June 27, 2016

We met on a beautiful summertime Monday evening. Participating were Tom (drums), Sam (bass), Steve M (alto), Steve H (alto and soprano), Jack D (trumpet), Wes (tenor), and Dick (vocals).

Things got rolling with Solar (I- ), Sam’s choice. Steve M was up next, and called For All We Know (I- ). Jack D. had an interesting choice, but I forgot to write it down.  After that, we were On A Slow Boat To China (III-309). Wes completely changed the mood with his choice of Boplicity (I-58). Another change of pace came with Sam’s next call, Waltz For Debbie (I-42).

Vocals began with Dick’s choices of A Sunday Kind Of Love (I-392), followed by Fly Me To The Moon (II-135).  Next up was Steve M’s call, I Thought About You (II-180).; Dick joined in. Jack D decided on the classic I Love Paris (I-189). Sam asked that we do a little work, handing out a few tunes in C for us to transpose, Cute (yours truly cheated and moved over to piano for this one) and On The Trail. We struggled with transposition, and decided to close out with a vocal, I Could Write A Book (I-186).

Participant Picks

Sam

Freddie Hubbard, First Light (1971)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zh0-T0efTY

Jack

Chet Baker, My Buddy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfUZomG97pI&index=14&list=PL6MP3z8uuNRIAHXx9jaXmhX7RVm1BYBW-

Wes

John Coltrane, Blue Train (1957)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1GrP6thz-k

Dick

Frank Sinatra, Nancy with the Laughing Face

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

Steve H

Miles Davis, Boplicity

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

Zoot Sims, Wrap Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EioQFr2-LHg

June 20, 2016

A good crowd and some really good playing made for a fun summer evening. Tom (drums), Phil (piano), Jack D (trumpet), Steve M (alto), Bob (trombone), Steve H (alto and soprano), Wes (tenor), and Dick (vocals) joined the party.

As your scribe wandered in, the first five in the list were working on the classic You Took Advantage Of Me (I-460).  Jack D had the next opportunity, choosing a ballad, When I Fall In Love (I-489). Steve M picked a mid-tempo version of Cherokee (I-77), with some nice drumming by Tom.  Next up was Bob’s call, the delightful C’est Si Bon (I-65). Yours truly brought an original based on his time in Rome, Lungotevere. Wes reliably called for Blues For Alice (I-55). Tom, challenged not to request St. Thomas, instead chose My Little Suede Shoes (II-282).

By this time, Dick was set up to sing, and called a couple of old favorites: Out Of Nowhere (I-318) and All Of Me (I-20), with several instrumental solos on each. Phil surprised everyone with the great jazz waltz, Some Day My Prince Will Come (I-367). Dick next wanted to sing a nice, easy version of There Will Never Be Another You (I-407), again with Jack putting some great controlled fills in behind the vocals. Jack D stated the theme solo on Georgia On My Mind (II-145), inspiring some further solos (it was also the hat).  Dick unexpectedly took a swing at Doxy (II-111). Steve H wanted to trot out a tune that doesn’t get out much, and called for Moonlight Becomes You (III-281). An old faithful for Dick, I’m Confessin’ (II-185), followed. It’s Only A Paper Moon (II-209) was Phil’s choice. He also suggested In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning (I-260), but the McRae staff had to chase us out before we got through it, because we were having such a good time.

Participant Picks

I’ll try to remember next week to ask the Participants for some favorite recordings. In the meantime, here are some picks of mine.

Some Day My Prince Will Come

Dave Brubeck Quartet (1957)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBFzLEMvi4M

Miles Davis Sextet (1961)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBq87dbKyHQ

Oscar Peterson Trio (released 1975, recorded 1967)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MagwWRV6maE

Enjoy.

--SJH

June 13, 2016

Sorry about not reporting.

We got started an hour late due to a scheduling mix-up at McRae. Tom (drums), Jack D (trumpet), Steve H (soprano), Steve M (alto) and Wes (tenor) played a bunch of songs, most of which I cannot remember.

