The Irresistible Peggy Lee – PT. 1

by | Feb 11, 2024 | Vocal

Born Norma Deloris Engstrom, Peggy Lee recorded over 1,100 masters and composed over 270 songs during her career, which spanned seven decades as a jazz and pop singer, songwriter, composer, and actress.  Once they’ve heard it, her gentle yet compelling voice and inimitable style, will forever be instantly recognizable to any music fan.

(Upper left) Peggy flexes her womanly muscles with I’m A Woman on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1962.  In 1973 (Upper right) she’s on a man-hunt with I’m Gonna Go Fishin’.  Finally (Below), she demonstrates a rather blasé attitude toward life’s rollercoaster in a captivating 1969 performance of Is That All There Is?

‘A’ Midnight Special – Michel Petrucciani

by | Feb 4, 2024 | Sextet, Solo/Duo

(Above) The classic Take the ‘A’ Train is given a highly kinetic treatment by Petrucciani at the 1998 Nice Jazz Festival. He is joined by Anthony Jackson (b), Steve Gadd (d), Stefano DiBattista (ts), Flavio Boltro (tr), & Denis Leloup (tb)

(Left) In 1993, Michel took the stage at the Stuttgart Jazz Festival and captured the audience with a powerful solo performance of Monk’s ‘Round Midnight.  He had everyone checking their watches … waiting for ‘last call!’

Dancin’, Drummin’, & Swingin’

by | Jan 19, 2024 | Solo/Duo, Stuff, Vocal

Combine four of the top drummers in jazz: Louis Bellson, Philly Jo Jones, Shelly Manne, and Irv Cottler –– with the flying feet of the multi-talented Caterina Valente –– and you have the formula for a truly unique performance on 1964’s popular Hollywood Palace television show (top).  Then (bottom), Caterina and Ella Fitzgerald are joined by (believe it or not) Perry Como, in a spirited scat version of Al Jolson’s 1920’s swinging hit Avalon.  Vintage television!

One Part Chivas, One Part Cement

by | Jan 12, 2024 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

Roy Hargrove was known as one of the premier players in jazz for the past quarter-century.  As an incisive trumpeter, doubling on flugelhorn, Roy was discovered by Wynton Marsalis in the 1980s.  He embodied the brightest promise of his jazz generation, both as a young steward of the hard bop tradition and a savvy bridge to both hip-hop and R&B.  His assertive sound embodied a tone that could evoke either burnished steel or silk and satin.  Here we have both.

The topmost video I’m Not So Sure, recorded in 2007 at the New Morning in Paris, features Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Justin Robinson on alto sax, Gerald Clayton playing piano, Danton Boller at the bass, and Montez Coleman on drums.  It’s funky beat is guaranteed to treat your feet!  Below that to the left, Top of My Head moves all your parts with some straight ahead bop and features Roy adding a bit of vocal.  The performance was for a public radio gig … and along with Hargrove on trumpet and Robinson on alto, Tadataka Unno played piano, Ameen Saleem played bass, and Quincy Phillips was at the drums.  Finally, at the lower right, silk and satin are served well as flugelhorn replaces trumpet and Chivas replaces cement in the very mellow What a Wonderful World, recorded by the quartet in 1999.  Roy Hargrove takes up the flugel, Mulgrew Miller is on piano, Pierre Boussaguet plays bass, and Alvin Queen is at the drums.

The Shearing Sound – Pt. 1

by | Aug 26, 2023 | Orchestral, Solo/Duo

George Shearing was a British born pianist who led a popular jazz group that took the country by storm for many years.  Born blind, the youngest of nine children, he started learning to play at the age of three … and went on to compose more than 300 titles during his illustrious career, including the jazz standard Lullaby of Birdland (Uppermost video).  He had multiple albums on the Billboard charts during the 1950s, 60s, 80s, and even the 1990s.

Shearing emigrated to the U.S. and founded the first George Shearing Quintet in 1949, which saw a number of permutations over the years and finally led to solo and trio performances later in his career.  He drew upon classical music and the records of Teddy Wilson and Fats Waller for his influences, eventually developing a harmonically complex style––mixing swing, bop and modern classical into his playing.  His technique became known as Shearing’s Voicing … a type of double melody block chord, with an additional fifth part that doubles the melody an octave lower.  This style of playing is also known as Locked Hands.

