Hey Mr Jesse! It's April!

Hey dear readers! I hope you have caught the latest Hey Mr Jesse podcast, the April edition.

As usual I'm very eager to listen to it, but slow to announce it on the blog. But by now you regular readers should know that the podcast really is worth listening to as fast as possible.

Download Hey Mr Jesse April 2008 podcast (~50 mb, MP3)
Shownotes for Hey Mr Jesse April 2008 podcast.

The podcast features a great interview with singer Catherine Russell. Maureen Bonnefin tipped the dynamic duo about a band I've been thinking about blogging about for while: The Stolen Sweets. I enjoyed one of Jesse Miner's recent finds: a wild jam session version of "Honeysuckle Rose" with Roy Eldridge and Mel Tormé among others.

I wrote to Jesse and Manu with some comments about the March show:

Jesse, during the last show your instinct were completly right about "Kick it", it was first done by Anita O'day and Gene Krupa. I play that version all the time but now I alternate it with the Lannie Garrett version.

Great to hear some music by Banu Gibson on the show, I love her voice.

If you look at her discography on her website there is actually a great album missing. It's called "Jazz Baby" which was first released in 1983 and then rereleased on cd in 1995.

I guess Jazz Baby is kind of hard to find, but if you see it you should get it right away. The album has a great version of Heebie Jeebies (which was made popular by the Boswell Sisters) and also Lets Misbehave. I've loved Lets Misbehave ever since I saw Christopher Walken dancing to it in the movie Pennies from Heaven.

One last tip: If you want to check out some more swingin' trad jazz, take a look at "The Hot Jazz Band" from Hungary. I recommend the album "20. Jubileum" which has "Don't be that way", "Swing That Music" and two killer versions of "I've found a new baby".

What did you think about The Hey Mr Jesse April 2008 podcast? Tell me.

Hot Jazz Band: Christopher Columbus

One of my favorite swing tunes is the classic swing song "Christopher Columbus". Here is a great version of "Christopher Columbus" played by the Hot Jazz Band from Hungary.

I really like the lyrics by Andy Razaf. He wrote so many lyrics to jazz standards, some examples are: Ain't Misbehavin', Honeysuckle Rose, The Joint Is Jumpin' and Stompin' at the Savoy.

Hot Jazz Band is a great band, but how I wish that the audience could have clapped their hands in a more swinging way. If you go to a jazz concert please clap your hands on the beats 2 and 4 instead of 1 and 3.

What do you think of the video clip with Hot Jazz Band from Hungary playing Christopher Columbus? Tell me.

Anita O'Day: Honeysuckle Rose

Here is a video clip with another example of Anita O'Day's fantastic phrasing when she sing Honeysuckle Rose (1956) with the Buddy DeFranco Quartet.



At your own risk: Have you ever listened closely to the lyrics of Honeysuckle Rose? It's full of double meanings. A fair warning: if you have done this once, you will loose your innocence.

What do you think of the video clip where Anita O'Day sings Honeysuckle Rose? Tell me.