Jazz Workshop In The Park

Sunday, April 12, 2015

April 11, 2015

Plenty of people showed up, but due to the great weather, quite a few had to head out early for various tasks. We missed Gene on drums again, but Jack K. filled in admirably for a few hours, and played a couple on trumpet. Todd saved his chops for an evening gig by playing guitar, joining Greg. Both Steves were there on alto, Wes on tenor, Jim on bari sax and Jack D. on trumpet. Finally came Carl on trombone, Annie and Dick to sing.

Sam got us rolling on the old standard, Bye Bye Blackbird (I, 73). Steve M. got us to deliver on How High the Moon (I, 180). Jack D. surprised us with Stanley Turrentine's Sugar (I, 387). Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (III, 374) was Jim's choice. Yours truly decided to see if we could do an alternating Latin/Swing groove with Caravan (II, 77). Wes stayed with one of his favorites, Groovin' High (I, 166). Jack K. moved over to trumpet and asked for one he was clearly fond of, My Ideal (III, 292). We went back to a nice groove with Todd's pick, All the Things You Are (I, 22).

By this time, Jack D and Jack K and Wes had pulled out, and Carl, Annie and Dick had arrived. While they got set up, Sam called for Four Brothers (II, 138). Our singers found that, once again, they had to operate without microphones, so we needed to make adjustments. Annie picked the lovely But Beautiful (I, 62), and followed it with a medium-tempo version of For All We Know (I, 145). Dick called for the intriguing Dancing on the Ceiling (I, 98), then changed the mood with Black Orpheus (I, 49). Carl, at the urging of others, requested Stella By Starlight (I, 382). Annie strove not to copy Dinah Washington in a rendition of What A Diff'rence A Day Made (III, 430), then chose the up-tempo From This Moment On (III, 126). We finished the afternoon with Dick's call, Skylark (III, 356).

Participant Picks

Sam: Conception, Harlequin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEHlLo1ExIs

Carl: Chrissie, Chico Hamilton Quintet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtDkPbeshKY&index=13&list=PLoodzr0MYST66UUuZhtoafSN5Ras0dxGB

Steve M.: Skyliner, Charlie Barnet

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

Annie: From This Moment On (I chose an Ella version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7M5NBC2y8U

Everyone: What a Diff’rence a Day Made, Dinah Washington

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxWPk41uBpU

Dick: Nature Boy, Nat King Cole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQerH4nRTUA

ME: Chattanooga Choo Choo, Glenn Miller Orchestra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2aj0zhXlLA

I recently saw the movie Sun Valley Serenade, from which this version is taken, and included it not only because it has all the band choreography, but also because it has a completely gratuitous and fantastic follow-up featuring the dancing of the absolutely incredible Nicholas Brothers. (Bonus points to anyone who can explain, without looking on the internet, how they created the strange ice effect in the final scene with skater Sonja Henie.)

Enjoy.

--SJH

Monday, April 6, 2015

April 4, 2015

As I write this, a beautiful Easter has dawned, it is now a cool and wet Monday—which, given the lack of moisture this winter, is much needed—and baseball begins. All is right with the world.

A good turnout on Saturday: Sam (bass and trumpet), Gene (drums), Wes (tenor), Steve M (alto), Greg, (guitar), Jim D (bari sax), Jack D (trumpet), Carl (trombone), Annie (vocals), and your scribe (alto).

As I arrived, Sam, Greg, Steve M, Wes and Jack were on the first tune, My Romance. By the time I got my horn out, Sam had brought out West Coast Blues (I 436). Jack D called for the lovely You Are Too Beautiful (I 455). Jim had arrived, and got his bari set up in time to play Wes’ pick, Cousin Mary (II-93). I pulled up one that brought to mind the ocean for a lot of people present, Avalon (II-25). Jim came with one in mind, Gerry Mulligan’s Out Back of the Barn (II-304). Steve M decided on an alternating Latin/Swing version of I’ll Remember April (I-197).

