Mike McGowan And Joy Sanford
Posted on 2024-05-19
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Giant Steps Playing Perdido
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-25
https://sbblues.com/2024/05/19/dj-hairy-larry-presents-giant-steps-playing-perdido/
Thanks Marty, today we're going to hear a Duke Ellington tune played at KASU Jazz Thursday.
By Duke Ellington tune I mean composed by Juan Tizol, a longtime member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. "Perdido" was first recorded on December 3, 1941. Miles Davis made it his own. He recorded it with the Tadd Dameron Quintet in 1949, released as "Wahoo". Then again with Jimmy Forrest in 1952.
Joe Lee loved the song and often played it. The musicians Joe played it with also played in the bands, Nightlife and Giant Steps.
I recorded Giant Steps at KASU Jazz Thursday on May 23, 2013, at TheArts@311 in downtown Jonesboro. It was a great show featuring Michael McGowan on tenor sax, along with the regular Giant Steps personnel.
Michael McGowan lived in Jonesboro and played with the Jonesboro Jazz Society Big Band. Then he moved to Texas but he still came back occasionally. I met him at the Jazz Thursday show in 2013 and then, in 2019, I got to work with him at the Delta Jazz Workshop. He even played on our Wednesday night Bebop Beatniks set. I also recorded him playing piano with the Jazz Writers Big Band.
He remains close friends with Craig Baker who plays trumpet with Giant Steps. I contacted Craig to book the show. There was that one time when I showed up at the pizza place to hear Giant Steps play and Tom Mason couldn't make it. Craig asked if I could sit in so I got to play bass with Giant Steps.
The other musicians in Giant Steps also have ties to Northeast Arkansas and ASU. Joy Sanford, piano; Tom Mason, bass; and Mike Overall, drums.
Ok now, recorded at KASU Jazz Thursday on May 23, 2013, here's Giant Steps playing "Perdido".
DJ Hairy Larry Presents Giant Steps Playing Perdido
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2024-05-25
https://sbblues.com/2024/05/19/dj-hairy-larry-presents-giant-steps-playing-perdido/
Giant Steps - Jazz Thursday 2013-05-23
Something Blue Archives
https://archive.org/details/gs2013-05-23
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