October 2017 - St. Louis Blues

[M-ster]

Our standard for Oct 2017 will be St. Louis Blues - by W.C. Handy (1914).

Background:
Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals (St Louis Blues)

[ragman1]

Ah, yes. To tango or not to tango, that's the question :-)

[M-ster]

Ah, yes. To tango or not to tango, that's the question :-)

Ala Dave Brubeck? I like the tango on the middle section. Might go there!

[Raimonds]

First section finished, little improv and I need to work with the rest of the song.

[chismes]

My interpretation of this standard (unknown until now for me), I like the rhythm changes between blues and that spanish tinge that I do not understand yet. Greetings and thanks.

[ragman1]

that spanish tinge that I do not understand yet.

In its simplest form it's this. Originally Spanish but popularised in Cuba.

[ragman1]

I quite like this by Bill Frisell.

[guido5]

I quite like this by Bill Frisell.

I sure do too. Bill has such a wonderful way of getting to the essence....

[M-ster]

... I decided a slower version was best.

St. Louis Blues - the ballad! (Wherza vocals?)

[artdecade]

I quite like this by Bill Frisell.

Well, then. Back to the woodshed for me!

[ragman1]

Well, then. Back to the woodshed for me!

Steal it, but surreptitiously :-)

[ragman1]

I found this in my circumlocutions. A wonderfully suave and handsome Louis Armstrong with a great clarinettist and trombonist, conducted by an equally youthful and energetic Leonard Bernstein.

And there, in the front row, Mr. W.C. Handy himself wiping tears from his eyes as his dreams of success are realised. Unmissable.

[M-ster]

This month's thread is pretty quiet. Not since Corcovado have we seen such little traffic.

As usual, I'm still working to get something in by month end.

(I'll bet next month's thread is more lively.)

[pkirk]

This month's thread is pretty quiet. Not since Corcovado have we seen such little traffic.

Still not completely bonding with this tune. I spent some time noodling over some grooves from the Drumgenius app, so I'll break the silence.

I'll go back and listen to some of the other clips now.

[ragman1]

Sorry, can't help smiling. It's wonderful, but don't show it to Mr Handy, poor guy would probably have a fit

[Vladan]

Still not completely bonding with this tune. I spent some time noodling over some grooves from the Drumgenius app, so I'll break the silence.

I'll go back and listen to some of the other clips now.

This was great, I especially liked how snippets of some 50's - 60's pop tunes, some lite music and late 70's Italo Show Pop Disco popped out of it, like figures made of clouds, you probably have not ever heard some of tunes I have in mind, but, IMO, it speaks even more about your genuine music making abilities.

[ragman1]

Nah, he's 73 if he's a day and 'Hits Of The 60s' is the only CD he's got :-)

[KirkP]

I’ve always thought of this as a gimmicky novelty tune. But after listening to a bunch of recordings, Billie Holiday’s seems the most inspiring. She dispenses with the Habanero interlude and just sings it from the heart. I’ll see if I can come up with something.

[ragman1]

I’ve always thought of this as a gimmicky novelty tune. But after listening to a bunch of recordings, Billie Holiday’s seems the most inspiring. She dispenses with the Habanero interlude and just sings it from the heart. I’ll see if I can come up with something.

She does the minor part but it's not noticeably tangoesque. And I don't know who penned the last verse. It's as though it had to end on a positive note, no puns intended.

Looking forward to your version :-)

[KirkP]

Here’s W.C. Handy playing his tune on Ed Sullivan in 1949 at a slow tempo.

[ragman1]

Yes, I've seen it. Did you notice that C to Cm in bar 5? And they do the tango rhythm. It's probably what makes it, that and the upbeat last two verses after the minor section.

[KirkP]

Yes, I've seen it. Did you notice that C to Cm in bar 5? And they do the tango rhythm. It's probably what makes it, that and the upbeat last two verses after the minor section.

IV major to minor going back to the I sounds old fashioned, but I often use that device. Note that Cmin6 = G9 (rootless), so that’s a possible sub.
The most fun version I’ve heard is Art Tatum’s — especially the second half.

[ragman1]

Yes, I like the way the music starts before the record starts turning - BUT it finishes when the record stops... it's a mystery! I hear what you say about the Cm (or m6) - me too - but I'm thinking it was unusual for a blues of that type at that time. Could be wrong.

And, yes, it is fun :-)

[wizard3739]

This will be my only input for October (very busy right now) I was aiming the version at a jazzy, bluesey version. It is 3 choruses with an 8 bar intro and a standard ending. I'm having some problems with an enemy of mine (Arthur Itus). Hopefully, next month will be better.

Howie

https://app.box.com/s/h4b43jkr5goq90m6pm8jw1ab0w9xjng2

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[Doublea A]

Has a tune been chosen for November?


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[Vladan]

If I understood correctly, we go as per below list (one could cheat and prepare the tune for months in advance)

Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals Contents

EDIT: Looking at it, it seem to be some other list, or I just do not remember well which tunes already were "at the table".

[Doublea A]

If I understood correctly, we go as per below list (one could cheat and prepare the tune for months in advance)

Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals Contents

Then “How high the moon” it is !!
Thanks


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[Vladan]

Then “How high the moon” it is !!
Thanks


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Maybe that is the wrong list. I see some tunes were skipped. Maybe because they already were the choice in the past, months and years ago, I don't know.

[M-ster]

To Vladan and Doublea A:

Yes, we're working down the list at Jazz Standards.com:
Jazz Standards Songs and Instrumentals Contents

We're skipping tunes that we covered previously as Practical Standards, however (back when we were nominating and then voting on which tune to do).

November's thread was started yesterday:
November 2017 - How High the Moon

[M-ster]

Hmm ... More than 2 weeks late, but here's my take:

http://www.noiseinthebasement.com/mp...Blues%2001.mp3

[ragman1]

Nice, M-ster, as usual. Interesting double-stops going on in the last verse. Got the feet tapping

[Jehu]

Damn, M-ster, good stuff. Is that a tele in the middle position, perchance?

[M-ster]

Damn, M-ster, good stuff. Is that a tele in the middle position, perchance?

Ha! Hmm, well, it's an Epi Byrdland Elitist on the neck pickup, but it's direct into the PC. It probably has some low end rolled off and a smidge of saturation applied, just so it doesn't sound so naked.

Apparently I over-processed it, if it no longer sounds like an archtop?

[Jehu]

Ha, way off! I thought I could here a bit of high end twang in there that said "tele", but I guess that must be coming from somewhere else.

Either way, sounds great and great playing as always.