June 14, 2025

Next Time: Sat., 6/21, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. We mostly play out of the Real Book (vols. I-IV), or you can bring handouts. 

The group kept growing as the session progressed: Raphael (bass), Bill (drums), Tom (piano), Craig (guitar), Jan (trumpet), Steve (soprano), Ari (trumpet, flugelhorn), Matt (vocals),  John L (trumpet), Serdar (guitar), John C (trombone). 

Bill started us out with a bit of Latin, How Insensitive (I-xxx). Tom had us do a bit of ear training by calling Ja-Da (IV-xxx), since most of us had forgotten vol. IV. Craig stayed there, opting for Puttin' On The Ritz (IV-xxx). Matt got us out of there, calling Fly Me To The Moon (II-xxx). Ari put us in a different era with Footprints (I-xxx). Matt took another, handing out Wave, in F, which is much better than the Real Book version. John thought it would be cool to toss in some Mingus, calling Jelly Roll (I-xxx). Raphael got creative with the lovely Ellington/Strayhorn ballad, Isfahan (III-xxx). Back to Matt, another handout made it possible for us to join him on Nice and Easy. Jan finally got a turn, choosing Pick Yourself Up (III-xxx). On your scribe's way out the door, Serdar was just counting off Road Song (I-xxx). 

A pretty decent couple of hours of playing.

--SJH

June 7, 2025

Next Time:

Bring your own stand!

Without a regular drummer again, but Steve and Ari managed to keep a steady beat going throughout on the workshop snare and hi-hat. Otherwise present were Raphael (bass), Tom (piano), Steve (sax, drums), Jan (trumpet), Matt (vocals), Craig (guitar), John (trombone), Ari (trumpet, drums), Jeffrey (vocal)

The record is imcomplete, but here at least is a list of the songs we played that afternoon.

All of Me (I-20) (Jeffrey)

Gypsy In My Soul (I-169) (Jan)

How About You (handout) (Matt)

Bunko (II-xxx) (Tom)

Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You (I-xxx) (Matt)

Falling In Love With Love (I-xxx) (Raphael)

Blue Skies (handout) (Matt)

How High The Moon (I-xxx)

Anything Goes (handout) (Matt)

Basin Street Blues (Ari)

Other songs were probably played upon your scribe's departure (whether in sadness, celebration, or indifference is hard to say).

--SJH

May 31, 2025

Next Time: Sat., 6/7, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. 

In some sort of silly oversight, no one took notes last session, though we had a good time. Jack played a short set of drums, Steve H played piano, Raphael was on bass, Serdar on guitar, Jan on trumpet, John on trombone, and Matt had a triumphant return on vocals.

Hope to see you next time.

--SJH