October 21, 2023

Next Time: Sat., 10/28, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

A core group showed up for jazz jamming this past session: Sam (trumpet, trombone), Raphael (bass), Steve H (piano, soprano), Jack (trumpet), and Serdar (guitar). 

Things got rolling, as usual, with Sam's choice, Line For Lyons (III-240) at an easygoing pace. Jack went to a ballad, Everything Happens To Me (III-114). Your scribe dug back for a peppy, early tune, I Can't Give You Anything But Love (I-185). Raphael got much more contemporary, calling This I Dig Of You (II-395). 

Going around again, Sam made the Workshoppers work on Moment's Notice (I-280). Jack got classic, opting for There Will Never Be Another You (I-207). Serdar finally got a chance, pulling out On The Sunny Side Of The Street (II-298). Yours truly chose a more "floaty" tune, Whisper Not (II-422). Raphael picked up the pace with In Walked Bud (II-200). Sam closed things out with another tricky one, Chitlins Con Carne (I-87). Sam and Serdar closed things out with their now-traditional St. Thomas (II-xxx).

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH

October 14,, 2023

Next Time: Sat., 10/21, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

A quiet little group assembled: John (bass), Sam (trumpet, trombone), and Steve H (piano). It did, however, give the players time to cover more ground.

Sam    The Girl from Ipanema (I-138)

John    Four  (I-xxx)

Steve   Girl Talk (II-151)

Sam     Footprints (I-144)

Steve   Autumn in New York (I-38)

Sam    Dear Old Stockholm ((I-102)

John    Autumn Leaves (I-39)

John    All Blues (I-18)

Steve   Broadway (I-xx)

Sam    Doxy (II-111)

Steve  A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square (III-302)

Sam    BR-2 (handout)

--SJH

October 7, 2023

Next Time: Sat., 10/14, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Present: Sam (trumpet, trombone), Jack (trumpet), Raphael (bass), Steve H (piano), Serdar (guitar).

Your scribe continued to fill in on keyboards while the real piano player is out of town. Tunes played:

Gone with the Wind (III-132) Sam

Time After Time (III-408) Jack

East of the Sun (III-104) Steve H

Three Little Words (III-406) Raphael

Time Was (III-407) Sam

It Never Entered My Mind (II-205) Jack

Basin Street Blues (II-37) Serdar

Witchcraft (III-452) Steve H

Stablemates (III-378) Raphael

There might have been one or two more after yours truly left.

--SJH

September 30, 2023

Next Time: Sat., 10/7, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

A peculiar day of duos and trios. Participants were Sam (trumpet), Steve H. (piano, soprano), Jack (trumpet), and Serdar (guitar). 

Sam and yours truly were the only two at the beginning, and after waiting a few minutes, decided to take on Moanin', which proved tricky when our charts did not match. However, we worked out the details and made our way through it. Meanwhile, Jack arrived, and joined us on your scribe's choice, Angel Eyes. Jack then opted for Dancing on the Ceiling. Sam's next choice was Moment's Notice. Someone then called C-Jam Blues, which went without incident. 

Sam had to leave, but Jack stuck around for some duets on ballads, first (I Don't Stand)A Ghost of a Chance, followed by Georgia on My Mind.

By this time, Serdar, had arrived, but Jack had to head out, so now it was guitar/sax duets, with piano backing up the guitar solos. We tackled Blue Monk, Witchcraft, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Somebody Loves Me, Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans, Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me, All the Things You Are, and, of course, St. Thomas. 

Here's hoping more people can make it this weekend!

--SJH

September 23, 2023

Next Time: Sat., 9/30, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Come when you can. Leave when you must.

Another workable crowd assembled for this week's meeting: Sam (trumpet, trombone), Steve H (alto), Raphael (bass), Steve C (piano), Bill (vocals), and Serdar (guitar).

We began, as usual, with Sam's choice, this time Honeysuckle Rose (II-167). Yours truly pushed the tempo just a little bit with It Could Happen To You (II-204). Steve C found another mid-tempo tune that doesn't get out enough, Earl Hines' Rosetta (II-332). Raphael found yet another relatively unfamiliar tune, this time Russian Lullaby (II-3xx). Back around to Sam, we took on a ballad-y version of It Might As Well Be Spring (II-205). 

Bill was finally set up, and got in a couple: Blue Moon, which we played from iReal Pro and memory; and Just In Time (II-222). Your scribe pulled an original out of the bag, Smokey Blues. Serdar got his first call, going to On The Sunny Side Of The Street (II or III); Bill was able to join in the fun. Bill took another, opting for September Song (handout). Steve C needed to head out early, so his last choice of the day was Fly Me To The Moon (II-135)--which, of course, Bill was happy to join. Raphael made us do a bit of work on a tune, Little Sunflower (II-244) with very few chord changes, which stretches one's creativity. Bill called one more, Pennies From Heaven (II-309) before most of us had to head out. Sam and Serdar accompanied our packing up with St. James Infirmary and St. Thomas.

Hope to see you next time!

--SJH

September 16, 2023

 Next Time: Sat., 9/23, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

We had a limited but workable gathering: Steve C (piano), Steve H (percussion), John C (trombone), Jack (trumpet), and Raphael (bass).

Your scribe got things running with Lullaby Of The Leaves (III-260). Nancy With The Laughing Face (III-298) was Jack's first pick. Steve C upped the tempo to a medium swing with Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (III-455). Raphael took us to the unfamiliar by opting for Time Was (III-409). John C brought us back to our usual stomping grounds, and lullabies, calling Lullaby Of Birdland (I-256). Yours truly got the second go-around going with a not-too-slow rendering of Lover Man (II-255). Jack chose an old standby, Time After Time (III-408). Steve C's next one was another mid-tempo gem, Autumn Leaves. Raphael tried to boost the energy another notch, calling Mountain Greenery (III-285). John found a classic bit of jazz history, Moten Swing (II-279). Almost out of time, your scribe went to another old one, Nevertheless (III-300). We finished our time together with Jack's choice, Smile (IV-401).

--SJH

September 9, 2023

Next Time: Sat., 9/16, 11am-2pm, TowerLight (3601 Wooddale Ave., St. Louis Park)

Your scribe did not think this past session was going to take off at all at first, but after a short while, we had assembled a reasonable contingent of players: Sam (trumpet, trombone), Bill (vocals), Steve H (piano), John (bass), and Serdar (guitar). 

Sam, as usual, got the ball rolling with his pick, this time Dindi (II-105). Bill had been wanting to rehearse At Last for a gig, and we finally had enough music and chutzpah to pull it off; sounded pretty good. John opted for the classic All The Things You Are (I-18). Serdar took the next call for us to play On The Sunny Side Of The Street (II-xxx). Yours truly chose Milt Jackson's eponymous Bags' Groove (II-30).

Bill took the next one, going with I Remember You (II-179). Around to Sam again, we were treated to Perdido (II-311). Bill's vocal choice next was Dream A Little Dream Of Me (handout). Serdar took us to a medium swing version of the ever-popular Autumn Leaves (I-39); Bill joined in with a vocal. Sam got another call, this time Four (I-149). We finished up with Bill's closer, The Girl From Ipanema (I-158).

Hope to see you this coming weekend!

--SJH