Shades Of Black – Duke Ellington

by | Feb 6, 2021 | Big Band

On Nov. 2, 1969 a legendary concert was held at Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark.  At that time, Duke Ellington was celebrating his 70th birthday and had been leading his orchestra for 44 years.  His band featured such jazz icons as  trumpeters Cootie Williams and Cat Anderson, trombonist Lawrence Brown, altoist Harry Carney, Paul Gonsalves on tenor and Rufus ‘Speedy’ Jones on drums.

Here are three of my favorites from that concert, celebrating the Duke’s African roots.  The uppermost video is a haunting, very Ellington piece called “La Plus Belle Africaine,” At the lower left is “Black Butterfly” with a tender Johnny Hodges solo that takes you soaring with the butterfly itself … lower right is “Black Swan” featuring a duel between Duke’s piano and Wild Bill Davis’ Hammond organ..

My Way – The Three Tenors

by | Jan 22, 2021 | Trio, Vocal Group

The Three Tenors?  Jazz?  Well, when you add Frank Sinatra to the mix and understand the musical reverence they have for him, it begins to make sense.  In July 1994, José Carreras, Plàcido Domingo, and Luciano Pavarotti, together with conductor Zubin Mehta and The L.A. Philhrmonic, performed “A Tribute to Hollywood” medley at their legendary concert at the Los Angeles Dodger Stadium.  Old Blue Eyes was in attendance and his reaction to the trio’s uniquely tender rendition of My Way demands that I share this with you.

Oscar, Carmen and Dex

by | Jan 16, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

When it comes to sharing the spotlight, Oscar Peterson is the poster boy.  For example, at the Bern Jazz Festival in 1988 Oscar added several numbers by the incredible Carmen McRae … such as “Sometimes I’m Happy”.  Peterson played piano, naturally, while Dave Young was on bass and Martin Drew on drums to round out the trio.  In a more intimate setting back in 1969, the trio had Sam Jones playing drums and Bobby Durham on bass, and shared the spotlight with yet another superstar in the person of Dexter Gordon.  The tune is an uptempo arrangement of “You Stepped Out Of A Dream”.

Doxy / Speak Low / Soul Sauce – Cal Tjader

by | Jan 11, 2021 | Quartet/Quintet

Cal Tjader is most often associated with Latin Jazz, sometimes combining the two and other times moving easily between them.  As you’ll hear on Doxy and Speak Low, he swings with an easy, relaxed feeling … while on his well known 1964 hit Soul Sauce the Latin flavor is very apparent.  The video was recorded live in1959 at Hugh Hefner’s original Playboy Mansion in Chicago.

Speak Low

by Cal Tjader | La Onda Va Bien

Soul Sauce

by Cal Tjader | Soul Sauce

Baby It’s Cold Outside – Ray Charles & Betty Carter

by | Jan 1, 2021 | Big Band, Vocal

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is a popular song written by Frank Loesser in 1944 and introduced to the public in the 1949 film Neptune’s Daughter. While the lyrics make no mention of a holiday, it is popularly regarded as a Christmas song owing to its winter theme. The song was released in no fewer than eight recordings in 1949 and was originally an invitation to leave, not to stay. 

Baby It's Cold Outside

by Ray Charles & Betty Carter | Jazz After Midnight

Some on the fringe say the lyrics are ‘sexist’ … I say they seem near-perfect for welcoming in the New Year, especially in places like the bone-chilling northeast where January brings more than just cold and fireplaces are more than just atmospheric!

A Backward Glance

by | Dec 31, 2020 | Smooth Jazz, Video

Every year, year after year, we sing the words but almost no one knows what they mean.  A bit of research indicates that Auld Lang Syne roughly translates to “Times gone by” or “Sake of old times.”   So, rather simply, when we raise our glasses on New Years Eve and drink to those thrilling days of yesteryear, the song actually fits!

While it’s okay to look back, be careful not to stare.  Remember we are celebrating “out with the old and in with the new” not the other way around.  Here, Kenny G and his soprano sax accompany an historical retrospective, to which I’ve added a look of time travel at the open, to welcome the changing of the calendar … and wish you a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year!

Remembering Christmas Past

by | Dec 24, 2020 | Holiday, Vocal

Bing Crosby was always a hero of Michael Bublé.  At last in 2012, during Bublé’s Home For The Holidays Christmas Special, Michael got to realize his long standing dream of singing a duet with Bing. Through the miracle of modern technology they sing White Christmas together, and even exchange a bit of banter!

In 1963, Judy Garland hosted a live Christmas special and created a rare moment with Mel Torme and his now famous composition, The Christmas Song.  Mel’s tune became an instant Christmas standard … although it was actually written in July of 1945 during a blistering hot summer in an effort to “think cool!”

Christmas With Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra & Seal

by | Dec 19, 2020 | Big Band, Vocal

The earliest known recorded version of Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town was by banjoist Harry Reser and his band on October 24, 1934.  This 2017 version has British singer-song writer Seal performing a duet with Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, through the miracle of modern technology.  It’s seamless, it swings, it’s great!

It’s A Marshmallow World is an excerpt from Dean Martin’s star-studded 1968 Christmas Special, featuring Dean and a few of the fetchingly beautiful girls he likes to surround himself with … constantly.  While Deano is largely thought of as a pop crooner, he is a talented, versatile entertainer [a member of the ‘Rat Pack’] and a performer who definitely adds to the many colors of Christmas!

Freddie Freeloader

by | Dec 11, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet, Trio

Freddie Freeloader

by Miles Davis | Kind Of Blue

Landmark album, stellar players … Miles Davis on trumpet, “Cannonball” Adderley on alto sax, Jimmy Cobb plays drums, John Coltrane on tenor sax, Wynton Kelly at the piano and Paul Chambers bass.

Freddie Freeloader

by Wes Montgomery | Profiles

Freddie gets a more uptempo treatment here with a trio consisting of Wes Montgomery on guitar, Melvin Rhyne playing organ and George Brown on drums.

Freddie Freeloader

by Bill Evans | You Must Believe In Spring

Here is a more intimate version of the Miles Davis tune, featuring Bill Evans on Piano, the amazing Eddie Gomez playing bass and Elliott Zigmund at the drums.

Freddie Freeloader

by Jon Hendricks and Friends | Freddie Freeloader

It’s Miles Davis’ classic tune with lyrics by Hendricks, featuring Bobby McFerrin singing Wynton Kelly’s piano solo, Al Jarreau singing Davis’ solo, Hendricks singing Coltrane’s tenor solo and George Benson singing Cannonball Adderley’s alto solo. One amazing track.