Wave

This is my arrangement of “Wave”, which was composed by the great Brazilian composer Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was first recorded as an instrumental by Jobim for his 1967 album “Wave”. Jobim later wrote English lyrics which were subsequently used in recordings by Frank Sinatra and many others. The song has been recorded by over 500 different artists.

All My Tomorrows

This is my instrumental cover of “All My Tomorrows“, a 1959 ballad with lyrics by Sammy Cahn and music by Jimmy van Heusen. The song was written for Frank Sinatra. It was introduced in the film “A Hole in the Head ” where Sinatra sings it in the opening credits.

Blue Bossa

This is my cover of “Blue Bossa”, composed by trumpeter Kenny Dorham and first recorded by Saxophonist Joe Henderson in 1963 for his album “Page One”. It is considered a jazz “standard”.

 

Laura

This is my instrumental cover of the classic theme from the classic 1944 film “Laura”.

Laura is a 1944 American “film noir” produced and directed by Otto Preminger. It stars Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews. The American Film Institute named it one of the 10 best mystery films of all time.

The theme was composed by David Raskin. Inspired by a “Dear John” letter he received from his wife, Raskin composed the haunting theme, also entitled “Laura”, for which Johnny Mercer later wrote lyrics. It eventually became a jazz standard recorded by more than 400 artists.

Tenderly

This is an instrumental quartet arrangement of “Tenderly”.

First published in 1946 with music by Walter Gross and lyrics by Jack Lawrence. It has since become a popular jazz standard.

When Sunny Gets Blue

This is my instrumental cover of “When Sunny Gets Blue”. It was written by Marvin Fisher and Jack Segal, and became a jazz standard. The song was first recorded by Johnny Mathis and Ray Conniff and his Orchestra in 1956 as the “B side” to “Wonderful, Wonderful” and became a big hit inits own right.

Here’s That Rainy Day

This is a cover of “Here’s That Rainy Day“, a song with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke that was published in 1953. It was first introduced in the Broadway musical Carnival in Flanders. It is an “American Songbook” standard and has been recorded by countless vocal and instrumental artists in many genres.

Hakkaido Skies

This is my cover of “Hakkaido Skies”, originally by released the Ventures in 1967 for the Japanese market. Songwriting credit goes to Bob Bogle, Don Wilson, and Mel Taylor.

I transcribed and recorded this tune as a tribute to the great Gerry McGee, who passed away while on tour in Japan in 2019.

Corcovado

This is my instrumental version of “Corcovado” (known in English as “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars”) It was written by Antônio Carlos Jobim in 1960. An English lyric was later written by Gene Lees. The Portuguese title refers to the Corcovado mountain in Rio de Janeiro.

At the 2019 International Ventures Fan Fest

Here is a link to a Youtube playlist for my set at the 2019 International Ventures Fan Fest.

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.

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.