Why this tune? We’re just past the birthday of Thelonious Monk on October 10, a reminder that it’s always a good idea to spend some time with his music. One of my favorite Monk tunes is “Ask Me Now,” a lovely ballad he first recorded in 1951. As you might expect, many other players haveContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Ask Me Now”
Author Archives: Oren Levine
Tunes on Tuesday: When The Morning Comes
Why this tune? With everything that’s going on around us, I’d like to offer an optimistic song this week that I hope can provide a bit of sunlight in these stormy times. I went through a period of mild writer’s block a few years ago. After going several months without writing any new songs, myContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: When The Morning Comes”
Tunes on Tuesday: Never Will I Marry
Why this tune? Frank Loesser wrote “Never Will I Marry” for the 1960 musical “Greenwillow.” I can see why the lyrics can sound odd today – Anthony Perkins sang it as a sad ballad about his desire to break his family curse, where (thanks Wikipedia) “the eldest in each generation of Briggs men must obeyContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Never Will I Marry”
Tunes on Tuesday: Autumn Leaves
Why this tune? Today (September 22, 2020) is the autumnal equinox, the first official day of the autumn season. The cool autumn weather has also arrived in Washington, DC, making this a good time to feature one of the most famous songs of the season, “Autumn Leaves.” I perform this regularly with Barbara Papendorp, whoContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Autumn Leaves”
Tunes on Tuesday: Cannonball plays Fiddler
Why this tune album? Today, September 15, is the birthday of the great Cannonball Adderley, who released one of my favorite albums, his collaboration with Nancy Wilson I mentioned in a story in February Also this week: Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, starts on Friday night, September 18. I found a way to celebrateContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Cannonball plays Fiddler”
Tunes on Tuesday: Stand Right
Why this tune? The Metro subway system in the Washington, DC area just resumed full service. I’d like to offer my song “Stand Right” as a refresher for people who may need a reminder of the unwritten rules of local transit. When I returned to the DC area about 10 years ago, I learned howContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Stand Right”
Tunes on Tuesday: Song For My Father
Why this tune? We’re celebrating Horace Silver’s birthday this week, so in his memory I chose to celebrate one of his most well-known original tunes “Song For My Father”. His first recording is an iconic jazz classic, an instrumental version released as the title track of an album in 1964, featuring a photo of Silver’sContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Song For My Father”
Tunes on Tuesday: Imagination
Why this tune? You never know what will happen to a song after you release it into the world. I don’t think Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke expected that their song “Imagination,” a hit for Glenn Miller in 1940, would become an R&B hit for Miki Howard over 40 years later. I first heardContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Imagination”
Tunes on Tuesday: Old Devil Moon
Why this tune? The great Tony Bennett celebrated his 94th birthday a couple of weeks ago – that reminded me of a great version of Old Devil Moon he performed on MTV Unplugged in 1994, which my musical colleague Tony Gudell shared with me. Burton Lane and Yip Harburg wrote it as a slow romanticContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Old Devil Moon”
Tunes on Tuesday: Let’s Wander
Why this tune? You never know what will trigger a good song idea. In the case of “Let’s Wander,” from my album “Making Up For Lost Time,” it was lunch at a taco restaurant and a coaster that said “Let’s go where the wifi is weak.” That connected with another phrase I had written downContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Let’s Wander”
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 