VERY MELLOW, VERY GROOVY: RANDY SANDKE, DAN BARRETT, JOHN SHERIDAN, ANDY STEIN, JON BURR, JOHN VON OHLEN at JAZZ AT CHAUTAUQUA (Sept. 17, 2011)

In the words of the Sage, Bulee “Slim” Gaillard, “Very mellow, very groovy.”  Here’s a session from the very gratifying musical improvisations at Jazz at Chautauqua, featuring Randy Sandke, trumpet; Dan Barrett, trombone and vocal; Andy Stein, violin; John Sheridan, piano; Jon Burr, string bass; John Von Ohlen, drums — on three leisurely performances of familiar songs made new by their graceful mastery.

First, the classic “drunkard’s request” that is really a fine song at any tempo, MY MELANCHOLY BABY, with two very cheerful vocal choruses from the Pride of Costa Mesa, California, Daniel Barrett:

Then, one of the oldest and most durable of Irving Berlin’s waltzes, ALWAYS:

And a tune that Randy called for its verve, even though its title is hard to take seriously these days, THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE:

Thank you, gentlemen, for stretching out so nobly for our pleasure!

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“JAZZ LIVES” and SOCIAL NETWORKING, TENTATIVELY

I have stayed away from Facebook for as long as possible, thinking that the hours I spent at the computer didn’t need to be added to . . . but at the urging of the Beloved, JAZZ LIVES now has its own Facebook Fan page.  Do I know what this means?  Hardly.  Does it inspire confidence?  Not exactly.  But in the spirit of the twenty-first century, I am announcing something I don’t know much about . . . so that you, my devoted readers, can tell other people who might “like” this blog and what I do . . . and on into the sunset. 

Click on the Facebook logo on the right to “like” JAZZ LIVES.  (Who knew that my blog had, of its own accord, become so insecure?) 

Wish us luck.

FOR ROY: ECHOES OF SWING and FRIENDS at ASCONA

I’ve just been delighted by the Echoes of Swing disc called MESSAGE FROM MARS — the players are Chris Hopkins, alto; Bernd Lhotzky, piano; Colin T. Dawson, trumpet; Oliver Mewes, drums.  Here’s the EOS as part of a wonderful ensemble paying tribute to David Roy Eldridge, the man who created exciting jazz wherever he played. 

The colleagues here are tenorist Frank Roberscheuten, guitarist Eddie Erickson, trombonist Dan Barrett, bassist Joel Forbes  — and they romp through an unnamed line on the chord changes of IDAHO that I associate with Roy’s time with Coleman Hawkins: BEAN STALKING.  Thanks to Ned Newitt for the identification.  And the band is pure joy: