Night Train

“Night Train” is a twelve-bar blues instrumental first recorded by Jimmy Forrest in 1951. It has been recorded and performed countless times, by musicians in virtually every genre.

The Ventures recorded at least two versions, the first released on their 1960 album “Walk Don’t Run” and the second on the 1964 album, “Walk Don’t Run ’64”.

My arrangement is not a cover of any one specific rendition, but incorporates elements of many.

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Caravan

“Caravan” was composed by Juan Tizol and Duke Ellington and first performed by Ellington in 1936.  Irving Mills wrote lyrics, but they are rarely sung.

It quickly became a jazz standard, frequently performed and recorded.

In 1960 the Ventures included the tune on their album “Walk Don’t Run”. It shortly became a staple of their live performances, featuring extended drum solos by Mel Taylor and later Leon Taylor.

My arrangement was inspired by the Ventures approach, although the drum break is fairly short.

 

Once I Loved

“Once I Loved” (“O Amor em Paz”) is a bossa nova jazz standard composed in 1960 by Antônio Carlos Jobim. The first recording was in 1961 by João Gilberto. Jobim himself recorded an instrumental version of the song in 1963. Frank Sinatra’s 1967 recording is probably the best known in the English-speaking world.

In my instrumental arrangement, I tried to imagine how a guitar group like the Shadows might have played it.

Autumn Leaves

“Autumn Leaves” was originally a 1945 French song, “Les Feuilles mortes” (literally “The Dead Leaves”), with music by Hungarian-French composer Joseph Kosma and lyrics by poet Jacques Prévert.  With English lyrics by Johnny Mercer, it was recorded by artists such as Nat Cole and Frank Sinatra. As an instrumental, it became a jazz standard.

My instrumental arrangement is intended to sound as it might have if done by the Shadows.

Naima

“Naima” is a jazz ballad composed by John Coltrane in 1959 and named after his wife, Juanita Naima Grubbs. It first appeared on the landmark album Giant Steps and is notable for its use of a variety of rich chords over a bass pedal.

My  version uses classic rock instrumentation and has a rock feel.

Round Midnight

“‘Round Midnight” is a jazz standard composed by pianist Thelonious Monk. Primarily performed as a slow ballad, it is one of the most recorded jazz compositions ever.

I have given it an instrumental setting incorporating stylistic elements of jazz and sixties rock.

Stella by Starlight

“Stella by Starlight” was composed as an instrumental by Victor Young, drawing from thematic material composed for the main title and soundtrack of the 1944 Paramount Pictures film, The Uninvited. It appeared in the film’s underscore as well as in source music as an instrumental theme song without lyrics. Lyricist Ned Washington wrote the lyrics for it in 1946.

“Stella by Starlight” is one of the most popular standards of all time, recorded by countless vocalists and jazz players. My instrumental arrangement is in the style of a guitar rock-band ballad/slow dance.