October 26, 2024

Next Time: Sat. 11/2, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

We're in the basement theater. Bring your own stand.

Quite a group turned out for this week's fun: Sam (trombone), Paul (bass), Craig (guitar), Bill (drums), Charlie (trumpet), Jan (trumpet), Matt (vocals), Steve H (piano, alto), Jerry (guitar), Serdar (guitar), Tom A (piano).

Your scribe was thrilled when newcomer Tom showed up halfway through the session to take over piano duties, freeing yours truly to play saxophone and otherwise pay attention to what was going on.

However, the number of people who came to play means there are fewer songs, as each one takes longer to cycle through the soloists. It's a trade-off...

Sam kicked things off with his choice of an Irv Williams tune, Swiggles, which he had in a handout. Matt took his first vocal turn with a swingin' version of All Of Me (I-20). Craig called another classic, On The Sunny Side Of The Street (II-298). Your scribe brought an original that comes out every year around this time, Creepin' (handout). Matt picked another one to swing on, though it is not typically thought of as a swinger, You And The Night And The Music (handout). Paul opted for a Latin tune to be played as a Latin tune, Black Orpheus (I-76). Matt had another handout tune, Let's Get Lost. Serdar went to an old favorite, Billie's Bounce (II-xxx). Jerry chose something that Matt wanted to sing, but strangely, yours truly failed to write it down. Jan chose the one made popular by that other Williams, Joe, Alright, Ok, You Win (I-xx). 

Your scribe had to leave at this point, but there were plenty of people still enjoying the scene.

Will you be there next time? We hope so!

October 19, 2024

Next Time: Sat. 10/26, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Who stopped in?

Sam (trombone), Jan (trumpet), Bill (drums), Jerry (guitar), Steve H (piano), and Raphael (bass), Matt (vocals), Charlie (trumpet), Serdar (guitar)

What did they choose to play?

Sam: Have You Met Miss Jones (I-172)

Jerry: Don't Get Around Much Anymore (I-122)

Matt: Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good To You (I-153)

Charlie: Where Or When (III-438)

Steve: Whisper Not (II-422)

Matt: The Best Is Yet To Come (handout)

Raphael: Horace Scope (II-xxx)

Matt: For Sentimental Reasons (I-147)

Jan: Whistle While You Work (III-439)

Matt: Rubber Duckie (handout)

Serdar: All Blues (I-18)

Sam: It All Comes Back To You (handout)

--SJH

October 12, 2024

Next Time: Sat., 10/19, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

We're in the basement theater. Bring your own stand.

A workable combo arrived to get our weekly shindig off the ground: Sam (trombone), Steve (piano), Paul (bass), Jerry (guitar), Jan (trumpet), and Matt (vocals). 

As is our way, Sam launched us with his first pick, Triste (I-417). Matt was already set up, so he got the next call, L-O-V-E (III-252). Your scribe went to the easygoing Hoagy Carmichael tune, Lazy River (I-242). Paul got us all groovin' to Stella By Starlight (I-382). Matt had several handouts for the session, starting with When You Wish Upon A Star. Jan pulled out the little-known Guilty (I-168). Jerry countered with the very well known tune, The Way You Look Tonight (I-415); Matt grabbed a chorus as well. Matt's own selection was his second handout, Oh, Look At Me Now.

We started a second round with Sam's choice of My Little Suede Shoes (II-252). We had missed Craig on the first go-round, so he asked for Moon River (II-274), and again Matt joined in. Yours truly took a pass, so Paul got the next call of Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (II-355). Matt got another one, this time going to Angel Eyes (I-28). Your scribe had to pack it up at this point, but as he left, the gang was playing Jan's call, Gypsy In My Soul (I-169). Who knows what shenanigans ensued after that...

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH 

October 5, 2024

NEXT TIME:

Who was there? 

Sam (trombone), Charlie (trumpet), Jerry (guitar), Raphael (bass), Craig (guitar), and Steve H (piano)

What tunes were called this time?

