Jazz programme

The music for the spring gives vent to a 1950s Jazz style known as Vocalese; mixing BeBop with Big Band. Check out the vocalese group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross on YouTube. Of course, we have some other versions of some classic artists and songs. Check out below.

Jazz programme, Spring term 2012

Programme includes;

Jazz Choir:

'Good Morning Heartache' (originally performed Summer 2006) - (I Higginbotham/E Drake/Dan Fisher) you may be unfamiliar with these American songwriters (a concert pianist, all songwriters & an author) but you will have heard the classic 1946 recording of it by Billie Holiday at the peak of her powers! By the by, you may also know the song 'It Was a Very Good Year' recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1965, it was witten in 1961 by,...Ervin Drake.
'Hallelujah' - (Leonard Cohen, arr. J Jarman) composed in 1984, taking over 2 years to write, Cohen says "It's a desire to affirm my life, not in some formal religious way but with enthusiasm; with emotion". Starting it's modern version through John Cale's cover, then with Jeff Buckly & K D Lang and finally we welcome you to the Addison Singers X Factor!
'My Baby Just Cares for Me' - (Walter Donaldson/Gus Kahn, arr. J Jarman) originally written for the 1930 film version of a 1928 Ziegfeld musical comedy 'Whoopee!' it remained relatively obscure until 1987, when used in a UK television commercial for Chanel No. 5 perfume, it was released as a single, becoming one of Simone's biggest hits almost 29 years after her previous chart entry! Noteable also for the Aardman video, Nina Simone was somewhat ambivalent about it's success.
'Caravan' - (Juan Tizol/Irving Mills, arr. J Jarman) first performed in 1936 with part of the Duke Ellington band, including the man himself, it became one of his standards being recorded by many artists including Ella Fitzgerald. Believe it or not Jazz has influenced many Rap & Hip hop artists and this song was sampled by Redman and Busta Rhymes in their 1998 song "Da Goodness". It can also be heard in the 2007 film 'Oceans 13' with the ultimate of male coolness, George Clooney & Brad Pitt.
'Cloudburst' (originally performed Autumn 2009) - (Dave Lambert/Jon Hendricks) Lambert hosted jam sessions in New York City fusing two eras of jazz singing, bebop and Big Band, collaborating from 1955 with Jon Hendricks , a singer and lyricist rooted in the blues and spirituals, & later bringing Annie Ross, a British vocalist, to form the vocalese group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross. Vocalese challenged singers to execute difficult bebop passages & to communicate a somewhat coherent language as well.
'Ain't Got/I Got Life' (originally performed Spring 2008) - (J Rado/G Ragni/G MacDermot, arr Nina Simone) a medley from the 1967 musical 'Hair' (revived in 2009 on Broadway & in London's West End) it was originally released by Nina in 1968, finding her then a new audience, although it is now constantly used in UK TV commercials. It was remixed in 2006 by Grovefinder.
'Feeling Good' (originally performed Autumn 2011) Brandenburg Choral festival only - (A Newley, L Bricusse) written by the English pair for the 1965 musical 'The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd'. The classic version by none other than Nina Simone appeared on her 1965 album 'I Put a Spell on You' and has been featured in many adverts. Michael Bublé's version was released in 2005.

Jazz Ensemble:

