I’m not alone in this, but a deep pleasure is hearing hot bands play pop tunes. Bunk’s MARIA ELENA. Louis’ SOMETHING TELLS ME. Ivie’s MEXICALI ROSE. Basie’s I’LL ALWAYS BE IN LOVE WITH YOU. You can compile your own list.
I am listening right now to a new CD that brings these grateful thought to the fore. It’s pictured above, and the link is here. It’s a truly engaging evocation of a band and a style perhaps not well-known: Ted Shafer’s Jelly Roll Jazz Band (which I saw live once, in its later incarnation, perhaps 2010). And the fine musicians on it are Dave Kosmyna, cornet; Clint Baker, trombone; Natalie Scharf, clarinet; Charles Chen, piano; Jacob Alspach, banjo; Bill Reinhart, string bass; Hal Smith, drums/leader; T.J. Muller, vocal.
I love this performance of the 1925 hit, A CUP OF COFFEE, A SANDWICH, AND YOU (music by Joseph Meyer; clever lyrics by Al Dubin, who enjoyed his food perhaps to excess, and perhaps some wayward ideas by Billy Rose).
Dave Kosmyna, cornet; Clint Baker, trombone; Natalie Scharf, clarinet; Charles Chen, piano; Jacob Alspach, banjo; Bill Reinhart, string bass; Hal Smith, drums/leader; T.J. Muller, vocal.
The performance by the Telegraph Avenue Jazz Band reminds us, or at least me, that what we call “traditional jazz” or “classic jazz” was once performed for dancers. So this COFFEE is at an easy stepping tempo, nothing rushed or in boldface, the band’s tone dictated by Dave Kosmyna’s terse but lyrical lead, Natalie Scharf’s delicate melodic improvisation, with the rhythm section taking neat bites of the sandwich and sipping the hot coffee decorously.
Listen here.
Isn’t that nice?
The other songs on this digital issue are Sweet Lovin’ Man / Terrible Blues / Charleston / Muddy Water / Down Among The Sheltering Palms / At The Christmas Ball / Who’s It? — a pleasing offering of pop songs, jazz classics, and more, however you wish to define the music.
I never talk about prices, but since this is the holiday season and everything has a price tag, I will note that one can purchase the digital download from bandcamp.com for a pittance of eight dollars. I don’t know what economics-data-driven scale you measure cost by, but in my world both the lunch special at the Chinese takeout (broccoli with garlic sauce, spicy, and brown rice) of that New York standard, bacon-egg-and-cheese-on-a-roll-with-or-without-catsup, are both more than eight dollars these days. They’re both delicious, and they disappear in minutes. The CD is also delicious . . . and you know the rest.
May your happiness increase!
JAZZ LIVES 