December 21, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 12/28. CANCELLED due to ice

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Bitches Brew (III-49)

Your scribe does not feel like writing much this week, because it's been very hectic, and now he is sitting in front of a fire with his feet up. So here are the bare bones.

Present:
John (trombone), Steve H (piano, soprano), Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), and Carl (trombone).

Played:
Blue Seven (Sam's Add-A-Tune)
Blue Bossa (John)
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm (Steve H)
Unforgettable (Raphael)
Dear Old Stockholm (Sam)
Wave (John)
Santa Monk Is Coming To Town (Steve H)
Copenhagen (Raphael)
West Coast Blues (Sam)
In A Sentimental Mood (Carl)
In A Mellow Tone (Steve H)
Lover Come Back (Raphael)
Stablemates (Sam)
Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West (Carl)
Are You Havin' Any Fun (Steve H)

Merry Christmas from the Workshop!

--SJH

December 14, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 12/21, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Blue Seven (II-56)

Never more than four of us at a time this week, but plenty of fun for all. Attending were Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), Steve H (piano, soprano), Jack K (trumpet), and Wes (trumpet).

Chitlins Con Carne (I-81) was Sam's Add-A-Tune and got things underway. Jack slowed us down immediately with In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning (I-210). Your scribe was feeling both Sidney Bechet and Latin, calling Petite Fleur (II-312). Raphael found one we didn't know, It's A Blue World (II-207). 

Sam began the second round with Mr. Magic (II-268). Jack shook that one off with a mid-tempo version of For All We Know (I-145). Yours truly went with another classic, Broadway (I-61). Raphael acquiesced to a suggestion, Creole Love Call (III-88). Wes now present called for old favorite Blues For Alice (I-50). 

Continuing a run of lesser known tunes, Sam called Lucky Southern (I-255). Continuing a pattern of Gerry Mulligan tunes, your scribe went to Line For Lyons (III-240). Raphael picked another tune written by Mulligan, Song For Strayhorn (III-368). Wes surprised us with The Song Is Ended (III-369). 

Sam got one more choice, going to Book IV and A Foggy Day (IV-xxx). Having to leave early, yours truly got the last one, All Of Me (I-20). 

--SJH

December 7, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 12/14, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Chitlins Con Carne (I-81)

A decent crowd coming and going as the afternoon progressed. Your scribe was late arriving, but did not miss too much of the fun. Present at one time or another were Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), Jack K (trumpet), Jack D (trumpet), Ari (trumpet), Steve H (piano, soprano), Steve M (alto), Carl (trombone), and Wes (tenor).

Sam's Add-A-Tune was, as usual, our kickoff number: Baia (III-435). Jack K got the next call, Till There Was You (II-400). Yours truly was listening to Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker in the car, and pulled out These Foolish Things (II-392). Raphael chose to challenge us, but not too much, with a lowered speed on Airegin (I-13). Ari was feeling a 3/4 thing and turned to Alice In Wonderland (I-17). Wes opted for old stand-by Groovin' High (I-166).

The second round began with Sam's choice, Little Boat (I-245). We went at a medium tempo on the classic ballad, The Nearness Of You (II-285), Jack K's pick. Steve M was ready for a solid groove on Mean To Me (III-274). Carl mixed things up with a personal favorite, So What (I-364). Your scribe acquiesced to Steve M's suggestion of Jitterbug Waltz (II-214), which said scribe also really enjoys playing. Raphael got us back to modern times with Jeannine (II-212). Wes stayed in his bop-era mode, choosing Blues For Alice (I-55). We finished off with Sam's call, Minor Swing (IV-284).

--SJH

November 30, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 12/7, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Baia (III-47)

Bad road conditions kept us from getting started on time, but by noon, Sam (trumpet, trombone), Steve H (piano, alto), and Raphael (bass) were on hand. Carl (trombone) arrived a bit later, and long-absent Matt arrived to do vocals at 1:00.

We worked long and hard trying to make Air Mail Special (II-13), Sam's Add-A-Tune, viable. Hard to say why we struggled with it so much. The solos weren't the problem, just the song itself. We don't give those long-ago jazz musicians enough credit for virtuosity. Your scribe took the next one, calling Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (II-354), which he had long thought of airing out at the Workshop. Raphael turned to the Cedar Walton classic, Holy Land (II-166). Carl went with the next page, Honeysuckle Rose (II-167).

Vocal time, and Matt kicked us off with Fly Me To The Moon (II-135), and followed up with Angel Eyes (I-28). Sam called the instrumental interlude, All The Things You Are (I-22) with a Latin rhythm. XXXX went next to the ballad, What'll I Do (II-419) and finished the afternoon with

The Minnesota-Wisconsin border battle for the Axe being close to underway, and the residents wishing to watch on the big screen, we abandoned the theater at 2:10.

--SJH

November 23, 2019

Next Time: Sat, 11/30, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Air Mail Special (II-13)

On hand for a shortened version of the Workshop were, variously, Sam (trombone), Jack D (trumpet), Jack K (trumpet), Raphael (bass), Steve H ("piano," soprano), and Ari (trumpet).

The festivities began with Sam's Add-A-Tune, Black Nile (I-xx). Jack K got the follow-up call, Out Of Nowhere (I-318). Your scribe heard Gypsy In My Soul (I-169) in the car on the way to the Workshop, and thought it would be worth a try. Raphael found a fun 3/4-time tune, Masquerade (III-269). Jack D requested one of his favorites, My Funny Valentine (I-287). Ari, freshly arrived as Sam was leaving, was unfamiliar with the moving Ellington piece, Come Sunday (I-82); now he knows.

Back to Jack K, who opted for a lightly swinging My Foolish Heart (I-286). Your truly pulled out another bit of Ellingtonia, I'm Beginning To See The Light (I-200). Raphael challenged us with the tricky Charlie Parker piece, Segment (III-xxx). Ari went to the much smoother All Blues (I-18). Your scribe found more Ellington, the Johnny Hodges vehicle Warm Valley (II-412). We finished the afternoon with a Latin version of More (III-284).

--SJH

November 16, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 11/23, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Sam's Add-A-Tune: Black Nile (I-48)

A small group again, but Jack D (trumpet) made an appearance after a long absence to join Raphael (bass), and Steve H (piano, soprano). Annie (vocals) and Carl (trombone) joined us for the last hour.

Jack took the first call, How Deep Is The Ocean (III-xxx). Your scribe opted for All Blues (I-18). Raphael found the harmonically predictable but melodically interesting Lover Come Back To Me (III-255). Jack chose old favorite My Funny Valentine (I-287). Back to yours truly, we went to the even older standard All Of Me (I-20). Raphael dug out the unfamiliar My Silent Love (III-296), which worked out great. Jack's last choice for the afternoon was Angel Eyes (I-28). Your scribe turned to a fun medium-up version of Easy To Love (I-128). Joyce's Samba (III-216) was another fun find by Raphael.

Vocal time began with Annie choosing Poor Butterfly (III-324), which by all reports went much better than last week. Carl took an instrumental call, Bye Bye Blackbird (II-73). Annie got the call for the last four. The Birth Of The Blues (II-49), Close Your Eyes (II-86), Come Rain Or Come Shine (III-xxx), and did a duet with the bass on It Could Happen To You.

--SJH

November 9, 2019

Next Time: Sat., 11/16, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

Report by Raphael

Present:
Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), Ari (trumpet), Carl (trombone), Annie (vocals)

Tunes played:
Byrd Like (I-xx) Sam's Add-A-Tune
Time Was (III-409) Raphael
St. James Infirmary (II-xxx) Ari
Time After Time (III-408) Sam
Say It With Music (III-347) Raphael
Red Clay (I-338) Ari
So Nice (I-362) Ari
Poor Butterfly (III-324) Annie
Autumn Leaves (I-39) Annie
Blue Monk (I-52) Carl
How Little We Know (Handout) Annie
'Tis Autumn (Handout) Annie
The Nearness Of You (II-285) Annie
Telephone Song (III-390) Raphael
Ten Cents A Dance (III-391) Ari
Nica's Dream (I-xxx) Annie
Give Me The Simple Life (Handout) Annie

--SJH