'Steal Away (to Jesus)' (originally performed Autumn 2009) - ('Uncle' Wallace Willis) a freed African American slave, who became a prominent citizen of the Choctaw Nation (known as The Choctaw Freedmen) composed this Negro Spiritual sometime before 1862 (The American Civil War). Like this song, his compositions were purported to have a secret codes not only to have faith in God, but were hidden messages for slaves to run away on their own, or with the Underground Railroad. Also wrote 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'.
'God Bless the Child' (originally performed Summer 2006) - (B Holiday/A Herzog, Jr) writen in 1939, inspired from an argument with her mother about money in which she said the line "God bless the child that's got his own." Leading a hard life Billie Holiday was not a prolific song writer, co-writing this and 'Lady Sings the Blues' amongst others, she is better known as a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing, and her live performances particularly the song 'Strange Fruit'.
'Killer Joe' (originally performed Spring 2007) - (Benny Golson) composed in 1954 this has become a Jazz standard most notably being featured on Quincy Jones' 1969 album entitled 'Walking in Space' and being given the latin american style on the 1987 album 'Un Poco Loco' by the legendary Tito Puente as well as inspiring the band Killer Joe. Benny Golson also scored US TV shows such as M*A*S*H, Mission Impossible, and The Partridge Family as well as playing with legendary jazz meisters Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers and the man is still around! Check out www.bennygolson.com.
'Ain't No Sunshine' - (Bill Withers, arr. J Jarman) a classic bit of pure 1970's soul, from Withers' 1971 album produced by Booker T Jones (of Booker T & the MGs) originally on the B side of the single. Noted for the repeated "I know" it was a happy accident kept in by the insistance of the musicians. Withers, then 31, was working at the time making toilet seats for Boeing 747s. Featured in the X Factor, Britains Got Talent, commercials and in the films 'Nottinghill' (1999) & 'Munich' (2005).
'Everybody's Boppin'' (originally performed Spring 2008) - (Jon Hendricks) written in 1959 for a short lived by widley influential vocal bebop group 'Lambert, Hendricks & Ross'. Considered the father of Vocalese which is the art of setting lyrics to recorded jazz instrumental standards, Hendricks, born in 1921 in Newark, Ohio USA, and his group influenced the Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau and most recently Bobby McFerrin.
'Get Happy' (originally performed Summer 2006) - (H. Arlen/Ted Koehler) the first successful song they wrote togeather (and what a song!) in 1929, mostly associated with Judy Garland performing it in her last MGM film 'Summer Stock' (1950). The writers wrote for the Cotton Club, New York's famous night spot as well as for Hollywood and Broadway composing 'Lets Fall in Love' & 'Stormy Weather' amongst others. Of Jewish birth Harold Arlen was born Chaim Arluk in New York in 1905.
'Chocholoza' (originally performed Autumn 2009) Brandenburg Choral festival only - an African welcoming song.

Jazz Choir & Jazz Ensemble:

'Birdland' - (J Zawinul/Jon Hendricks) originally a jazz instrumental composition by the keyboardist of the band Weather Report, with added lyrics by Jon Hendricks having the influencial style of vocalese, it featured on their 1977 album 'Heavy Weather'. Now a Jazz standard it is a is a tribute to the saxophonist Charlie Parker and the New York jazz club Birdland on 52nd Street.

Jazz programme, Winter term 2011

Our 'Jazz with a Twist' programme included;

Jazz Choir:

'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus' - (Tommie Connor) - composed in 1952 for the store Saks Fifth Avenue, New York to promote their Christmas card, reaching Number 1 sung by a 13 year old Jimmy Boyd. The song has even been covered by the late Amy Winehouse. There is also a rather naughtier 1952 version recorded by Spike Jones and his City Slickers, a satirical performer in the 1940s & '50s for his own amusement!
'Time to Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro)' - (F Sartori, L Quarantotto) - released in 1995 as 'Time to Say Goodbye' in English, the original italian singer Andrea Bocelli paired up with Sarah Brightman and the song became a world wide hit.
'Feeling Good' - (A Newley, L Bricusse) written by the English pair for the 1965 musical 'The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd'. The classic version by Nina Simone appeared on her 1965 album 'I Put a Spell on You' and has been featured in many adverts. Michael Bublé's version was released in 2005.
'Straighten Up and Fly Right' - (Nat 'King' Cole, I Mills) written in 1944 and performed by The King Cole Trio it became a number 1 for them. Now a jazz standard, it is based on a black folk tale that Cole's father had used as a theme for one of his sermons.
'Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be?)' - (J Davis, R ("Ram") Ramirez, J Sherman) a popular song written in 1941 for Billie Holiday which she initially discarded. Recording it in October 1944 for Decca and begging for string accompniamt like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, it became a massive crossover hit for her reaching no. 5 in the R&B charts in 1945 bringing new found success and becoming a staple song for her.

