THERE ARE SOUNDS THAT MAKE US HAPPY: CARL SONNY LEYLAND, MARTY EGGERS, JEFF HAMILTON (Jazz Bash by the Bay, Monterey, California, March 8, 2014)

I began attempting to video-record jazz performances in early 2006, and I’ve posted more than seven thousand on YouTube: obviously the work of someone obsessively in love with the music. But I would guess that’s less than half the total I’ve shot. Sometimes the performance doesn’t please the musicians, or there’s a technical problem, or I just got overwhelmed.

This morning, because the Eddy Howard recording of SMILES was playing in my mental jukebox, I went a-scrolling through my unlisted videos to see if I had any performances of this sweet old song that I had left in the imaginary vaults. And a treasure appeared to me.

More than ten years ago, I took my camera to the Jazz Bash by the Bay in Monterey, California, and one of the sets I recorded — and delighted in — was the Carl Sonny Leyland trio with Jeff Hamilton, drums, and Marty Eggers, double bass.

I think I shelved this wonderful romp through SMILES because the focus was imperfect. In retrospect, the music is perfect, and I take pleasure in sharing it with you now. Marty’s solid pulse; Jeff’s hilariously orchestral drums; everyone’s favorite twenty-first century locomotive of piano, the Reverend Doctor Leyland:

If you’re not smiling, what’s wrong?

May your happiness increase!