If you haven’t got the slightest idea what I’m talking about, check out yesterday’s post to see what’s been happening with the West Ranch High School jazz band.
Today we opened the Real Book to Erroll Garner’s Misty:
It’s one of those romantic sitting-in-a-bar-contemplating-life tunes. This recording’s got a bit of a classical touch with the whole cadenza-esque bit at the end, don’t you think?
We also checked out My Favorite Things – check out Coltrane’s recording of it if you haven’t yet; it’s genius. (Oh, and speaking of Coltrane’s genius, here’s an interesting post by Peter Hum of jazzblog.ca calling out someone who thinks a bit differently.)
When I played this back in the jazz room I was imagining a softer, whispery tenor sax melody — but I guess Coltrane’s always full of surprises. It’s so moving, though: the juxtaposition between this floaty melody and the sharp sound of the soprano sax. (But too bad whenever I hear soprano sax I think of Kenny G and his cascading Tarzan mane.) Oh, and they throw in Eric Dolphy on the flute to stir things up even more. And adding in McCoy Tyner on the keys really ties it all together for me.
In the midst of playing My Favorite Things with my friend, Omer (donning the pink cast here), I discovered that my jazz teacher can play the bass. Woah. He joined in spontaneously on upright bass while we played — we both know that he plays trombone and piano (and he’s pretty darn good at the guitar as well) — but he plays bass, too?
I seriously have the coolest jazz teacher in the world. (Maybe if he reads this I’ll get a really great grade in the class. Just kidding.)
CURRENTLY LISTENING TO: Devil May Care/Diana Krall/When I Look in Your Eyes
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I couldn’t tell you how many times I used to come early for AP theory just to hear Babko play some real book. One time he even asked me to sing along that was pretty cool. Come to think of it most of the best memories of the band came out of that book.
-crc
maybe i should start looking at the real book for once lol