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”
Tag Archives: jazz piano
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”
Tunes on Tuesday: Sanitizer
Why this tune? I wrote and recorded “Sanitizer” early in the pandemic, starting the process with a hip drum sample from the superbly useful Drumgenius library (Tony Williams on “500 miles high”). The bass line and chords came next, followed by the simple melody. More than two years later, the pandemic, and the need forContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Sanitizer”
Tunes on Tuesday: If You Could Fly
Why this tune? This week’s tune is another one that started during February Album Writing Month (FAWM) (@fawmers) this year. The song started as a series of questions: “What do you see?” “How does it feel?” which evolved into a musical wish from the singer to stay with the one they love no matter whereContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: If You Could Fly”
Tunes on Tuesday: Island In The Sea
Why this tune? This week I’m previewing the lovely lyrics video for “Island In The Sea,” which you can see this Friday 3/25 at 10 AM EDT on my YouTube channel, when the song is released on all major (and some minor) streaming services. “Island” is in part a love song to my favorite islandContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Island In The Sea”
Tunes on Tuesday: Pi Day
Why this tune? I’m publishing Tunes On Tuesday on Monday this week to celebrate Pi Day (3.14), the annual celebration of our favorite mathematical constant and the food it inspires. I wrote my musical tribute in 2015, a more special Pi Day when the year filled out another two digits (3.14.15). I was a bitContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Pi Day”
Tunes on Tuesday: I’ll Be Here For You
Why this tune? This week’s tune started out as a fast funky instrumental I wrote for the February Album Writing Month (FAWM) project (@fawmers), working off some rather complex chord progressions I had been playing with for a while. Several FAWMers responded to my call for collaborators on the FAWM forum, including Nigel Pattinson, whoContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: I’ll Be Here For You”
Tunes on Tuesday: Waiting
What’s new? After two years of Tunes on Tuesday, I’m changing the format. Starting from this week, I’ll post a new original tune every two weeks. It might be a completed song or a work in progress, which I’ll share with notes on the songwriting process. I hope you enjoy the new format. Why thisContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Waiting”
Tunes on Tuesday: Isfahan
Why this tune? Once again, the long running Facebook group Jam Of The Week inspired me to learn a new tune. Each week the group leader sets the theme for the week, calling for members to post their take on a specific song, or a work by a specific composer or player. Last week wasContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Isfahan”
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and composer 