Why this tune? This week’s tune is a classic by Frank Loesser that has become one of the standards of the American holiday season. Loesser wrote it as a standalone song in 1947, and it was quickly picked up by performers in a variety of genres. The song was an R&B hit for The OriolesContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?”
Tag Archives: jazz
Tunes on Tuesday: What Kind of Fool Am I?
Why this tune? This week’s tune is a classic written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse in 1962 for the musical “Stop the World – I Want to Get Off.” Sammy Davis Jr. recorded it that same year, scoring a hit record and a Grammy for Song of the Year in 1963. I found theContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: What Kind of Fool Am I?”
Tunes on Tuesday: I Will Wait For You
Why this tune? In honor of Bastille Day, which our French friends just celebrated on July 14, this week’s tune highlights a French composer. Michel Legrand wrote “I Will Wait For You” for the 1964 musical “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” and it quickly joined the jazz and pop canon alongside many of his other songs.Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: I Will Wait For You”
Tunes on Tuesday: The Changes
Why this tune? I’m continuing the song-a-day challenge I started at the beginning of January, managingto write at least part of a song every day. Today’s contribution is “The Changes,” which started from another phrase on my song ideas list: “sending more condolence cards thanwedding wishes.” That led to this self-referential tune about aging asContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: The Changes”
Tunes on Tuesday: Let Go
Why this tune? I’m starting the new year with a challenge, to write a song a day (or at least part ofone) through January. This challenge is hosted by Sarah Gulish and Kat Reinhert of “Songwriting for ME.” They provide resources and support for music educators who want to write music and teach those skillsContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Let Go”
Tunes on Tuesday: Let’s Resolve (2024)
Why this tune? Tunes on Tuesday starts the new year with an updated version of a song I wrote last New Year’s Eve. It’s a twist on the concept of New Year’s resolutions, calling for us to resolve to “not resolve at all.” It’s really a love song, where the singer implores their love toContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Let’s Resolve (2024)”
Tunes on Tuesday: Snow Day
Why this tune? Winter officially starts this week, and with it the expectation of snow in the colder parts of the world. One of those snowy mornings inspired “Snow Day,” which I recorded with Aaron Myers for his 2015 holiday album “Snowing In Vegas,” that includes other original songs by Aaron and me plus someContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Snow Day”
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”
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 