Henry Mancini’s Dreamsville, like the video above, was recorded in 1992 at the Munich Philharmonie … with Neil Swainson on bass.

George goes solo with John Williams at the Boston Pops with his performance of Look At That Face.  The picture quality is a bit compromised, but the music is near perfect!

 

The Softer Side of Earl Klugh

by | Jul 9, 2023 | Septet/Octet, Smooth Jazz

Generally know for his ability to play beautiful melodies and spin soft solos, Take It From The Top is one of Earl Klug’s more up-tempo arrangements –– swinging quietly and still maintaining his trademark mellow sound.  It was originally recorded for BET on Jazz on The Jazz Channel which launched in 1996 with the emphasis on smooth jazz, and has undergone several metamorphoses since.

Wishful Thinking, recorded in 2018 during a weekend of jazz at the Broadmoor, features Earl on guitar, Al Turner on bass, Tom Braxton playing sax, David Lee at the keyboards, and Ron Otis on drums.

Since You’re Gone adds the amazing George Benson to an already mellow mix of musicians –– the way smooth jazz ought to be played. Arguably, two of the greatest guitarists of the modern era in a rare appearance together.

Chelsea Bridge – Joe Henderson & Kenny Drew

by | Jun 30, 2023 | Quartet/Quintet

Chelsea Bridge is yet another jazz standard written by the wonderfully prolific Billy Strayhorn.  The tune was originally recorded by Duke Ellington in 1941 –– fast forward to 1968 and the Molde Jazz Festival in Norway, and an impressionistic interpretation of the impressionistic song by Joe Henderson and the Kenny Drew Trio.  Sometimes soft, sometimes swinging, this most creative arrangement features Joe on tenor, Kenny Drew at the piano, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen (NHOP) on bass, and Albert “Tootie” Heath playing drums.

Pop Music’s Favorite Jazz Pianist

by | Jun 25, 2023 | Quartet/Quintet, Smooth Jazz, Video

After recording more than 80 albums, and collecting 3 Grammy awards, plus 5 Gold Records, Ramsey Lewis remained a major figure in contemporary jazz until his death just last year at age 87.

While his award-winning 1965 recording of “The In Crowd” established him on the pop charts, his Sun Goddess album remains one of his most sought after by pop music and jazz fans alike.  Both of these selections are live performances of tunes from that album –– beginning with the video of Stevie Wonder’s Living for the City (topmost).

This is Sun Goddess, the title song from the album.  It features Ramsey on piano, Henry Johnson playing guitar, Chuck Webb on bass, Steve Cobb on drums and Mike Logan at the keyboards.

Jazz at Trinity Church – NYC

by | Jun 18, 2023 | Solo/Duo

On May 7, 2023 NEA Jazz Master pianist Kenny Barron and eight-time Grammy-winning bassist Christian McBride went to church –– to play, not to pray.  That’s gospel!  As part of Trinity’s music series, in association with Jazz House Kids, the dynamic duo played practically nonstop for more than an hour, to the delight of a packed houseful of fans and supporters.

The top-tune is Billy Strayhorn’s Isfahan, while below that, McBride performs a few finger gymnastics on the more familiar Body and Soul.

The Legendary Buddy Rich

by | Jun 11, 2023 | Big Band

“The Jet Song” from West Side Story never sounded quite like this. On August 20, 1982 at the Frank Sinatra Concert for the Americas, at age 64, Buddy Rich performed what may have been one of the greatest drum solos by one of the greatest drummers ever. Wincing from chest pains, which caused him to go to the hospital afterword, he gave his usual flawless performance––once again demonstrating his fierce life force and love for the music.

This performance of “Hawaiian War Chant” was recorded on January 5, 1987. Just a few months later, on April 2, 1987 Buddy Rich died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor. He was 69 and maintained his unparalleled, life-long excellence right to the end. It’s hard to believe Buddy was self-taught and didn’t read music!