August 23, 2025

Nest Time: Sat. 8/30, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. Find us in the basement theater.

Present and Accounted For: Steve H (piano, alto), John C (trombone, piano), Raphael (bass), Bill (drums), and one or two others (your scribe forgot to record the roll).

Songs attempted (and largely completed)

How Insensitive (I-xxx)

Blue Bossa (I-xxx)

But Beautiful (I-xx)

Falling Grace (I-137)

Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (II-xxx)

It Could Happen To You (II-209)

April In Paris (I-xx)

Bright Boy (II-68)

Some Other Blues (II-xxx)

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (III-xxx)

All The Things You Are (I-xx)

Heaven (I-xxx)

--SJH

August 16, 2025

Present: John L (trumpet), Jan (trumpet), John C (trombone), Jack K (trumpet), Raphael (bass), Steve H (piano), Jerry (guitar), Matt (vocals), Serdar (guitar), Tom H (guitar), Charlie (trumpet), Ari (trumpet)

Tunes called:

Jan: Black Orpheus (I-49)

Matt: It Had To Be You (handout)

Jack: Sweet and Lovely (III-383)

Tom: On the Street Where You Live (III-310)

Serdar: Alice in Wonderland (I-17)

Matt: Cupid (handout)

Raphael: Broadway (I-61)

Charlie: In Walked Bud (II-xxx)

Matt: Blue Skies (handout)

--SJH

August 9, 2025

Next Time: Sat., 8/16, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand.

Not a big group, but that gave us plenty of time to play. Present were Jerry (guitar), Steve H (piano, alto), John C (trombone, piano), Matt (vocals), Raphael (bass), and Ari (trumpet).

Jerry got things going with Tangerine (II-386), which he also decided to sing. Matt (who only sings) chose All Of Me (I-20) for his first of the day. Yours truly stopped at the next page on Cole Porter's All Of You (I-21). Matt reached back into his bag of charts for Irving Berlin's Change Partners (handout). Raphael thought it might be worth investigating That Old Feeling (III-xxx) as a ballad, which we did, and it worked, though it took us a lot longer to get through it. Matt was having that old Latin feeling, calling Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (III-329). Ari went all John Lewis with his choice of the multi-tempoed Django (I-xxx). Matt got another pick, this time How About You (handout). John turned to the classic All The Things You Are (I-xx). Matt was busy passing out yet another tune when the piano player and the bass player noted that they had to leave, which wrapped up another good afternoon.

--SJH

August 2, 2025

Next Time: Sat., 8/9, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

We welcome anyone interested in practicing jazz improvisation, no matter your present skill level. We usually play out of the Real Book, vols. I-IV. Bring your own stand. 

We had a relatively hip group this past weekend. Present were Matt (vocals), Raphael (bass), John C (trombone), Steve H (piano), Jerry (guitar), Jack K (trumpet), and Ari (trumpet).

Here's what we played, where to find it,  and who called it.

Matt: Don't Get Around Much Anymore (I-122)

Jack: My Ideal (III-292)

Matt: Witchcraft (III-452)

Steve: Bags' Groove (II-30)

Matt: It's Only A Paper Moon (II-209)

Raphael: Stablemates (III-378)

Matt: The Tender Trap (III-392)

John: Perdido (II-311)

Matt: I've Got You Under My Skin (III-190)

Jerry: I'm Confessin' (II-185)

Hope to see you soon!

--SJH