Author Archives: Oren Levine

Tunes on Tuesday: My Own Worst Enemy

Why this tune? This week’s tune is a tribute to musical communities, specifically two online musical gathering places that have made me a better musician and songwriter and introduced me to artists from around the world. This is my second year participating in February Album Writing Month (FAWM), an online community of songwriters that hasContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: My Own Worst Enemy”

Tunes on Tuesday: What About Us

Why this tune? This week’s tune is the second song I completed based on the weekly Torah portions (parashot) that are part of the Jewish tradition. The song tells the story from Numbers 27(Parashat Pinchas) about the five daughers of Zelophehad … who successfully argued for the right of women to inherit property if thereContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: What About Us”

Tunes on Tuesday: Be Free (Emancipation Day)

Why this tune? Tunes On Tuesday comes out on Monday this week in honor of the 175th Emancipation Day (July 3), celebrating the revolt that forced the end of slavery in the Danish West Indies (now the US Virgin Islands). This week’s tune is the new single from The Lucky So & Sos, a DC-based bandContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Be Free (Emancipation Day)”

Tunes on Tuesday: East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)

Why this tune? East of the Sun (and West of the Moon) has a different history from many of the classic American songs we still play in the jazz world. Brooks Bowman, a Princeton undergrad, wrote it in 1935 for a student production. The song quickly became a hit after Tom Coakley recorded it withContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)”

Tunes on Tuesday: A Pleasing Odor

Why this tune? This week’s tune is a preview of a new songwriting project I’m testing out, writing songs based on prompts drawn from the weekly Torah portion in the Jewish tradition. The idea of using prompts is a popular way to generate ideas for new songs, but I’m not sure if anyone has applied thatContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: A Pleasing Odor”

Tunes on Tuesday: But Beautiful

Why this tune? “But Beautiful” is another musical masterpiece by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke,featured in the 1947 film “Road to Rio.” That duo was also responsible for many other classic songs including “It Could Happen To You” and “Like Someone In Love.” “But Beautiful” was a hit for at least four singers inContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: But Beautiful”

Tunes on Tuesday: America Drinks and Goes Home

Why this tune? Today (May 16) is the birthday of the late Woody Herman, one of the major bandleaders of the swing era and one of a small number to keep his band going into the 1970s and 1980s. In his honor, I played a Tune by Frank Zappa, “America Drinks and Goes Home.” What’sContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: America Drinks and Goes Home”

Tunes on Tuesday: DC Days, Bangkok Nights

Why this tune? I wrote this tune in 2019 before a trip to Thailand with the DC Jazz Collective, a grouporganized by drummer Will Stephens. We played several gigs in the Bangkok area including a performance at an international jazz festival at Mahidol University. Will organized a second tour in 2020, just before the pandemicContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: DC Days, Bangkok Nights”

Tunes on Tuesday: Twenty Years in Freedom City

Why this tune? I wrote this song for a performance at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts(CMCArts) on St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. They asked me to perform in April 2023 at a fundraising festival celebrating the 20th anniversary of the museum’s home in Frederiksted (also known as Freedom City). I playedContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Twenty Years in Freedom City”