THE SWING WE HEARD LAST SUMMER (Part Two): CLINT BAKER’S NEW ORLEANS SWING BAND at EPIC SWING (July 13, 2013)

Remembering the past is a good thing, especially when the evidence is so rewarding and swings so well.  Here are some more performances from the evening of merriment and hot music performed by Clint Baker and his New Orleans Swing Band at Epic Swing, San Mateo, California, July 13, 2013.  (The first assortment can be viewed here.)

The band sounds wonderful and I am especially enamored of the Hopperesque lighting afforded everyone onstage.

The participants?  Clint, trumpet, reeds, vocal; Robert Young, reeds, vocal; Ray Skjelbred, piano; Jason Vanderford, guitar / banjo; Tom Wilson, string bass; Jeff Hamilton, drums.

IF I COULD BE WITH YOU ONE HOUR TONIGHT:

THE GIRLS GO CRAZY:

HONEYSUCKLE ROSE:

ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY (sung affirmatively by Clint):

IN THE SHADE OF THE OLD APPLE TREE (vocal Jason):

THE SECOND LINE:

SHAKE THAT THING:

LADY BE GOOD:

More to come! Clint and friends will be playing the Wednesday Night Hop in Mountain View, on January 8, 2014 — a very good way to welcome the New Year in.  Details here.  (And on the 15th, Emily Asher’s Garden Party will take the stand!)

May your happiness increase!

EAST SIDE STOMP: GORDON AU’S GRAND STREET STOMPERS at the CAFE CARLYLE (Part One), DECEMBER 19, 2013: GORDON AU, TAMAR KORN, DENNIS LICHTMAN, MATT MUSSELMAN, NICK RUSSO, ROB ADKINS, KEVIN DORN

It was an event in contemporary New York swing history, a memorable group making its debut at a famous nightspot. On Thursday, December 19, 2013, the Grand Street Stompers made the Cafe Carlyle their own, and an enthusiastic audience responded. Here’s the first part of what they saw and heard:

Thanks to the Stompers and to event host Michael Katsobashvili, it was a true event, featuring the extraordinary vocal improviser Tamar Korn, trumpeter / composer Gordon Au, clarinetist Dennis Lichtman, trombonist Matt Musselman, guitarist/banjoist Nick Russo, bassist Rob Adkins, percussionist Kevin Dorn.  (The JAZZ LIVES cinematographer apologizes to the rhythm section for leaving them out of the picture, but we know they are there and we are grateful for it.)

WHILE THEY WERE DANCING AROUND:

CRAZY EYES:

MUSKRAT RAMBLE:

SARATOGA SERENADE:

I’VE GOT MY LOVE TO KEEP ME WARM:

‘ZAT YOU, SANTA CLAUS?:

More to come.

May your happiness increase!