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.

Mind Games / Topside – Bob James Trio

by | Oct 24, 2020 | Trio

Mind Games is a wonderfully rhythmic piece that plays more tricks with your feet than your mind. Bob James is, of course, at the piano, Billy Kilson plays drums and James Genus is on bass.

Topsail is another live performance by The Bob James Trio from their ‘Espresso’ album, recorded live in studio.  Bob switches over to the keyboard for this one, with the rest of the trio remaining the same.

Tribute To Benny Goodman

by | Oct 10, 2020 | Big Band, Orchestral

The Kennedy Center Honors is an annual honor given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture.  In 1982, Lionel Hampton and Peggy Lee paid tribute to that year’s honoree Benny Goodman.  Lionel performed “Air Mail Special” and “Sing, Sing, Sing” while Peggy performed “Where or When” in a star-studded gala at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C.  Master of ceremonies Andre Previn introduces the segment.

A Super Saxy Battle

by | Oct 2, 2020 | Septet/Octet

On July 15, 1979 at the North Sea Jazz Festival something very special happened.  Five legends of the tenor saxophone descended upon The Hague in the province of South Holland … they were Illinois Jacquet, Dexter Gordon, Arnett Cobb, Buddy Tate and Budd Johnson.   They were joined by Hank Jones at the piano, Gene Ramey on bass and Gus Johnson playing drums.  It was an all-star cast and a performance those jazz fans will never forget!

Two of my favorite performances were Lionel Hampton’s Flying Home (Top video) and The Hague Blues in ‘C’ (Below) which was written especially for the occasion.

Chopin Meets The Blues

by | Sep 26, 2020 | Orchestral, Trio

The Peter Beets trio performs Waltz in C#m with the world famous Residentie Orkest The Hague (The Hague Philharmonic) at Paard (The Hague).  Jazz improvisations on Chopin music were arranged for trio and symphony orchestra by Rob Horsting and Marijn van Prooijen.  The trio consists of Peter on piano, Marius Beets playing double bass and Gijs Dijkhuizen on drums.

In A Mellow Mood – Dianne Reeves

by | Sep 18, 2020 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

Through the years, the definitive version of One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) has been associated with Frank Sinatra … but Dianne Reeves gives ‘Old Blue Eyes’ a run for his money on this one.  It’s from her 2008 appearance at the Jazzopen Music Festival in Stuttgart, Germany.  Her band is comprised of Peter Martin on piano, Peter Sprague playing guitar, James Genus on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums.  Even with all of the energy Reeves typically puts into her performances, she has a lower, slower gear … and I’ve selected two of my more mellow favorites from her live concerts.

Stormy Weather was taken from Dianne’s 2012 performance at Jazzwoche Burghausen, also Germany.  It’s a jazz/pop standard that she infuses with anything but a standard feeling … featuring Peter Martin at the piano, Romero Lubambo on guitar, Reginald Veal on bass, and Terreon Gully playing drums behind the vocal instrumentation of Ms. Reeves.

Old Blue Eyes On Stage

by | Sep 11, 2020 | Big Band, Vocal

In 2003 a concert was held for Dismas House in St. Louis Missouri, the first halfway house in the country.  It featured The Rat Pack … Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. performing at their relaxed, professional finest!  The Count Basie Orchestra, led by Quincy Jones, provided much of the accompanying music.

I’ve chosen to highlight Sinatra in this video and selected Get Me To The Church On Time and Luck Be A Lady Tonight from the concert, because their performances are so very, very Sinatra.  Old Blue Eyes’ ability to make a song his own is one of the elements that makes him so appealing and these tunes so enjoyable.  Now … someone tell me that Frank is not actually jazz or that he doesn’t swing and I’ll be glad to send you some polka records!

Whisper Not – Milt Jackson, Benny Golson & Art Farmer

by | Aug 14, 2020 | Sextet

This is a reunion of sorts, because it’s the first time that Milt Jackson, Benny Golson and Art Farmer have played together since 1958.  Whisper Not was recorded at Jazzbaltica, Salzau, Germany in June, 1997.  The trio is joined by Ulf Wakenius 0n guitar, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Jonas Johansen playing drums.  Listen for NHOP’s jaw-dropping bass solo.  You just don’t hear bigger or better than these giants, who once again prove that music truly is the international language!

Joey Alexander – Like Fine Wine

by | Jul 31, 2020 | Trio

Back in June of 2017, I first posted a performance of prodigy pianist Joey Alexander at the tender age of 11 … the same age he performs Giant Steps in the first video, along with Larry Grenadier on bass and Ulysses Owens, Jr. on drums.  The bottom video features an original composition entitled Space, from his 2019 Indonesian concert.  Now 17, he is even more spectacular and jaw-dropping than ever!   Like a fine wine, Joey gets better with age … pretty much on a par with some of his heroes like Chick Corea, Bill Evans and John Coltrane.

In his young life, Alexander has already played with Wynton Marsalis at Jazz at Lincoln Center, played at the Grammy Awards, released no fewer than 5 albums, played at the Montreal and Newport Jazz Festivals and has performed at the White House at the request of two presidents.  It has been said that he started playing at 6, and ‘got serious’ at 7.  Beyond remarkable!