Donna Lee Sing-Along

In honor of Charlie Parker's birthday, here's the tune Donna Lee, with my lyrics below. You're all invited to think of me as the bebop Mitch MIller and sing along.

DONNA LEE

Donna Lee has a melody that teaches us that

Learning the trade of music takes a lifetime,

But the joy that comes from knowing that this

Rocky road you choose can let you

Open up your soul,

To the mysteries around you,

Means the path has found you.

Sing a tune by Charlie Parker or a ballad by Sinatra,

Anything that can train your ears to listen

To the subtlest things.

Honeysuckle Rose can sing but

She gets bored with singing in just one key.

Learning the trade of music you must

Set a goal like learning to sing Miss

Donna Lee in twelve keys,

Only time can make it happen,

You had no idea time could possibly go so slow…

When you have heard the half steps and the

Minot thirds you think you’re almost home only

Now you see that you’ve got four bars left to sing without a breath

But now you’re flying you know Donna Lee won’t get the best of you.

Tunes From Swing Street

Playing pre-war music from some of the denizens of 52nd St. on the Duplex Mystery Jazz Hour WZBC with Steve Provizer 08/27/2015.

LISTEN HERE.

 Eddie Condon and His Orchestra "The Eel" 1933 on Brunswick 

 Eddie Condon and His Orchestra "Home Cooking"  1933) on Brunswick 

 Eddie Condon and His Orchestra "Tennessee Twilight" 1933 on Columbia 

 Eddie Condon and His Orchestra "Madame Dynamite" 1933) on Columbia 

 Frank Froeba & His Swing Band "The music goes round and round" 1935 on Columbia 

 Louis Prima & His New Orleans Gang "Let's Have a Jubilee" 1934)on Brunswick 

 Louis Prima & His New Orleans Gang "House Rent Party Day" 1934 on Brunswick 

 Stuff Smith And His Onyx Club Boys "Old joe's hittin' the jug" 1936 on Vocalion 

 Stuff Smith And His Onyx Club Boys "Your'e a Viper"  1936 on Vocalion 

 Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings "What's the reason I'm Not Pleasin You" 1935 on Vocalion 

 Red McKenzie and his Rhythm Kings "You've Been Taking Lessons in Love" 1935 on Vocalion 

 Wingy Manone & His Orchestra "Isle of Capri" 1935 on Vocalion 

 Wingy Manone & His Orchestra "Nickel in the Slot" 1935 on Okeh 

 Henry Allen And His Orchestra "Every Minute of the Hour" 1936 on Vocalion 

 Henry Allen And His Orchestra "Lost" 1936 on Vocalion 

 Frank Newton & His Uptown Serenaders "You showed me the way 1937 on Variety 

 Frank Newton & His Uptown Serenaders "The Onyx Hop" 1937 on Variety 

 The Three Peppers "Swing Out, Uncle Wilson" 1937 on Variety 

 The Three Peppers "The Duck's Yas Yas Yas" 1937 on Variety 

 Joe Marsala & His Chicagoans "Jazz Me Blues" 1937)on Variety 

 Fats Waller and his Hot Piano "I'm Crazy About My Baby"1931 on Columbia 

 Art Tatum "Tea for Two" 1933 on Brunswick 

 Art Tatum "Sophisticated Lady" 933 on Brunswick 

 Teddy Wilson "Rosetta" 1935 on Brunswick 

 Teddy Wilson Between the devil and the deep blue sea" 1937 on Brunswick 

 Clarence Profit Trio "Don't Leave Me" 1939) on Previously Unissued 

 Maxine Sullivan and Her Orchestra "loch lomond" 1937 on Vocalion 

 Bunny Berigan and His Boys "A Little Bit Later On" 1936 on Vocalion 

 John Kirby and His Orchestra "Can't We Be Friends ?" 1940 on Columbia 

 John Kirby and His Orchestra "Coquette"1940)on Columbia 

 Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra "I Hear Music" 1940 on Okeh 

 Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra "Overheard in a Cocktail Lounge" 1937 on Variety 

 Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra "Practice Makes Perfect" 1940 on Okeh 

 Mildred Bailey and Her Orchestra "More Than You Know" 1936 on Vocalion 

Fletcher Henderson, Part II

The second of two Duplex Mystery Jazz Hours devoted to Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra, broadcast 8.21.15 on WZBC.ORG.

LISTEN HERE

PLAYLIST

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Come on Baby" (Jazz, 1928) on Columbia

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Freeze N Melt"  1929) on Columbia

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Raisin the Roof"  1929) on Romeo

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Blazin'" (Jazz, 1929) on Columbia  

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Wang Wang Blues"  1929) on Columbia 

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Chinatown" (Jazz, 1930) on Columbia 

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Somebody Loves Me" 1930) on Columbia 

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Keep a Song in Your Soul" 1930 Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Sweet and Hot" (Jazz, 1931) Columbia  

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "My Gal Sal" (Jazz, 1931) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Sugarfoot Stomp" 1931) on Columbia  

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Clarinet Marmalade" 1931) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Hot and Anxious"  1931) on Columbia  

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Comin' and Goin'"  1931) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Singin' the Blues" 1931) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Sugar" from "" 1931) on Columbia  

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Blue Moments"  1932) on Unissued Master

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "New King Porter Stomp" 1932) Okeh

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Underneath the Harlem Moon" 1932 Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Honeysuckle Rose" 1932) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Yeah Man" (Jazz, 1933) on Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Queer Notions" (Jazz, 1933) Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Can You Take It?" 1933) on Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "King Porter’ Stomp" 1933) on Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Christopher Columbus" 1936) Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Stealin' Apples"  1936) on Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Blue Lou" 1936) on Vocalion 

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Rhythm Of the Tambourine" 1937) Vocalion 

Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Back in Your Own Backyard" 1937 Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Chris and His Gang" 1937) on Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Sing You Sinners" 1937) on Vocalion 

 Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra "Moten Swing" (Jazz, 1938) on Vocalion 

10 Ballads to Slow Down Summer

I'm still cold from last winter, so the idea of rounding the corner into autumn is not thrilling. I invite you to luxuriate in these beautiful ballads. Let them keep the thought of neck-high snow at bay while they temper the burn of August heat.

