Bird & The Hawk Just Fakin’ It

by | May 25, 2018 | Quartet/Quintet

One of only two existing pieces of footage of Charlie Parker (alto) in performance. Here he is joined by Coleman Hawkins (tenor), Hank Jones (piano), Ray Brown (bass) and Buddy Rich (drums). This session was recorded in October 1950 in an effort to add video to some previously recorded audio tracks. Bird was smiling because Hawkins, Rich and company were trying to mime their own improvised solos and it wasn’t working out so well. Bird had a good time with it until he got into “trouble” with the producer for laughing at Hawkins.

Route 66 – Natalie Cole & Diana Krall

by | May 18, 2018 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal

Hundreds of versions exist of Bobby Troup’s song “[Get Your Kicks on] Route 66,” better known simply as “Route 66.”  He wrote it during a cross-country trip on that highway after World War II … and In 1946 Nat King Cole had a huge hit with Troup’s best known song.  Today it is a jazz standard.

Song For My Father – Horace Silver Quintet

by | Mar 23, 2018 | Quartet/Quintet

This performance of “Song For My Father” was recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark during the Fall of 1964.   While the quintet was in transition at this point, I believe the personnel we are seeing here are Joe Henderson (ts), Carmell Jones (t), Teddy Smith (b), and Roger Humphries (d) … joining Horace Silver (p) in what is so instantly recognizable as the classic Blue Note sound of that era.  The song, which was dedicated to Horace‘s father John Tavares Silva, and the ensuing 1965 album of the same name, were inspired by a trip the pianist made to Brazil earlier that year.

Coleman Hawkins and Harry “Sweets” Edison

by | Feb 23, 2018 | Quartet/Quintet

The tune is called Disorder At The Border but the “dream band” performing it is in anything but disorder.  It features the perfection of Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax, Harry Edison on trumpet, Sir Charles Thompson playing piano, the fingers of Jimmy Woode strumming the bass and Jo Jones driving the ensemble on drums.  Recorded in 1964.

Cry Me A River – Julie London

by | Feb 2, 2018 | Solo/Duo, Vocal

Sexy is, as the commercials say, “often imitated but never duplicated.”  It’s not baring lots of skin or exhibiting a particular sort of behavior but, rather, it is a natural quality that shines even through a high-button housecoat.  In other words, you either have it or you don’t.  Julie London oozed it!  Cry Me A River pretty much became her signature song and nobody ever did it better … it’s amazing how Julie’s simple but sexy rendition so completely outclasses modern ‘Divas’ with all their vocal gymnastics and glory notes!  This cut is from the May 1964 laser disc The Julie London Show with the Bobby Troup Quintet.

On Green Dolphin Street – John Coltrane

by | Dec 1, 2017 | Quartet/Quintet, Video

This video was taken on March 28, 1960 in Düsseldorf, West Germany during Coltrane’s first time in Europe. The band is one of Miles Davis’s first great quintets, but without Miles who chose to sit out this particular night.  It’s John Coltrane on tenor with sidemen Wynton Kelly on Piano, Paul Chambers bass and Jimmy Cobb drums … all stars in their own right.  The clip is sourced from the John Coltrane “Jazz Icons” DVD.

Fool On The Hill / Watch What Happens – Brasil ’66

by | Oct 27, 2017 | Quartet/Quintet, Vocal Group

Originally trained as a classical pianist, Sergio Mendes was drawn to jazz and ultimately to Brazilian music with its Bossa Nova beat and soft pop stylings.  His music is timeless and his name and Brasil ’66 have become household words worldwide and across generations.

Watch What Happens

by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 | Equinox

Work Song – Cannonball Adderley Quintet

by | Sep 22, 2017 | Sextet

Get ready to be blown away!  This live rendition of the Work Song was recorded in 1963.  It features Cannonball Adderley on alto sax with what he called “one of his better solos”.  Also Nat Adderley plays cornet, Joe Zawinul piano, Sam Jones bass, and Louis Hayes is on drums.