August 4, 2018

NEXT TIME: Saturday, August 11, 11am-3pm, TowerLight, 3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park

Three people showed up at our most recent Workshop in TowerLight, but it was a good three: Steve C (piano), Raphael (bass) and Steve H (soprano). Here are the tunes we played together over three and a half hours.

Lady Bird (I-235)
Afternoon in Paris (I-12)
On A Slow Boat To China (III-309)
Mean To Me (III-274)
Bolivia (III-56)
In A Sentimental Mood (I-207)
My Foolish Heart (I-286)
East Of The Sun (III-104)
Tangerine (II-386)
Some Day My Prince Will Come (I-367)
Wave (I-431)
If You Could See Me Now (IV-203)
Scrapple From The Apple (I-351)
Little Sunflower (II-244)
Jitterbug Waltz (II-214)
Rosetta (II-332)
Dolphin Dance (I-119)
It Could Happen To You (II-204)
Summer In Central Park (III-375)
Midnight Sun (III-276)
Skylark (III-356)

--SJH

Next Up

Next Workshop: Saturday, August 4, 2018, 11am-3pm at TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park).

July 28, 2018

Attendee's:  Steve C./Piano, Raphael/ Bass, Sam/ Trumpet, Carl/ Trombone, Annie/ Vocal.

Tunes played:  Lucky Southern, In A Mellow Tone, Pent Up House, Five Spot After Dark,
                        The Nearness Of  You, I'll Remember April, Take Five, Doxy, Jeanine,
                        Nica's Dream, Sugar, Blues By Five, One Mint Julep, Shadow Of Your Smile,
                        My Little Suede Shoes, I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart, A Sunday Kind Of Love.
                       

July 21, 2018

Next Time: Saturday, July 28, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Lucky Southern (I-255)

We began our Hook and Ladder session with Sam (trumpet and trombone), Steve H (piano and soprano), and Craig (guitar). Victor (vocals) came early, and after a bit Raphael (bass) arrived. Sam started us off with the Add-A-Tune, Gerry Mulligan's Five Brothers (II-132). While Raphael set up, we took on Craig's choice, Fly Me To The Moon (II-135). Victor asked to work on Stardust (II-367), which we were happy to oblige. Raphael called I Remember You (II-179). Yours truly went to Blue Skies (II-58). Carl (trombone), Annie (vocals), and Jim D (alto, clarinet, piano and vocals) were on hand at this point. Carl got the call with Blues By Five (II-59). Jim D wanted to play and take a vocal turn on his choice Pick Yourself Up (II-317). Sam went with the lovely Latin/swing Nica's Dream (I-299). 

Annie started up the official vocal portion with Sugar (I-387). Victor got us working the New Orleans beat with Basin Street Blues (II-37). Annie took us back to New York with Lullaby of Birdland (I-256). Dick (vocals) and Steve M (alto) had joined us by this time, and Dick called two: I'm Confessin' (II-185), and All Of Me (I-20). For an instrumental break, Carl called Coltrane's Bessie's Blues (II-xxx). Victor thought a bit before coming up with Look For The Silver Lining (II-249).  Jimmy D asked for a vocal turn, and a piano turn, on a blues tune the name of which your scribe forgot to scribe, but which he brought with him. Annie chose a ballad, Every Time We Say Goodbye (III-113). After some false starts on another tune, Victor and company settled in nicely to Pennies From Heaven (II-309). Annie returned to another slow number, I Wish You Love (III-172). Jim D called an instrumental, though he also took a vocal spin on Yardbird Suite (I-433). Victor finished up his afternoon with Do Nothin' Till You Hear From Me (I-107). Annie finished everyone's afternoon with everyone taking a spin on Somebody Loves Me (I-369).

Participant Picks

Five Brothers

Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLFfZGz_AP4

Pick Yourself Up

Nat King Cole/George Shearing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20ViFpURIDk

Mel Torme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFczWMwzvns

Fred and Ginger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGUsRGuZb6k

Look for the Silver Lining

Marilyn Miller and Alexander Gray

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOthCD8n0mA

Chet Baker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02-8boTzMyM

Leslie Odom, Jr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9-4pUmx8Rw

Enjoy!

--SJH

July 14, 2018

Next Up: July 21 at the Hook and Ladder (Lake and Minnehaha), 1-5 pm.

We got rolling at TowerLight this time with only four: Craig (guitar), Jack D (trumpet), Steve C (piano), and Steve H (alto). Joining us in the second half were Victor (vocals), Annie (vocals), and Carl (trombone). Before the afternoon was up, that piano guy whose name I keep forgetting, and Jim D swung by for a few tunes.

We began with Steve C's pick, In A Mellow Tone (I-206). Craig called the next, Killing Me Softly With His Song (IV-241). Jack D brought out a song most of us had not heard, I've Never Been In Love Before (III-184). Yours truly took us back to the earlier days of jazz with Limehouse Blues (I-244). Back to the piano player, we turned to Like Someone In Love (I-243). Craig opted for The Rainbow Connection (III-330). Jack called Out Of Nowhere (I-318). Your scribe went the simple route with C-Jam Blues (II-74). Back around to Steve C, we pulled out Robbins Nest (II-330). Craig went the most complicated route with In The Still Of The Night (II-198).

Victor was ready to sing, so we started off the vocal portion with Basin Street Blues (II-37), followed by Stardust (II-367). For an instrumental, the sax player called Too Young (II-403).  Annie having settled in by this time called Watermelon Man (II-429), complete with a little story to launch it. Victor took a turn with Dancing On The Ceiling (I-98). Annie choose the lovely The Nearness Of You (II-285). Victor came back with the bouncy All Of Me (I-20). For Annie's next one, we heard Don't Blame Me (I-121). Victor fell back on the old familiar Avalon (II-25). A quick instrumental break went to Carl, who finally went with Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West (II-408). We wrapped up the session with two more vocals. Victor turned to the classic, Blue Skies (II-58); Annie opted for Black Orpheus.

--SJH

UP NEXT

Workshop for Saturday, July 14: 11am to 3pm at TowerLight, 3601 Wooddale Ave, St. Louis Park

July 7,2018

Attendies:  Steve C, Waymond, Jack D., Wesley, Craig, Sam, Victor, Annie, Carl, Steve M, Jim,
                   Dick.

Songs Played:  Desafinado (I-108), Grooovin ' High (I-166), Bernie's Tune (III-39},  The Rainbow                              Connection (III-330), I Wish You Love (III-172), Two Degrees East, Three Degrees                              West (II-408),  Oleo (I-309), Basin Street Blues (II-37), Summertime (IV-435),
                        St. James Infirmary (II-338), There Will Never Be Another You (I-407), Softly As A                            Morning Sunrise (II-355),  Surrey With The Fringe On The Top (I-393), 
                        My One And Only Love (I-288), I Remember You (II-179), Do Nothing Til You Hear                          From Me (II-107) Blue Skies (II-58), One Note Samba (I-314), Quiet Nights (I-335).