Clifford Brown-I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance


Lawrence Brown, Ben Webster-All Too Soon

Fletcher Henderson, Pt. 1

The first of two Duplex Mystery Jazz Hour programs on the large ensembles of Fletcher Henderson who, along with arranger Don Redman, is largely responsible for what became "swing" music. Broadcast 8.14.15 on WZBC.

Listen HERE.

PLAYLIST

 Fletcher Henderson "The Dicty Blues" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Teapot Dome Blues" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Go Long Mule"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Shanghai Shuffle"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Copenhagen"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "How Come You Do Like Me Like You Do?"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Everybody Loves My Baby" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Sugarfoot Stomp" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "What-cha-call-em Blues" f(1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "T.N.T."  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "The Stampede" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Jackass Blues"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Henderson Stomp"  (1926) on Columbia 

NOTE: The second CD I recorded from the show was corrupted, so the following part of the playlist is not on this recording.

 Fletcher Henderson "The Chant"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Snag It" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Rocky Mountain Blues"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Tozo" f (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "St Louis Shuffle"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Whiteman Stomp"  ( 1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "I'm Coming Viginia" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Variety Stomp"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "St. Louis Blues"  (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Goose Pimples" (1926) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Hop Off" (1927) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "King Porter Stomp"(1928) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "D Natural Blues" (1928) on Columbia 

 Fletcher Henderson "Oh Baby" (1928) on Harmony 

 Fletcher Henderson "Feeling Good"  (1928) on Harmony 

 Fletcher Henderson "I'm Feeling Devilish"  (1928) on Harmony 

 Fletcher Henderson "Old Black Joe Blues" (1928) on Romeo 

Holographic Necrophilia

Very glad to see that the holographic techs and entrepreneurs have expanded the resurrection of dead musicians into more than just an audio experience. Now it's time to take it a step further and bring back those who've been paired in recordings to an audience hungry for the 3 (and soon to be 4)-D concert experience. 

These pairings, already put together for stage and records, are a no-brainer for on-stage holograms: Natalie with Nat., Celine Dion and Sinatra, Ol Blue Eyes and Hayley Reinhart, Lauren Hill and Bob Marley, Lisa-Marie and Elvis and, of course, Rod Stewart and Ella Fitzgerald, 

The real test for these holographic pioneers will be whether, instead of the usual bathetic, analog, two-dimensional pictures, they are ready to trot out Bob Marley, Lisa Marie and the rest not only as adults, but as cutie pie multi-dimensional three-year-olds and mischievous, precocious teens.

Yes, pairing Rod and Ella is like sinking a leaf blower engine into a Ferrari; like putting Twinkie creme filling into a Godiva chocolate; like putting Donald Trump's hair on Sophia Loren's head. It shouldn't even be conceived of.  It shouldn't be done. But it has been, and it will. 

                     

And remember, you holographic entrepreneurs: it was our idea to do this. Pay up, or the Institute will sic its phalanx of attorneys on you.

The Rahsaan Program

An hour and a half of music celebrating the great spirit Rahsaan Roland Kirk on the Duplex Mystery Jazz Hour, WZBC, 8/6/15.

Listen HERE. If clocking that doesn't work, try this: https://goo.gl/wqDAiu

PLAYLIST

Triple Threat, Triple Threat-King, 1956  

Our Love Is Here To Stay, Introducing Roland Kirk, Argo, 1960

Kirk's Work Roland Kirk & Jack McDuff, Prestige, 1961 

We Free Kings, Mercury, 1961

I Talk With The Spirits, Limelight, 1964

Peggy's Blue Skylight, Tonight at Noon, Atlantic 1965 

Inflated Tear The Black and Crazy Blues, A Laugh for Rory, Many Blessings, Atlantic ,1967

Volunteered Slavery, Atlantic, 1969

Runnin' From the Trash, Natural Black Inventions: Root Strata-Atlantic, 1971

Bright Moments- Atlantic, recorded at Keystone Korner, San Francisco, June 1973 

Ain't No Sunshine From Blacknuss, Atlantic,1972

Pedal Up, Down Beat 1975 poll-winners' show

Anysha, Other Folks' Music, Atlantic, 1976

Watergate blues, Boogie-Woogie String Along For Real,Warner Bros, 1977

Theme for the Eulipions, The Return of the 5000 Lb. Man, Warner Bros., 1976

I Eye eye Montreux Jazz Festival video, 1972

New Orleans Trumpets and the Lowly Hankie

I know what you're saying: finally, a post that combines jazz and handkerchiefs...

Truth is, the lowly handkerchief has a venerable presence in New Orleans jazz trumpet. Maybe it's the humidity. One of the first great New Orleans trumpeters, Freddie Keppard, played with a handkerchief covering his valves-at least when he thought other trumpet players were close enough to cop his fingerings, although Sidney Bechet disputes that. Freddie seems to have been paranoid enough about other players copping his licks that he apparently ceded the chance to make the first "jazz" recording to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.

Tommy Ladnier, another user of the handkerchief.