Author Archives: Oren Levine

Tunes on Tuesday: One By One

Why this tune? Tunes On Tuesday celebrates the great Wayne Shorter, who passed on March 2, 2023. He was one of the giants of contemporary jazz and other American music, an essential player, composer and leader from the 1950s to the current decade. Many of his compositions are jazz standards, played regularly on recordings, gigsContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: One By One”

Tunes on Tuesday: Early Start

Why this tune? This week I’m sharing a new song in progress. The FAWM (February Album Writing Month) community is inspiring me to write new songs at an accelerated pace this month. This song started as an idea about the pleasures of an early morning walk. I wrote a chorus pretty quickly, but then struggledContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Early Start”

Tunes on Tuesday: This House Is Empty Now

Why this tune? This week we celebrate the life and work of the great American composer Burt Bacharach, who passed on Feb. 8, 2023. He’s best known for the many songs he wrote with lyricist Hal David in the 1960s, many performed first (and written for) Dionne Warwick. You’re sure to have heard “Walk OnContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: This House Is Empty Now”

Tunes on Tuesday: Bullet In The Night

Why this tune? I’m participating in FAWM: February Album-Writing Month, a global community ofsongwriters writing and sharing songs, with the stated goal of writing 14 new songs(i.e. an album’s worth) during the month. Part of what I like about FAWM is the opportunity to write music for other peoples’ lyrics. “Bullet In The Night” isContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Bullet In The Night”

Tunes on Tuesday: The Shadow Of Your Smile

Why this tune? This week’s tune is another award-winning movie theme that has become a jazz and pop standard. I thought Henry Mancini wrote the music for “The Shadow of Your Smile, ” but learned that is was in fact written by Johnny Mandel. It’s an understandable mistake. Mandel and Mancini (born two years apart)Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: The Shadow Of Your Smile”

Tunes on Tuesday: Cantaloupe Island

Why this tune? Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island” is instantly recognizable from the first bar. The opening piano vamp from his 1964 recording is perhaps one of the most memorable sounds in the jazz repertoire. That recording was something of a jazz “hit,” that led to over 100 recordings of the song, including a couple ofContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Cantaloupe Island”

Tunes on Tuesday: Alfie

Why this tune? I’m still buzzing from this past weekend (Jan. 12-14, 2023), when I had the privilege of playing in the first Jazz At The Castle festival on St. Croix, opening for the superbly talented guitarist Pasquale Grasso. I shared almost an hour of solo piano tunes, including a couple of my original songs.Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Alfie”

Tunes on Tuesday: It Could Happen To You

Why this tune? This week I’m sharing part of my preparation for a solo piano set I’m playing on Jan. 15. I’m opening for the superb guitarist Pasquale Grasso at “Jazz at the Castle” on St. Croix in theUS Virgin Islands. My set will include several standards I’ve played over the years plus acouple ofContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: It Could Happen To You”

More jazz photos from Mel Levine

My late father Mel Levine (z”l) left behind a small collection of jazz-related photos, which he shot in the clubs of Boston in the 1950s. I shared some of his prints earlier, including some lovely photos of Billie Holiday from her last Boston performance in April, 1959. Pa also left behind some black and whiteContinue reading “More jazz photos from Mel Levine”