August 10, 2015

Tunes Played This Week:

 Doxy, Bags’ Grove, Ghost of A Chance, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Sweet Pumpkin,

Two Degrees East, Three Degrees West, I Could Write A Book, One Note Samba, Come Rain Or Come Shine, Blues In The Closet, Exactly Like You, Cousin Mary, For Sentimental Reasons, Black Coffee, Misty.

Players:

Steve M-Alto Sax, Wes-Tenor, Tony V-Bass, Sam-Trumpet, Gene-Drums, Tom-Drums,

Carl -Trombone.

Vocalists:

Annie

NOTE:  The freedom Jazz Festival will be September 19^th at Minnihaha Falls Band Shell Starting at noon. 

The Jazz Workshop will play.

August 3, 2015

The Freedom Jazz Fest is back on!

We play on Saturday, September 19, 1:00pm at Minnehaha Falls.

We began again with two drummers (Gene and Tom) and two sax players (Steves M and H). Wes came in just after we had begun trying to play a few tunes. Steve M began things with Lush Life (I-258). Steve H backed up a page and we tried Lullaby of Birdland (I-256). Wes (tenor) arrived and got set up while we played Lazy River (I-242). Wes had an off-book copy of Green Dolphin Street, which we did in the traditional alternating Latin/Swing. During some banter, I must have said the phrase, “All right, OK,” because Gene thought that a fine idea for a song (I-24). We moved on to Doxy (II-111) as a way of prepping for the Jazz Fest gig.

By now, Carl (trombone) and Annie (vocals) had found some seats; Serdar (guitar) and Dick (vocals) were not far behind. We started the vocal portion with Annie’s requests: first, My Ship, followed by Sophisticated Lady (I-376). Next up was Dick’s call, The Nearness Of You (II-285). Annie picked the trickier-than-it-sounds I Concentrate On You (III-154). We followed that with Dick’s choice, A Sunday Kind Of Love (I-392).  Annie suggested the musicians take a turn, and Carl pulled out Blue Monk (I-52); to our surprise, Dick had vocalese lyrics, which Annie sang.  Time After Time (III-408) was Annie’s next tune; Dick went with one of his favorites, Out Of Nowhere (I-318). We had Serdar take a turn, and he went with Black Orpheus (I-49); Dick joined on vocals, accompanied by the charming visitor Angel and her parents on a shaker egg. We finished up with Annie on vocals on Like Someone In Love (I-243).

Participant Picks

Carl and Annie: Abbey Lincoln, Learning How To Listen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd8S96x5GXg

Tom: Herbie Hancok, Watermelon Man (two very different versions)

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bjPlBC4h_8

Annie and Wes: Billy Eckstine, I Apologize

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

A Sunday Kind of Love (various versions which may or may not prove Wes’ thesis)

Etta James: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjiBj014t7g

Ella Fitzgerald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtyF9lBYXpk

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBJVL_DDFh8

Beth Rowley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhSQ7kbLBZA

Del Vikings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw_UQp4z9jk

Steve H: Zoot Sims and Joe Pass, Pennies From Heaven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK8Br2j6a4Q

Enjoy!

--SJH