January 26, 2019

Next Time: Saturday, February 2, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale, St. Louis Park)

The following is a report from Sam.

Present: Jeff, Craig, Serdar, Jack K, Sam, Terry. (What a lot of guitars.--SJH)

Tunes played:
Work Song (II-429)
On The Trail 
Four (I-149)
Lady Bird (I-235)
Feel Like Makin' Love (III-119)
So Nice (I-362)
All Of Me (I-20)
Blue Monk (I-52)
Stella By Starlight (I-382)
The Rainbow Connection (III-330)
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart (I-188)
What's New (II-420)
How Insensitive (I-181)
Autumn Leaves (I-39)

--SJH

January 19, 2018

NEXT TIME: Saturday, January 26, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

No vocalists this week, so more time to work on the playing, and some of these tunes were tricky. Present were Sam (trumpet and trombone), Raphael (bass), Craig (guitar), Terry (guitar), Steve H (soprano, piano, rhythm), Jack K (trumpet, drums), Jeff (piano), and Wes (tenor).

Sam got us off to a good start with Out Of Nowhere (I-318). Jack K kept us in the groove with Have You Met Miss Jones (I-172). Craig extended our time in the mid-tempo swing tunes with In The Still Of The Night (II-198). Jeff shifted out focus with a ballad-y version of I Hear A Rhapsody (II-177). Raphael consulted his list, and threw us all on our heads with Coltrane's Moment's Notice (I-280), which resulted in quite a workout. Terry helped us relax with an easy swing take on Misty (I-277). Along came Wes with Along Came Betty (III-22). Your scribe took the opportunity to lift the mood with It's Delovely (III-273). 

Around the circle once more, Sam opted for Denzil Best's semi-bop Move (II-280). Jeff went all-bop with Boplicity (I-58). We played neither of these tunes to speed. Raphael took us right over the top with another one-word title, Equipoise (I-134). Terry changed directions entirely by calling Moon River (II-279). Wes brought us back to slow bop with a speed-governed version of Donna Lee (I-120). Yours truly, by now on piano, asked for Lady Bird (I-235). Sam decided Four Brothers (II-138) would be fun, and it worked out fine. Back to your scribe (people were heading out), we played a swingy version of I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face (III-xxx). We finished off with Raphael's choice, Wave (I-431). 

Participant Picks

George Shearing Quintet

Move

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpGpa_oRMxs&list=PLAzHladAmkCRhiJnTudDEeJGd4NRib24N

John Coltrane

Moment’s Notice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gocGlRuW1bw

Max Roach

Equipoise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAy3ctBgdck

Paul Desmond

I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ4AfH0qBko

Enjoy!

--SJH

January 12, 2019

We had a usual-sized crowd: Terry (guitar), Jack K (trumpet), Steve H (alto and piano), Wes (tenor), Raphael (bass), Sam (trumpet and trombone), Victor (vocals), Annie (vocals) and Carl (trombone).

Jack kicked us off with his selection of Pennies from Heaven (II-309). Your scribe pulled out one of his favorites, Polka Dots and Moonbeams (III-318). Raphael challenged us with Recorda Me (I-337). Terry opted for a intriguing Stella By Starlight (I-382). Golson's Along Came Betty (III-22) was Wes' first choice. Sam surprised us with Parker's Au Privave (I-37). Back to Jack, we took a spin on Take The A Train (I-398).

Victor had arrived a little before this, so we got the vocals started with Basin Street Blues (II-37), followed by the immortal Stardust (II-367). Yours truly grabbed the instrumental opportunity by calling for Kalmar and Ruby's Three Little Words (III-406). Raphael worked us again with McCoy Tyner's Three Flowers (I-412). Annie and Carl had set up by this point, so Annie took two: Dearly Beloved (I-103) and Cherokee (I-77). Victor took two more: Bye Bye Blackbird (II-73) and Caravan (I-) which did not go nearly so well. Sam picked an instrumental, Lucky Southern (I-255). Annie took two more, this time One Note Samba (I-xxx) and My Foolish Heart (I-286). We took it out with an instrumental version of Four (I-149), though Annie got in a vocal chorus as well. Didn't know that one had any words.

Participant Picks

McCoy Tyner

Three Flowers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLwXn7cV_Y4

Anita O’Day

Four

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9gD2EOQBpQ

Enjoy!

--SJH

January 5, 2019

Next Time: Saturday, Jan. 12, 11am-3pm, TowerLight (3601 Woddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

FJF prep on tap

A pretty good turnout for the start of the new year! Sam (trumpet, trombone), Craig (guitar), Jack K (trumpet, drums), Steve C (piano), Raphael (bass), Steve H (soprano, rhythm), Wes (tenor), Jim D (vocals and guitar!), Annie (vocals), Carl (trombone), Victor (vocal).

Sam kicked things off with one we usually end with, St. Thomas (II-339). Jack K took us through a slightly downspeed version of Now's The Time (II-293). Craig found an oldy but goody in You Made Me Love You (III-459). Steve C's choice was equally old and good, 'Deed I Do (III-92). Raphael brought us closer to the present with Speak No Evil (I-378). Wes found one we could all handle by opting for Blue Trane (I-54). Yours truly found one that suited the soprano, Pennies From Heaven (II-309).

Time for vocals, with Annie starting out with How Deep Is The Ocean (III-150), then reaching for a bit of Sugar (III-367).  Jim D turned the instrumental into a vocal for himself with Satin Doll (III-349). Annie took another pair: My Man (III-294) and A Sleepin' Bee (III-357). Sam got the instrumental call, and we took a run at Pent Up House (I-324). Annie chose two off book pieces, passing out parts for How Little We Know and Give Me The Simple Life. Carl gave us an instrumental opportunity on Blues By Five (I-59). Annie took two more on the gentle side: Blame It On My Youth (II-xx) and Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars (I-335). Jim D got in one more combined vocal/instrumental with The Lady Is A Tramp (III-227). Victor, who finally arrived with only ten minutes to go as we began the last number, took us out with Avalon (II-22).

--SJH