February 28, 2026

Next Time: Sat., 3/7, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. We'll be in the basement theater.

Report soon.

--SJH

February 21, 2026

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

Bring your own stand. 

The gang seems to be growing each week! This session we had on hand Bill (drums), Maria (bass), Raphael (bass), Steve C (piano), Steve H (alto), John L (trumpet), Ari (trumpet, flugelhorn), Jerry (guitar), Serdar (guitar), John P (guitar), Scott (guitar), and Mike (tenor). 

Here's what we played, and what volume of the Real Book to find it in.

Raphael: Easy Living (I)

Maria: Boplicity (I)

John P: I Remember You (II)

Ari: Au Privave (I)

Jerry: Moanin' (II)

Serdar: Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans (II)

Steve C: Beautiful Love (I)

Raphael: Hocus Pocus (II)

Maria: Cherokee (I)

Scott: Now's The Time (II)

When your scribe departed at 1:30, they were still going strong, with reports that they went on to play Stella By Starlight (I), Blue Bossa (I), and Blue Monk (I). Great fun!

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH

February 14, 2026

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

Bring your own stand.

Who showed up?

Maria (bass), Raphael (bass), Bill (drums), John P (guitar), Randy (alto, flute), Ari (trumpet), Jack (trumpet), Matt (vocals), John C (piano)

What did they play?

L-O-V-E (III), Boplicity (I), Horace Scope (II), Blue Moon (handout), Alice in Wonderland (I), There Is No Grater Love (I), Beyond the Sea (II), The Girl From Ipanema (I), My Funny Valentine (I), Bye Bye Blackbird (II), When the Red-Red-Robin Comes Bob-Bob-Bobbin' Along (handout).

See you next time? Here's hoping!

--SJH

February 7, 2026

Next Time: Sat., 2/14, 11am-2pm. TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand.

Thanks to John C for taking notes.

Present were Steve C (piano), Raphael (bass), Maria (bass), Bill (drums), Scott (guitar), Serdar (guitar), Randy (alto and flute), Jerry (guitar), John C (trombone), John L (trumpet), Jack (trumpet), Ari (trumpet), Matt (vocals).

Tunes Played: 

All of Me (I)

I'll Remember April (I)

You Brought A New Kind of Love To Me 

Nostalgia in Times Square (I)

I Won't Dance (III)

Horace Scope (II)

Rubber Duckie (handout)

Candy (II)

Wave (I)

--SJH

January 31, 2026

Next Time: Sat., 2/7, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand. We usually work from the Real Book vols. I-IV. 

A surprisingly large group of musicians found themselves congregating in the basement theater for our weekly jump, jive and wail. Present were Matt (vocals), John C. (trombone and piano), Jack K. (trumpet), Ari (trumpet), Steve H. (piano and soprano), Raphael (bass), Jerry (guitar), Maria (bass), Bill (drums), Carl (bass), George (trombone), Serdar (guitar), and a harmonica player whose contact information I failed to get before he had to leave (so please come back).

As a result, there were fewer tunes, but more solos per tune. Here's what we covered before your scribe had to leave:

Matt: L-O-V-E (II)

John C: I'll Remember April (II)

Matt: How About You (handout)

Raphael: Dearly Beloved (I)

Serdar: Billie's Bounce (II)

Matt: It's Only A Papaer Moon (II)

George: Mercy Mercy Mercy (II)

Matt: When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob Bob Bobbin' Along (handout)

Jerry: In A Mellow Tone (I)

Matt: Angel Eyes (I)

At this point, yours truly had to pull up stakes, but things were still going strong.

Hope to see you one of these weeks!

--SJH

January 24, 2026

Next Time: Sat. 1/31, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

We're in the basement theater. We play mostly out of the Real Books. Bring your own stand.

A happy peppy crew stopped in on a frigid day to warm up with some solid jazz. Present were Maria (bass), John P (guitar), Bill (drums), John C (piano), Steve H (soprano), Raphael (bass), Serdar (guitar), Randy (alto, flute), Ari (trumpet).

John P got things started the ball rolling with All of Me (I). Yours truly pushed the tempo just a bit by calling Cherokee (I). Ari took it down a notch with an easy-going version of Four (I). John C kept the mood up with Fly Me To The Moon (II). Raphael pushed everyone outside their comfort zones by ordering up Salt Peanuts (II). Maria brought us to a warm beach with Wave (I). Bill got a chance to work the brushes with his option, Cute (handout). Serdar chose the fun 3/4 tune, Alice in Wonderland (I). 

Sadly, your scribe had to leave early, while the Workshop was in full swing, and people were still coming in to listen. Perhaps we will see you next time!

--SJH

January 17, 2026

Next Time: Sat., 1/24, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Bring your own stand.

A good group stopped by for the weekly happening: Raphael (bass), John L (trumpet), John P (guitar), John C (trombone), Matt (vocals), Randy (alto, flute), Steve H (piano), Serdar (guitar)

Here's what got called by whom:

Matt: Always (I)

John C: All the Things You Are (I)

Matt: Whatever Lola Wants (handout)

Steve: Tangerine (II)

Matt: On the Street Where You Live (III)

Raphael: Indian Summer (III)

Matt: Anything Goes (handout)

Serdar: There Will Never Be Another You (I)

Matt: Wave (handout)

Randy: Alice in Wonderland (I)

Your scribe had to run at this point, but one or two more tunes got played before the festivities wrapped up.

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH