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

May 25, 2019

Next Time: Sat, 6/1, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Once again, your scribe was not able to attend, but will return this coming week, as if that matters to anyone reading this blog. (IS anyone reading this blog?) In the meantime, Raphael has kept meticulous notes of the last session--a good one, he reports.

Who Played
John, Raphael, Robert, Craig, Carl, Ari and Wes

What They Played
In A Mellow Tone (I-206) John
Blue Monk (I-52) Robert
Four (I-149) Raphael
Ornithology (I-317) Craig
Oleo (I-305) Ari
Wave (I-431) John
Bessie's Blues (I-42) Carl
Blues For Alice (I-55) Wes
How High The Moon (I-180) Robert
Cherokee (I-77) Raphael
There Will Never Be Another You (I-407) Wes
It's Too Late (III-218) Craig
Autumn Leaves (I-33) Carl
Lullaby Of Birdland (I-256) Robert
Without A Song (I-428) Raphael

--SJH

May 18, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 5/25, 11am-3pm. TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune:

Your scribe had too much weekend, and had to miss the Workshop, but the faithful Raphael took notes for us.

Personnel: Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), Jack K (trumpet), Wes (tenor), Ari (trumpet), Lathiel (trombone), Lachel (trumpet), and Carl (trombone)

Tunes:
Beautiful Love (I-40) Sam
I Thought About You (II-180) Jack
Things To Come (II-393) Raphael
Groovin' High (I-166) Wes
Take Five (I-397) Ari
St. Thomas (II-339) Lathiel
So What (I-366) Carl
Four Brothers (II-138) Sam
I'll Take Romance (III-180) Raphael
All Of Me (I-20) Ari
Autumn Leaves (I-28) Carl
Robbins Nest (II-330) Wes
Quizas Quizas Quizas (III-329) Raphael
Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (II-355) Sam
Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West (II-408) Carl
Red Top (III-332) Wes

--SJH

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