Manhã de Carnaval

This is my sixties-style instrumental arrangement of “Manhã de Carnaval” (“Carnival Morning”) by Brazilian composer Luiz Bonfá and lyricist Antônio Maria.

“Manhã de Carnaval” appeared as a principal theme in the 1959 Portuguese-language film, “Black Orpheus”. It was one of the first Bossa Nova compositions to gain popularity outside Brazil. Particularly in the United States, the song has become a jazz standard and is considered to be one of the most important Brazilian Jazz/Bossa songs that helped establish the Bossa Nova movement in the late 1950s.

There’s a Song in the Air

“There’s a Song in the Air” is a Christmas carol and United Methodist Church hymn. The music, by Karl P. Harrington, dates from 1904. The words are the work of American poet and novelist Josiah Holland, who wrote them in 1874.

As Each Happy Christmas/Christ was born on Christmas Day

This is my arrangement of two short Christmas songs, “As Each Happy Christmas” and “Christ was born on Christmas Day”, into a medley,  Johann Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846) composed the music to “As Each Happy Christmas”, originally a German carol. The tune for “Christ was born on Christmas Day” dates from the 14th century.

 

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.

Another Goodbye

 

An original composition in 1960s instrumental guitar style.

Magic Carpet

This is my cover of “Magic Carpet”, originally released in 1963 by the English instrumental group, the Dakotas. These are the same Dakotas who composed and were the first to release the classic surf instrumental, “The Cruel Sea”. They also went on the become Billy J. Kramer’s backup band, much as the Shadows backed up Cliff Richard.

“Magic Carpet” was composed by George Martin, who was their producer — as well as being the producer for the Beatles.

My arrangement is more in the style of the Shadows than the Dakotas.

Somewhere

This is my instrumental cover of “Somewhere”, a song from the 1957 Broadway musical West Side Story that was made into a film in 1961. The music was composed by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

My arrangement is based on the Shadows 1967 version, which was released as the “B-side” to the single “Tomorrow’s Cancelled”.