We’ve been working on Four Brothers recently, and tried out a new arrangement, which seemed to show promise. While figuring this out, Carl and Annie arrived. Annie asked for On A Slow Boat To China (III 306), followed by My Foolish Heart (I-286). We forced Carl to take a turn, and he chose Blue Monk ((I 52). Back to Annie, we covered two more: Can’t Help Loving” Dat Man (I 68) and We’ll Be Together Again (I 434). Greg, following his habit of calling whatever is on the opposite page, got us to try Well You Needn’t (I 435). Annie wanted Hoagy Carmishael’s Skylark (III 356), then followed Greg’s lead, went to the next page and A Sleepin’ Bee (III 357). After an instrumental, Birk’s Works (II 48), we returned to romance as we began, this time I’ll Take Romance (III 180).

Participant Picks

A lot of people had interesting ideas this time out for your listening pleasure.

Sam: JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, Blue Monk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie9-5LjGv3s

Annie: Aretha Franklin, Skylark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tWxz5dzPaU

Jim: Gerry Mulligan, Out Back of the Barn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vh4FSFnOfvo

Wes: Charlie Parker, Au Privave

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNrWu-linSs

Greg: Doris Day w/ Les Brown, We’ll Be Together Again

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSj2l5CKrcA

Gene: Thelonious Monk, Monk’s Dream

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

Jack: Chet Baker, Almost Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4PKzz81m5c

Steve H: Phil Woods, A Sleepin’ Bee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbcm1To4POc&list=PL82214F54C1D51D8F

And because I promised Annie I would: Ernie and Hoots (and many celebrities), Put Down The Ducky

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

--SJH

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

March 20, 2015

The MacRae Park Bunny Brunch for kids is coming up next Saturday, March 28, from 10 to noon. The Workshop participants will be playing a few Easter and Spring-related tunes for the grown-ups. Maybe we'll see you there, or afterwards if we keep playing.

This week, though, was just a standard workshop. Sam (bass), Wes (tenor), Steve M (alto), Greg (guitar), yours truly (alto) were there at the beginning. Todd was also there, bringing in not only his trumpet, but his guitar. He and Steve M started noodling around on All The Things You Are (I-22) while the rest of us got set up and joined in. We moved on to Greg's pick on the next page, Always (I-23), which we played in 3/4 time rather than the written 4/4. Our arrangement of Four Brothers was Sam's call, with Todd, Steve M, Steve H and Wes trying to be Zoot, Stan, Herbie and Serge without the same horns.

We were joined at this time by newcomer Rich, who brought his flugelhorn and, when that proved to have a balky valve, his cornet. Sam called another, The Song Is You (I-374). Wes decided on Charlie Parker's Blues For Alice (I-55). Rich's first turn came up, and he wanted Song for My Father (I-373). Todd called for a down-tempo version of There Will Never Be Another You (I-407). Your scribe, up next, changed books with Old Devil Moon (II-297). Annie, Carl and Dick arrived in the meantime, and Annie joined in a chorus.

Annie felt like trying out a lot of new things this week, beginning with the funky Feel Like Makin' Love (III-119); turns out we're not a particularly funky group. Dick brought us back to normal with Come Rain Or Come Shine (II-88). Alright, OK, You Win (I-24) was Annie's next new choice, and went better. Dick picked one of his favorites, Mean To Me (III-274). Steve M finally got a chance and called It Might As Well Be Spring (II-205). Annie's next new tune was the old standard Sentimental Journey (II-343). Next up was Jobim's Meditation (I-266). To prepare for the Bunny Brunch, we took a look at Easter Parade (I-126) and finished up with Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most (III-374), which is way too much of a downer to play at the Brunch, but is still an interesting song.

Participant's Picks
Lots of people had contributions this week. Check out some of these recordings.

Sam: John Coltrane, A Love Supreme

http://www.openculture.com/2011/12/coltrane_only_live_performance_a_love_supreme.html

Carl: Nina Simone, Why? (The King of Love Is Dead)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh6R0BRzjW4 (Full Live Version)

Wes: Benny Golson, Along Came Betty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUpYEM05ffk

Greg: Thelonious Monk, Round Midnight

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zre0u5XyNfY (Original 1947)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yg7aZpIXRI (Video, live in Norway, 1966)

Steve M: It Might As Well Be Spring. Lots of them available. Try these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bUNh1gTBp0 (State Fair 1945)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1VEifmf9Uw (Sarah Vaughan 1950)