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.

Just Call Her Deedles

by | Dec 4, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To is from a live 2005 Seattle (DVD) concert entitled “Deedles Is My Name”.  Diane Schuur is backed by Maynard Ferguson and his powerful Big Bop Nouveau Band, although many of the songs feature the more intimate setting of a quartet.  It’s fascinating to hear Diane trade riffs with Maynard, mimicking his exuberant, high-flying sound.

Billy Joel’s New York State Of Mind, featuring Diane together with the sensuous sax of Stan Getz, was first released as a 45 RPM single and on her “Deedles” album with Dave Grusin in 1984… then again on her “Best Of” album in 1995.  Below you’ll hear the original 45 release, nostalgic clicks, pops and all.  By the way if you ever wondered where Diane Schuur’s nickname “Deedles” came from, it was an affectionate name her mother called her as a child and it just sort of stuck!

New York State Of Mind

by Diane Schuur | Original 45 RPM Single

Moonglow And Theme From Picnic – (Soundtrack)

by | Nov 28, 2020 | Orchestral, Soundtrack

Take the 1933 song “Moonglow”, popularized by The Benny Goodman Quartet, blend it carefully with the theme from a 1955 Academy Award winning movie … then add Kim Novak and William Holden, and you have the recipe for a genuine box office blockbuster!  This is the famous dance scene from “Picnic” that was considered so daring and erotic for a movie of that day.

While not strictly a jazz tune, the music [written by George Dunning and scored by Morris Stoloff] became highly popular, and to this day remains one of my favorite songs … and the movie one of my favorite films.. By merging the two songs a truly unique sound was achieved and the combination was successfully recorded by a variety of artists from both the pop and jazz idioms.

The Wonderful World of Satchmo

by | Nov 23, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

If the world ends someday, this song will be the credits.  What A Wonderful World was first recorded and popularized by Louis Armstrong in 1967.  Although there have been many recordings by other significant performers, Satchmo’s rendition continues to stand above the others.  This arrangement is a mellow jazz instrumentation rather than the more common version with strings.  While it isn’t really a jazz tune, I defy anyone to tell me it shouldn’t be included here.

In 1965 The Cold War was raging and the Berlin Wall stood strong, not to keep people out, but to keep people in!  On March 22nd, despite the political tensions and human oppression, the ambassador of jazz Louis Armstrong, gave a legendary concert in East Berlin at the Friedrichsstadt Palast.  The bottom two videos, Mack The Knife and When The Saints Go Marching In are just two of the powerful performances from that evening.