March 10, 2018

Emergency Change of Plans: March 17 TowerLight, 3601 Wooddale, 11am-3pm

Next Time: Hook and Ladder, Lake St. and Minnehaha Ave., Mpls., 1-5pm.

Add-A-Tune: So Nice (Summer Samba) (I-362)

Another very busy afternoon; the Jazz Workshop in the Park (still our official title) has become the place to be on a Saturday afternoon! Making time to play were Sam (trumpet/trombone), Jack D (trumpet), Jack K (trumpet), Terry (guitar), Steve C (piano), Waymond (bass and drums), Steve H (alto), Ray (violin and bass), Serdar (guitar), Craig (guitar), Wes (tenor), Steve M (alto), Dick (vocals), Kelly (harmonica), and Victor (vocals).

Sam kicked things off with his Add-A-Tune, It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing (I-224). We quickly discovered some electrical/technical problems which slowed things down for a bit, but managed to get in Waymond's choice Bags' Groove (II-30). Once things were more or less settled, we took up Terry's option, Four (I-149). Serdar was partial to something Latin, Blue Bossa (I-50). Jack K suggested we dig into the lesser explored volumes with Smile (IV-  ). Jack D had one he liked, a ballady, lightly swinging version of I Wish You Love (III-172). Wes called Doxy (II-111), which started out a bit quick and took off from there; next time out we'll need to rein that one in. To conclude the instrumental segment, yours truly brought an original, the slow and easy, very-late-at-night Smokey Blues.

Dick got the vocals started with On Green Dolphin Street (IV-321), and followed with a swinging Don't Blame Me (I-121). Craig got to call an intermediate instrumental, and went with It's Too Late (III-218). Dick took two more vocals: There Will Never Be Another You (I-407), and Mean To Me (III-274). Victor was in the house and ready to sing by this time, and went with old standbys All Of Me (I-20) and Avalon (II-22). The instrumental call went to Steve M, a cooking How High The Moon (I-180). Back to Dick, we worked on Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (I-335). Victor took a turn on Stardust (II-367). Out of Nowhere (I-318) was Dick's swan song for the day. We ended the afternoon with and instrumental version of Sam's choice, Jeannine (II-212).

--SJH