May 11, 2019

Next Time: Sat. 5/18, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Beautiful Love (I-40)

In a hurry. But soon your scribe can relax.

The Players:
Sam (trombone, trumpet), Steve C (piano), Steve H (alto, percussion), Jack K (trumpet, drums), Raphael (bass)

The Compositions:
Solar (I-363) Sam
Indiana (II-201) Jack K
On The Street Where You Live (III-310) Steve H
Bouncing With Bud (II-66) Steve C
Song Of The Jet [Samba Do Aviao] (II-370) Raphael
Sister Sadie (III-355) Sam
Nancy With The Laughing Face (III-298) Jack K
Thou Swell (I-411) Steve H
Yardbird Suite (II-433) Steve C
Until I Met You (II-409) Raphael
Nica's Dream (I-299) Sam
Georgia On My Mind (II-145) Steve H
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (II-436) Steve C
Pursuance (Part III) (II-321) Raphael
Jeannine (II-212) Sam
Jitterbug Waltz (II-214) Steve H
Lady Bird (I-235) Steve C
Very Early (I-428) Raphael

--SJH

May 4, 2019

Next Time: Sat. 5/11, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Add-A-Tune: Solar (I-363)

Speed report!

Present:
Raphael (bass), Steve H (piano, soprano), Sam (trombone, trumpet), Ari (trumpet), Lachel (trumpet), Lathiel (trombone), Roger (tenor), Annie (vocals), Carl (trombone)

Tunes:
Whisper Not (II-422) Sam
Blue Bossa (I-50) Lachel
Watermelon Man (III-429) Ari
Au Privave (I-37) Roger
My One And Only Love (I-288) Steve H
This Could Be The Start Of Something Big (III-404) Raphael
Blue Monk (I-52) Annie
Blue Room (I-53) Annie
Move (II-280) Sam
West Coast Blues (I-436) Annie
Blue Skies (II-58) Annie
Donna Lee (I-123) Wes
Fine And Mellow (III-122) Annie
Exactly Like You (III-116) Annie
Mr. P.C. (I-276) Steve H
It Never Entered My Mind (III-205) Annie
A Fine Romance (I-140) Annie
Why Don't You Do Right (III-447) Raphael
Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars [Corcovado] (I-335) Annie

--SJH

April 27. 2019

Next time: Sat., 5/4, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-a-Tune: Whisper Not (II-422)

A familiar gathering: Sam (trumpet and trombone), Raphael (bass), Jeff (piano), Steve C (piano), Jack K (trumpet, drums), John (trombone), Steve H (soprano, rhythm), Wes (tenor), Ari (trumpet, drums).

We got started, as usual, with the Add-a-Tune, this time Benny Golson's Stablemates (III-378), mostly because Sam had just seen Golson at Crooners and had a good time. Heading around the circle, John got next crack and pulled out Wave (I-431). Jack took us on an easy-feeling My Romance (I-289). Jeff made us work on a lengthy samba, Chega de Saudade (I-74). Steve C opted for the swingier Have You Met Miss Jones (I-172). Raphael, always looking for the one he hasn't played, chose Midnight Sun (III-276) which, because of its unusual phrase lengths, is a lot trickier than it sounds. As for Wes, Straight No Chaser (I-386) was just the ticket. Yours truly thought it might be fun to play one he's always wanted to try, Lazy River (I-242); nobody objected.

Back to Sam for a second round, we went to Out Of Nowhere (I-318). John next called Black Nile (I-48). Steve C was on the keys for Lady Bird (I-235). Ari decided on Sophisticated Lady (I-376). Raphael also rummaged around among the old tunes, choosing I'm Sitting On Top Of The World (III-187). Wes went to the tried and true, with Donna Lee (I-123). Your scribe was feeling upbeat, and called Cherokee (I-77). Sam took us to closing (and beyond) with St. Thomas (II-339).

--SJH

April 20, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 4/27, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Stablemates (III-378)

The usual crowd of instrumentalists, but still no vocalists able to make it: Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), Steve C (piano), Steve H (alto), John (trombone), Ari (trumpet), Carl (trombone), Wes (tenor) and Roger (tenor).

Sam got us off and running--or flying--with Ornithology (I-317). Well, flying low and not too fast. John took us at a similar pace through There Will Never Be Another You (I-407). Carl wanted to revisit Ornithology via How High The Moon (I-180). Steve C changed direction with Jordu (I-227). Raphael radically changed direction with Mingus' Reincarnation Of A Love Bird (I-342). Roger soon had us loping through A Night In Tunisia (I-302). Yours truly thought it would be interesting to try to sound like Johnny Hodges on Passion Flower (I-321), but Strayhorn pieces sound way better with full orchestration, and only Johnny Hodges is Johnny Hodges. Wes went with an old friend, Dizzy's Groovin' High (I-166). Ari called another familiar bopper, Bird's Au Privave (I-37).