Jazz Ensemble:

'Sing, Sing, Sing' - (L.Prima) originally recorded by the song's writer in 1936, this is mostly associated with the era's Big Band sound, predominantly Benny Goodman, as well as the crooner Bing Crosby. It has also been used by the film maker Martin Scorsese, a self confessed Jazz fan, in 'Casino'(1995) & 'Gangs of New York'(2002) as well as in the 2011 video game 'LA Noire'.
'Ring Those Christmas Bells' - (Mac Huff) written and arranged in 2007, born in Wisconsin, USA he is a prolific arranger and composer having a long relationship with the music publishers Hal Leonard. He has written award winning modern choral arrangments and for multiple Broadway show publications 'Bye Bye Birdie', 'Rent', 'Guys and Dolls', 'Hairspray' and 'The Producers', among others. See www.machuff.com.
'Somebody to Love' - (Freddie Mercury) featured on their 1976 album 'A Day at the Races', it was also released as the lead single. Aretha Franklin influenced, it is based on a gospel choir arrangement. A glorious Glee moment and featuring our special guest singer!
'Sentimental Journey' - (L Brown, B Homer, A Green) written in 1944 this was Doris Day's first number 1 hit in 1945 with the composer's band Les Brown and His Band of Renown. Striking a chord with those WW2 veterans returning home, it has since become a Jazz standard.
'Devil May Care' - (B. Dorough, T P Kirk, arr. Jill Jarman) this was writtem for his first album of the same name in 1956 which Miles Davis liked and with whom he worked with. Still with us at nearly 90! See www.bobdorough.com.

Jazz Choir & Jazz Ensemble:

'It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)' - (D Ellington, I Mills, arr. Jill Jarman) composed by the 'Duke' in 1931, the title was based on the oft stated expression of Ellington's former trumpeter Bubber Miley, who was dying of tuberculosis. Probably the first song to use the phrase "swing" proclaiming the the swing era by 3 years.
'Ol' Man River' - (J Kern, O Hammerstein II, arr. Jill Jarman) the classic song from the 1927 musical 'Show Boat' expressing the African American hardship and struggles of the time. The most famous rendition continues to be Paul Robeson's version in the 1936 film version of 'Show Boat'.

Jazz programme, Summer term 2011

Programme included;

Jazz Choir:

'The Joint is Jumping' - (A Razaf, F Waller, J Johnson) recorded in 1937 and written with his long time collaborator Andy Razaf and his mentor James P. Johnson, Fats Waller's band really swung this number.
'Johnny One Note' - (R Rodgers, L Hart) from the 1937 musical 'Babes in Arms' with Judy Garland singing it in the 1939 film version, also starring Mickey Rooney. The story concerns a teenage boy who puts on a show with his friends to avoid being sent to a work farm. Classic Hollywood glitz!
'The Long and Winding Road' - (P McCartney) actually credited to both Lennon and McCartney, written in 1968 it was Phil Spectre's overblown orchestral arrangements that made it a No 1 hit in 1970 much to the constenation of Paul MaCartney who used the arrangment as part of his legal reasons for the break up of the Beatles.
'Why Don't You Do Right' - (Kansas Joe McCoy. arr. J Jarman) written in 1936, Peggy Lee's version, recorded in 1942 in New York with Benny Goodman, is probably the best known. It sold over 1 million copies and brought her to the attention of the American public.
'So Beautiful' - (J Jarman) especially composed and arranged by our Jazz Choir conductor.
'Fiesta' - (J Jarman) another special composition and arrangement by our Jazz Choir conductor.

Jazz Ensemble:

'Blue Rondo à la Turk' - (D Brubeck) from Dave Brubeck's classic 1959 album 'Time Out' this song is a play on a Turkish rhythm that Brubeck heard. The album also includes Paul Desmond's famous 'Take Five'.
'I Got it Bad and that Ain't Good' - (Duke Ellington, P Francis) is a pop and jazz standard written in 1941 at the peak of his bands creativity. Duke Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader who wrote over 1000 songs. He was celebrated in the Stevie Wonder 1976 composition 'Sir Duke' sung last term.
'I Loves You, Porgy' - (G Gershwin, DuBose Heyward, I Gershwin. arr. J Jarman) from the 1935 ground breaking opera 'Porgy and Bess', it became a top 20 hit for Nina Simone in 1959 and Christina Aguilera covered it at the Grammy Nomination Concert in December 2008.
'Spain' - (Chick Corea. arr. J Jarman) from an instrumental jazz fusion composition created in 1971 by this jazz pianist and composer (see the album 'Light as a Feather'). It is probably Corea's most prominent piece and is a modern jazz standard.
'All Blues' - (Miles Davis. arr. J Jarman) coming from his classic 1959 album 'Kind of Blue' regularly cited as the greatest jazz album of all time. This is a twelve bar blues form in 6/8 time.

(Programme is subject to change, depending on availability of scores)