January 28 Rehearsal Notes

Our first clinics went very well! We focused on the soli and harmony sections, as well as the rhythmic groove, in four pieces:  All My Lovin’, Caravan, Feelin’ Good, and Mixed Bag.  In the full band rehearsal, we worked on All My Lovin’ and Mixed Bag, and read through Feelin’ Good.

This Monday, February 4 is a full two hour rehearsal. First hour:   warm up scale, Shades of Gray (we are looking for four brave soloists to improv for 8 bars – one or two note solos are great!),  It Don’t Mean a Thing (review swing piece from Jan. 2018, at a nice relaxed m 120),  Feelin’ Good.  Second hour: Caravan, Mixed Bag (m 110), All My Lovin’  (trying for M 135 this week).  This is week 5, and we are still working out the sections before working on transitions.

Round Midnight is a lovely piece, and we may have time to play some of it this week, but it is a challenge (Medium Easy is the label).  It serves as a sample of what the Downtown Jazz level of playing is, so that you can determine if you might be ready to give DJB a try for next year.  Don’t sweat it!

Next week, February 11 is clinics with our wonderful clinicians, followed by a one hour rehearsal together. 

Pieces and Listening Links:

NEW TO US:

Caravan     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgJNv7tVL0s

Feeling Good (from The Roar of the Greasepaint -The Smell of the Crowd  ) L. Bricusse, A. Newley, arr. Stitzel  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTduOkOpC4M

Mixed Bag       V. Lopez     https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=2701905

CONTINUING WORK ON:

Round Midnight  (Cootie Williams and Thelonius Monk  arr Smukal) *tenor sax solo

https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10277614

BACK FROM JANUARY 2018:

It Don’t Mean a Thing (If it Ain’t Got that Swing)  https://www.halleonard.com/viewaudio.action?itemId=7470508&fileName=https://s3.amazonaws.com/halleonard-audio/07470508.mp3

KEEP  THESE IN OUR REPERTOIRE FROM FALL 2018:

So What (Miles Davis arr Sweeney) https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=2470822

Ain’t Misbehavin’  (Thomas “Fats” Waller arr Ford)

https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=2467587

Moondance (Van Morrison arr Lopez) https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=2701897

Stay Cool (Vince Gassi)

https://www.jwpepper.com/sheet-music/media-player.jsp?&type=audio&productID=10093335

Into the Sun (Sorenson) last piece (Latin – reggae) – Standards of Excellence for Jazz (Pearson and Sorenson)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nue-pMTg20

Dates to Remember:

Calendar

Clinics:  January 28, February 11, and Neil Yorke-Slader on March

Concert :  Sunday, April 14  (afternoon)

Possibly community concert?  Monday, April 1   (any suggestions? – senior’s home, daytime concert at school, local restaurant)