June 5, 2016

Your scribe did not get to the Workshop until the singer's portion of the program, so Sam was kind enough to keep the record. Present were Tom (drums), newcomer Phil (piano), Steve M (alto) Jack K (trumpet), Elmer (tenor), Joe (trumpet), Annie (vocals), Carl (trombone), Dick (vocals), and of course Sam (bass and trumpet). Tony (bass) and Steve H (alto) strolled in later.

Tunes performed: So What, Alice In Wonderland, Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (Corcovado), Dancing On The Ceiling, Blue Room, St. Thomas, Pfrancing, Sunday Kind Of Love, The Surrey With The Fringe On Top, Time After Time, So Dance...

When yours truly and Tony arrive, Annie was singing Why Do I Love You. Dick chose In A Mellow Tone. Joe got the call on an instrumental, Swingin' Shepherd Blues. Annie requested something in there that I forgot to write down; in fact, I think I missed a couple of tunes here. Dick called Have You Met Miss Jones. Annie opted for a reprise of MellowTone, so she could exchange some scat time with Dick. I got a chance to bring up Honeysuckle Rose. Dick brought up another tune that he and Annie work well on together, Centerpiece. Tom got a pick with C-Jam Blues. We finished up with a long version of a reprise of Quiet Nights, this time with vocals.

Next week, we move to Mondays, starting on June 13 from 5 to 8. 

I hope next time to bring back the Participant Picks.
Here's a few that will tell you where I've been for the past few months.

Dean Martin, On An Evening In Roma

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IEHc33agZs

Frank Sinatra, Three Coins in the Fountain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkHkMH5uxrA&list=RDrkHkMH5uxrA#t=0

Patti Page, Autumn In Rome

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

Enjoy! 

--SJH

CHANGE OF PLANS

We made a mistake about when we go to Monday evenings.

We will meet one more time, this Saturday, June 4, 11-3.

We will begin our Monday evening sessions on June 13, 5-8.

--SJH

May 21, 2016

Family Fun Day at McRae

A good time was had by all, or at least that's how it looked from where we were standing. The workshop players got to play the last set for Family Fun Day. Annie and Dick were there for vocals, along with Sam on trumpet, Steve M and Steve H on altos, Wes on tenor, Carl on trombone, Tony on bass, and Tom on drums.

The events were about twenty minutes behind our scheduled start time of 2:55, but after watching a drum corps and dancers, and a band of Aztec dancers (all very colorful and energetic), we got rolling. After intros by Annie, we started with So Nice (Summer Samba) (I, 362), with all the horns taking a solo. Annie was our first vocalist, and yours truly and Sam backed her up with solos on Tadd Dameron's Lady Bird (I, 235). Dick stepped to the microphone and, with Steve M's assist, sang All Of Me (I, 20). An instrumental, Blues For Alice (I, 55) got everyone in on the solo work. Annie came back to sing a Billie Holliday classic, Fine And Mellow (III, 122), with Wes doing some very mellow blues behind her. Dick took another turn with Sam taking a solo on Out Of Nowhere (I, 318). With the organizers announcing the winners of the raffle, we finished the set with Killer Joe (II, 229).

Thanks to the Fun Day organizers for inviting us to be part of the festivities.

The Family Fun Day wraps up the programming for Saturdays. We move to Monday evenings for the summer. Since next May 30 is Memorial Day, we'll begin on Monday, June 6, 5-8pm.

It looks as though we still have one more week on Saturdays. We will meet this Saturday, June 4, from 11-3. We will begin our Monday evening sessions on June 13, 5-8 pm.

--SJH

May 14 2016

Players:

  Wes/Tenor, Steve M./Alto, Sam/Trumpet, Tom/Drums, Tony/Bass, Steve H./Alto, Carl/Trombone.

Songs Played:

  Bye Bye Blackbird, Take The A Train, Killer Joe, I Don't Stand A Ghost Of A Chance, Pick Yourself Up,
  Blue Skies, Sugar, There Will Never Be Another You, Satin Doll, All Of Me, Out Of Nowhere,
  Lady Bird, Summer Samba (So Nice), You Made Me Love You, Three Little Words.