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)”
Author Archives: Oren Levine
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”
Tunes on Tuesday: April In Paris
Why this tune? It’s not April and we’re not in Paris, but this is still a good time to celebrate this lovely song by Vernon Duke. First, it marks Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4. Louis recorded it with Ella Fitzgerald on their classic “Ella and Louis” album. I’m also remembering Paris as I startContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: April In Paris”
Tunes on Tuesday: Sunday Night Blues
Why this tune? This song started as a request from a friend, who wanted a song to express the dread she felt on Sunday evenings, thinking of the busy work week starting the next day. According to an article by Angela Haupt in the Washington Post, the “Sunday scaries” have been a thing for years,Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Sunday Night Blues”
Tunes on Tuesday: Cherokee
Why this tune? Cherokee (Indian Love Song) started as a dance tune written by the British bandleader Ray Noble for his orchestra in 1938. According to jazzstandards.com, it was part of a larger work, a five-movement “Indian Suite” (Cherokee, Comanche War Dance, Iroquois, Seminole, and Sioux Sue). It quickly became a jazz standard, ranked byContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Cherokee”
Tunes on Tuesday: Free Sailing
Why this tune? Sometimes it can take months to write a song, and sometimes it can happen much more quickly. “Free Sailing” was the result of an afternoon at the piano, after I (for some reason) decided to write a be-bop tune. I called the tune “Free Sailing” in part because I started with aContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Free Sailing”
Tunes on Tuesday: Blackbird
Why this tune? For a wedding gig later this month, the couple requested that I add a Beatles song to the set list. That was an inspiration to look at adding other Beatles songs to my song list for other gigs. This isn’t a new thing; jazz players have been playing Beatles tunes since theContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Blackbird”
Tunes on Tuesday: Sahara Dust
Why this tune? Every year around this time, clouds of dust from the Sahara desert blow across the Atlantic ocean. We just experienced this year’s storm on St. Croix and other Caribbean islands. The resulting haze can be irritating to breathe, but it does have a positive effect of reducing the chance of major hurricanes.Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Sahara Dust”
Tunes on Tuesday: Old Folks
Why this tune? I played “Old Folks” in the set I performed with Mark Saltman and Ron Oshima in my last Mr. Henry’s digital concert. It’s a lovely song by Willard Robison from 1938, which you’re more likely to hear without the lyrics by Dedette Lee Hill. This may show the influence of Miles Davis,Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Old Folks”
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 