The II-V-I Orchestra had a good crowd for our last-Sunday-of-the-month show at the Creekside Grille this Sunday, and we even got out "In the Mood" because there were several couples dancing. Thanks to all for coming, especially the dancers!

Here's a photo by Popsie of the Miles Davis Nonet "Birth of the Cool" recording session. This is the January 21 recording session in NYC. The ii-V-I Orchestra performed the "Birth of the Cool" arrangements at Kerrytown here in Ann Arbor a couple of years ago after David Swain, the bandleader, (legally) obtained scores to the arrangements and wrote out the parts for us. Here is "Boplicity" - MP3, and the bass part PDFs page 1 and page 2. (Boplicity was NOT recorded at the session pictured above, unfortunately. I scanned the photo from a library book.)

Ernesto Lecuona was the composer of "Maleguena", "Siboney", and "Andulasia (the Breeze and I)". Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers perform "the Breeze and I" on the album "Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World Vol. I". Here is my minimal lead sheet for the Art Blakey version in PDF format.

I've taking a trio into a background-music-before-dinner situation this weekend and one good thing about it is that it was a kick in the butt to finally write out this tune. I'm going to make the pianist play the tune straight also, from sheet music I picked up at the Kiwanis sale. If you want the piano arrangement (or some of the files from earlier posts that I deleted to make room for this one) email me.