Your scribe is pretty sure Sam called something in here which he failed to write down. Carl took the next call, Nostalgia In Times Square (I-306). It is not often that Mingus gets a curtain call at this Workshop.  Roger opted for the tempo-switching John Lewis tune, Django (I-114). Steve C. decided to cool things out with In A Mellow Tone (I-206). Raphael worked his own fingers to the bone with the longish but fun That Old Black Magic (III-394). Yours truly took things out with that old Irving Berlin Easter standard, I'm Putting All My Eggs In One Basket (II-187).

--SJH

April 13, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 4/20, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

FJF practice: Ornithology (I-317)

Sorry, getting behind again.

The Players
Sam (trumpet and trombone), Jeff (piano), Steve C (piano), Raphael (bass), Jack K (trumpet), Ari (trumpet), Carl (trombone), and Steve H (alto).

The Tunes
 I-324 Pent Up House (Sam)
I-12 Afternoon in Paris (Me)
I-402 There Will Never Be Another You (Jack K)
I-367 Someday My Prince Will Come (Jeff)
II-372 Struttin' With Some Barbecue (Steve C)
II-160 Head and Shoulders (Raphael)
I-57 Body and Soul (Ari)
I-337 Recorda Me (Sam)
II-293 Now's The Time (Jack K)
II-167 Honeysuckle Rose (Me)
I-226 Jelly Roll (Carl)
I-382 Stella By Starlight (Jeff)
II-436 You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To (Steve C)
II-386 Tangerine (Raphael)
I-17 Alice in Wonderland (Ari)
I-22 All The Things You Are (Sam)
I-196 I'll Never Smile Again (Me)
I-206 In A Mellow Tone (Carl)

--SJH

Bert Blyleven's Birthday, 2018

Next Time: Sat., 4/13, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

FJF prep: Pent Up House

Due to unforeseen events going on in our host building, the Workshop was cut short at 1:30. Still, we had a good crew of Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), Steve H (piano, alto), Arthur (drums), John (trombone), Ari (trumpet), and a surprise visit from Ray (bass) and his friend Rosa (good listener). Annie (vocals) and Carl (trombone) got there just before we shut down. Next time, we'll remember to call and warn you!

We began the day with Sam's FJF prep of Four Brothers, first from the book, then using three of the four parts from our arrangement. We went Wave (I-431) next, courtesy of John. Your scribe thought it would be cool to do a Desmondesque version of I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (III-192), but it was a lot trickier than he makes it sound. We then took on Waltz for Debby (I-432) at the behest of Raphael, and at a good clip. Arthur got the next round, choosing Pent Up House (I-324). Ari stuck his finger down on a page and came up with Road Song (I-344), which I think we were all pleased with by the end.

We started the second round with Sam's call, Jeannine (II-212). For some reason, John thought Anthropology (I-xx) was a good idea, and he wasn't entirely wrong. Ray decided to sit in for a few, and picked I'm Confessin' (II-xxx), challenging us to play it in a different key than was in the book. The piano player borrowed a computer cheat, but the horns gamely worked through it.

Just as we got started with Annie's first tune, we got the word that we had to leave, and your scribe forgot to write it down. Something with Blue in the title.

--SJH

March 31, 2019

Next Time:

A very busy afternoon: 11 instrumentalists, no singers, a lot of rotation on instruments. We had Sam (trumpet, trombone), Roger (tenor, piano), Raphael (bass), Jack K (trumpet, drums), Jeff (piano), Craig (guitar), John (trombone), Ari (trumpet, drums), Wes (tenor), Carl (trombone) and Steve H (alto, piano, hi-hat).

Your scribe is still a bit short on time, so we're going with the short version.

Tunes Played more or less well
I-373 Song For My Father (Sam)
I-425 Up Jumped Spring (Jack K)
I-402 There Will Never Be Another You (Jeff)
Handout Pent Up House (Steve H)
I-51 Blue In Green (Raphael)
I-431 Wave (John)
I-152 Freedom Jazz Dance (Roger)
I-98 Dancing On The Ceiling (Ari)
I-22 Ceora (Wes)
I-311 Once I Loved (Sam)
I-306 Nostalgia In Times Square (Carl)
II-208 It's All Right With Me (Steve H)
I-119 Dolphin Dance (Raphael)
I-317 Ornithology (Roger)
I-3xx St. Thomas (Sam)

--SJH