Tag Archives: jazz piano

Tunes on Tuesday: Just the Two of Us

Why this tune? This week’s tune is the product of a dream team of musical talent that crafted a #2 hit single and a standard of the R&B repertoire. “Just the Two of Us” was written by Bill Withers, William Salter, and Ralph MacDonald, and recorded by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers for Washington’sContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Just the Two of Us”

Tunes on Tuesday: People Make The World Go Round

Why this tune? I was reacquainted with this week’s tune last week when vocalist Venus Dodson included it in the set list we’re performing this month on St. Croix. “People Make The World Go Round” is a classic of the 1970s Philadelphia soul scene written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed. It was a top-30Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: People Make The World Go Round”

Tunes on Tuesday: The Gentle Rain

Why this tune? This week’s tune “The Gentle Rain” is a gentle bossa nova composed by Luiz Bonfá that has been in my set lists for a while. Bonfá wrote it for the soundtrack of the 1966 film “The Gentle Rain,” and it was quickly picked up by jazz and pop artists as an instrumental piece orContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: The Gentle Rain”

Tunes on Tuesday: These Foolish Things

Why this tune? I’ve been thinking about creating a workshop on lyric writing for jazz musicians, and was looking for a song to use as an example of of creative lyrics to serve as a model and inspiration. “These Foolish Things (Remind Me of You)” is what songwriter Mark Winkler calls a “laundry list” song,Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: These Foolish Things”

Tunes on Tuesday: Beatrice

Why this tune? This week’s tune is another jazz standard and jam session favorite, Sam Rivers’ “Beatrice.” He recorded it on his 1964 album Fuschia Swing Song, after which it entered the jazz canon, with almost 150 recordings to date. According to Second Hand Songs, all of those
recordings are instrumental with the exception of
one trackContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Beatrice”

Tunes on Tuesday: Always and Forever

Why this tune? Tunes on Tuesday celebrates the birthday of the great
guitarist and composer Pat Metheny with one of
his lovely ballads. He recorded this one on his 1992 album “Secret Story“
in a lush orchestral arrangement. I had planned to play this song this week in any case,
following a chat with another musician at a jamContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Always and Forever”

Tunes on Tuesday: The Last Banana

Why this tune? I just spent an enjoyable weekend at the
Vocal Jazz Summit in Virginia Beach, VA, learning and
connecting with over 80 jazz vocalists from all over. For my spot in the vocal jam session I pulled out
this song, which I wrote in 2024 as a musical apology for a breakfast offense. I was gratifiedContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: The Last Banana”

Tunes on Tuesday: Conversation

Why this tune? I’ve heard from several songwriters that
the best writing is rewriting. I’m following that
principle with this week’s tune. I started working on “Conversation” in February,
when I wrote the first version during a “skirmish”
challenge, writing to a song prompt. I’ve gone back several times to review and
improve the lyrics and the structure. I madeContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Conversation”

Tunes on Tuesday: Road Song

Why this tune? This week’s selection goes back to the standards with “Road Song,” a 1968 tune by Wes Montgomery. It was the title track of his album of that year, a “commercial” project that was also his last album. Montgomery died later that year of a heart attack. The track list includes covers ofContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Road Song”

Tunes on Tuesday: My Dear Acquaintance

Why this tune? This week’s tune was written by legendary singer and composer Peggy Lee, near the end of her 60-year career that included over 250 songs and 1000 recordings. She wrote the song with Paul Horner for an autobiographical musical “Peg” in 1983. The song was dropped from the show, and the show wasContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: My Dear Acquaintance”