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”
Tag Archives: solo piano
Tunes on Tuesday: What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
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?”
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: It Might As Well Be Spring
Why this tune? As the weather gets colder in DC, I turned to an American classic about spring by Rodgers and Hammerstein, written for the 1945 film “State Fair.” “It Might As Well Be Spring” is not really about spring as a season, but as a metaphor for joy and new beginnings. Thereare many otherContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: It Might As Well Be Spring”
Tunes on Tuesday: Ask Me Now
Why this tune? Tunes on Tuesday marks the birthday of the great Thelonious Monk (Oct. 10) with hislovely tune “Ask Me Now.” Monk recorded the tune in his first recordings as a leader, which were released first in 1952 on a then-new 10″ album format. He recorded other versions later on, including a solo pianoContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Ask Me Now”
Tunes on Tuesday: Whisper Not
Why this tune? This week’s tune is a jazz classic penned by the late Benny Golson, who sadly passed last week (Sept. 21, 2024) at age 95. “Whisper Not” was one of the many jazz standards he left us in a long career as a performer, composer and arranger for jazz bands, film and television.Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Whisper Not”
Tunes on Tuesday: Easy Living
Why this tune? Tunes on Tuesday posts on Wednesday this week, as I was traveling on Tuesday, returningfrom a short vacation in Copenhagen. I played this tune with a singer at a Copenhagen jam session. That reminded me what a beautiful song it is. Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin wrote the song for a 1937Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: Easy Living”
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: You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To
Why this tune? This week I took some time to add another jazz standard to the repertoire of tunes I can play comfortably without the music. The educators all say that the best way to do that is to learn the song in every key, and practice it until it’s in your fingers and head.Continue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To”
Tunes on Tuesday: My Ship
Why this tune? Kurt Weill wrote “My Ship” in 1941 for the musical “Lady in the Dark,” featuring lyrics by Ira Gershwin. Weill got his start as a classical composer in his native Germany, best known for “The Threepenny Opera” from 1928 and its most famous song “Mack the Knife.” Weill fled Nazi persecution inContinue reading “Tunes on Tuesday: My Ship”
Oren Levine, jazz pianist and songwriter 