Why this tune? This week’s tune is “That Old Feeling,” another tune from “The Great American Songbook” that can still sound new almost 80 years after its first appearance in “Walter Wanger’s Vogues of 1938.” Thanks to YouTube and streaming services, it’s easy to explore the evolution of the song from the early recordings byContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: That Old Feeling”
Author Archives: Oren Levine
Tunes on Tuesday: Lullaby Of The Leaves
Why this tune? For this week’s tune I was looking for a song for the season, and recalled “Lullaby Of The Leaves,” which suggests the falling leaves of autumn. This was a song from a minor 1932 Broadway revue, “Chamberlain Brown’s Scrap Book,” that was later adopted as a jazz standard. Mary Lou Williams recordedContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Lullaby Of The Leaves”
Tunes on Tuesday: Island In The Sea
Why this tune? I wrote “Island In the Sea” in 2016, inspired by the time we spent on the lovely Caribbean island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. The singer invites their partner to get away from the rush and action of the city and travel to “a sunset shore under starry skies.”Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Island In The Sea”
Tunes on Tuesday: Washington, DC / Lucky So & Sos
Why this tune? Tunes On Tuesday marks the return to the stage of the Lucky So & Sos, a latin / jazz / funk / hip-hop ensemble I joined several years ago. Guitarist and composer Ian Taronji has kept the band going with DC-based rapper/MC Ardamus, writing and arranging new music through the disruption ofContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Washington, DC / Lucky So & Sos”
Tunes on Tuesday: Shiny Stockings
Why this tune? September 23 is quite the day for music birthdays. John Coltrane, Ray Charles, and Frank Foster could all have shared a cake, along with Les McCann, Albert Ammons, George Garzone and Bruce Springsteen, to name a few. For Tunes On Tuesday this week, I chose to mark Frank Foster’s born day withContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Shiny Stockings”
Tunes on Tuesday: Fall In Boston
Why this tune? This week’s tune is a jazz waltz I wrote in 2008, which was originally supposed to have lyrics. I was trying to describe the sight and sounds of autumn in the Boston area where we lived. I worked on the lyrics for a while, but found that they were just not workingContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Fall In Boston”
Tunes on Tuesday: Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella
Why this tune? This week’s inspiration comes from the delightful Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island in Portland, Maine, which we visited over the weekend. The museum was founded by Nancy 3. Hoffman in 1996, when she found herself with several umbrella covers she didn’t know what to do with. That odd decision evolved intoContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella”
Tunes on Tuesday: Polka Dots and Moonbeams (for Symme)
Why this tune? Last week I remembered my late father Mel, who got me started on a lifetime of playing and appreciating music. This week I’m remembering my stepmom Symme, who would have turned 94 this week (Aug. 22). “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” was (at least according to our dad) her favorite song, which I’mContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Polka Dots and Moonbeams (for Symme)”
Tunes on Tuesday: Song For My Father (for Mel)
Why this tune? Horace Silver’s classic “Song For My Father” was inspired by the rhythms of Brazil and the melodies Silver heard from his Cape Verdean father when he was growing up. I’m dedicating this version to my father Mel (z”l), who would have turned 97 this week (Aug. 16)Thanks to my father, we grewContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Song For My Father (for Mel)”
Tunes on Tuesday: Lullaby of Birdland
Why this tune? Tunes On Tuesday marks the birthday of the great pianist George Shearing this week withhis most well-known original songs “Lullaby Of Birdland,” which he wrote in 1952 as a theme song for a radio program based at that New York jazz club. It’s remained a popular jazz standard ever since, with wellContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Lullaby of Birdland”
