Oren Levine

Tunes on Tuesday – I Believe In Rhubarb

Why this tune? Spring means gardening, which in my case was the inspiration for my first song with lyrics, “I Believe In Rhubarb.” If you’ve heard me perform this with Barbara Papendorp and others, you’re heard the story – I mentioned to a friend that my wife doesn’t like rhubarb, and in fact doesn’t believeContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – I Believe In Rhubarb”

Tunes on Tuesday – They Say It’s Spring

Why this tune? “They Say It’s Spring” could apply to the weather here in the Washington DC area this year, where the warmth of spring has been late to arrive. It’s really about much more than that, a spring song that’s not about spring at all. The tune was written for Blossom Dearie, who recordedContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – They Say It’s Spring”

Tunes on Tuesday – All The Things You Are

Why this tune? Today’s tune was inspired by the new album from Aimee Nolte, a pianist, singer and songwriter from California. She sings a lovely version of All The Things You Are, which as a jazz player I’m most familiar with from jam sessions, where it’s a very popular choice. It’s a pleasure to hearContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – All The Things You Are”

Tunes on Tuesday – All You Need To Say (Never Say Yes)

Why this tune? “Never Say Yes” is one of my favorite instrumental tracks from one of my favorite albums, the classic “Nancy Wilson/Cannonball Adderley” session I mentioned in an earlier Tunes On Tuesday. This vocal version, “All You Need To Say”, comes from Karrin Allyson’s 2006 album Footprints, featuring classic bop tunes with superb lyricsContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – All You Need To Say (Never Say Yes)”

Tunes on Tuesday – For A Tree

Why this tune? This year’s national Arbor Day is on April 24, and I’m celebrating the day original song dedicated to the trees, called For A Tree. This is part of an ongoing project to write songs for holidays that don’t, in my opinion, have enough good ones. I recorded For A Tree at homeContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – For A Tree”

Tunes on Tuesday – I-95

Why this tune? I’m using this week’s tune to remember the songwriter Adam Schlesinger, one of the too many musicians we have lost recently to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m most familiar with his work in the brilliant pop band Fountains of Wayne, which he founded with Chris Collingwood in the 1990s. They released several albumsContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – I-95”

Tunes on Tuesday – An August Day In April

Why this tune? This week I’m celebrating spring with one of my songs. We were visiting friends in Ithaca, NY on a hot April weekend. It was so hot that our friend remarked that it was like “an August day in April.” How could you not write something with a title like that? It’s aContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – An August Day In April”

Tunes on Tuesday – It Could Happen To You

Why this tune? “It Could Happen To You” is an excellent example of what makes the Great American Songbook great – interesting lyrics and interesting harmonies that are fun to solo on. I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so – this song has about as many instrumental versions as vocal ones. It’s soContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – It Could Happen To You”

Tunes on Tuesday – Teach Me Tonight

Why this tune? Teach Me Tonight was written in 1953 and became a hit several times in the 1950s, including Dinah Washington’s recording in 1954. It’s been recorded over 250 times and easy to see why – it’s clever, sexy (but not too much), and works for male and female singers. I’ve played it manyContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – Teach Me Tonight”

Tunes on Tuesday – Alone Together

Why this tune? You’re likely to hear Alone Together at almost any jazz jam session. Like many familiar standards, most of the people playing it probably don’t know the lyrics to the original song, or know that it was written for the musical Flying Colors in 1932. I didn’t know that until I prepared thisContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday – Alone Together”