Sam: Blues for Wood (II-60)

Charlie: My Heart Stood Still (III-291)

Steve H: The Song Is You (I-374)

Raphael: Song For Strayhorn (III-368)

Craig: Satin Doll (I-349)

Sam: The Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers (I-348)

Steve H: I'm Old Fashioned (III-186)

Raphael: I'll Take Romance (III-180)

Jerry: You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (I-456)

Sam: I'm Sitting On Top Of The World (III-187)

See you next time?

--SJH

September 28, 2024

NEXT TIME: Sat. 10/5, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park), basement theater

Bring your own stand!

The Personnel: Sam (trombone), Jan (trumpet), Bill (drums), Paul (bass), Craig (guitar), Steve H (piano, soprano), Serdar (guitar), Victoria (vocals), Matt (vocals)

The Program:

Sam: Honeysuckle Rose (II-162)

Craig: Rainbow Connection (III-3xx)

Steve: Witchcraft (III-452)

Matt: East of the Sun (III-104)

Paul: The Girl From Ipanema (I-158)

Victoria: Take the A Train (I-390)

Matt: From Russia With Love (handout)

Jan: On the Sunny Side of the Street (II-298)

Sam: St. Thomas (II-339)

Victoria: People Will Say We're In Love (II-310)

Craig: Till There Was You (II-400)

Serdar: Billie's Bounce (II-xx)

There was more, but your scribe had to leave before the end!

--SJH  

September 21, 2024

Next Time: Sat., 9/28, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. We work out of the Real Book vols. I-IV, or from handouts.

A solid group showed up for our regular gathering: Sam (trombone), Steve H (piano, soprano), Matt (vocals), Charlie (trumpet), Raphael (bass), Jerry (guitar), and Serdar (guitar). 

The music began with Sam's opening pick,  the Irving Berlin classic Cheek to Cheek (III-76). Charlie immediately changed the subject by choosing Charlie Parker's My Little Suede Shoes (II-282). Matt picked up the mood with a rousing rendition of The Lady Is A Tramp (III-227). Your scribe went to Miles Davis tune, All Blues (I-18). Don't know why, exactly, but it all worked out. Raphael was thus inspired to pull out Benny Golson's Along Came Betty (III-22). Back to Matt for another vocal, we dug into Duke Ellington's Mood Indigo (I-279). Jerry changed the mood a bit with the Latin-inspired Watch What Happens (II-413). Matt lightened things up with the very muppety Rubber Duckie (handout). Serdar finished off round one by calling There Will Never Be Another You (I-xxx).

Sam began a second go around with Four (I-149). Both piano and bass had to pack it up at that point, so not much more happened.

Hope you can join us next time!

--SJH 

September 14, 2024

Next Time: Sat. 9/21, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

As usual, we'll be in the basement theater. Bring your own stand.

As has become typical, we work with a regular and semi-regular group of fluctuating size. Over the summer, Bill (drums) and Jerry (guitar) became regulars. Last week, we were joined by youngster Charlie (trumpet), who was not frightened away last week by a room full of middle-aged to seriously old people. Also present were stalwart Sam (trombone), Craig (guitar), Raphael (bass), Matt (vocals), Steve H (piano, soprano), and Serdar (guitar). 

As is his wont, Sam got things rolling with Gone With The Wind (III-132). Charlie counted off a medium swing tempo for How High The Moon (I-180). Matt opted for the tricky phrase lengths of Beyond The Sea (II-40). Raphael went for the even trickier chord changes of Miles Ahead (II-264). Jerry called I'm Confessin' (II-185), which gave him an opportunity to both sing and improvise on guitar. Matt found a second one in the books in his key, this time I Won't Dance (III-174). Craig chose a favorite of his, The Rainbow Connection (III-330). Matt took another vocal, The Stars Fell On Alabama (handout). Serdar went to the basics, i.e., the blues, with an up-tempo Tenor Madness (II-390). Sam found an Irving Berlin tune that doesn't get out much, Russian Lullaby (II-336). Matt handed out another one, this time Let's Get Lost (handout).

Your scribe and the bass player had to leave at this point, but the rest of the gang stuck around for a few more. 

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH