Why this tune? Tunes On Tuesday marks Thad Jones’ birthday with his beautiful ballad “Kids Are Pretty People.” He built a reputation as a brilliant trumpet player and soloist with the Count Basie band, then established himself as one of the most important composer and arranger in jazz. “Kids” was one of Jones’ tunes performedContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Kids Are Pretty People”
Tag Archives: jazz piano
Tunes on Tuesday: I Hear A Rhapsody
Why this tune? I’m always trying to learn more tunes from the jazz repertoire by heart, so I can play themreliably without having to look at the music. The latest addition to this set is “I Hear ARhapsody,” a 1941 pop song by George Fragos, Jack Baker and Dick Gasparre. “Rhapsody” was a hit forContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: I Hear A Rhapsody”
Tunes on Tuesday: Bullet In The Night
Why this tune? I’m participating in FAWM: February Album-Writing Month, a global community ofsongwriters writing and sharing songs, with the stated goal of writing 14 new songs(i.e. an album’s worth) during the month. Part of what I like about FAWM is the opportunity to write music for other peoples’ lyrics. “Bullet In The Night” isContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Bullet In The Night”
Tunes on Tuesday: The Shadow Of Your Smile
Why this tune? This week’s tune is another award-winning movie theme that has become a jazz and pop standard. I thought Henry Mancini wrote the music for “The Shadow of Your Smile, ” but learned that is was in fact written by Johnny Mandel. It’s an understandable mistake. Mandel and Mancini (born two years apart)Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: The Shadow Of Your Smile”
Tunes on Tuesday: Cantaloupe Island
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”
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”
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 