (II-255) Steve
This I Dig Of You (II-395) Raphael
Giant Steps (I-157) Ari
Easy To Love (I-128) Steve
Speak Like A Child (II-363) Raphael
Soultrane (II-362) Steve

--SJH