If You Could See Me Now

 Ouça Sarah Vaughan em If You Could See Me Now.

Este é um clássico do jazz (1946) composto por Tadd Dameron com letra de Carl Sigman. Tornou-se uma das músicas de assinatura de Vaughan e entrou para o Grammy Hall of Fame.

If You Could See Me Now
If you could see me now, you'd know how blue I've been
One look is all you'd need to see the mood I'm in
Perhaps then you'd realize I'm still in love with you
If you could see me now, you'd find me being brave
And trying awfully hard to make my tears behave
But that's quite impossible, I'm still in love with you

You'll happen my way on some mem'rable day
And the month will be May for a while
I'll try to smile but can I play the part
Without my heart behind the smile?

The way I feel for you I never could disguise
The look of love is written plainly in my eyes
I think you'd be mine again if you could see me now

I am a Fool To Want You

 Ouça Chet Baker em I am a Fool To Want You

(ao vivo em Paris).

Chet Baker (1929–1988) foi um aclamado trompetista e vocalista americano de jazz, amplamente reconhecido como o "Príncipe do Cool" devido ao seu papel fundamental no desenvolvimento do cool jazz e do West Coast jazz. Dono de um estilo melancólico, com um som de trompete incrivelmente lírico e uma voz suave e sussurrada, tornou-se um dos mitos mais duradouros da história da música, equilibrando um talento genial com uma vida pessoal marcada pela autodestruição.

[Verse 1]

I'm a fool to want you

I'm a fool to want you

To want a love that can't be true

A love that's there for others too

[Verse 2]

I'm a fool to hold you

Such a fool to hold you

To seek a kiss not mine alone

To share a kiss the Devil has known

[Chorus]

Time and time again, I said I'd leave you

Time and time again, I went away

But then would come the time when I would need you

And once again, these words I'll have to say

[Verse 3]

Take me back, I love you

Pity me, I need you

I know it's wrong, it must be wrong

But right or wrong, I can't get along

Without you

Back Bay Blues

Ouça Judith Tellado e Paulo Pereira em Back Bay Blues.

Este é um videoclipe de jazz, com a cantora Judith Tellado e o saxofonista Paulo Pereira, que mistura swing, blues e jazz moderno. Back Bay Blues é o primeiro single, em vídeo, do álbum de jazz e música latina Galego. 

A composição é do saxofonista germano-português Paulo Pereira, que procurou capturar a atmosfera musical da cena jazzística dos clubes da Back Bay Area, em Boston. Paulo Pereira estudou saxofone e composição na renomada Berklee College of Music, naquela metrópole americana.

A letra em inglês foi escrita pela cantora porto-riquenha Judith Tellado. Tellado, para além de cantora e compositora de jazz latino é também pintora simbolista, atualmente radicada na Alemanha.

Taking A Chance On Love

 Ouça Rod Stewart em Taking A Chance On Love.

Here I go again
I hear those trumpets blow again
All aglow again
Taking a chance on love
Here I slide again
About to take that ride again
Starry-eyed again
Taking a chance on love

I thought that cards were a frame-up
I never would try
But now I'm taking the game up
And the ace of hearts is high

Things are mending now
I see a rainbow blending now
We'll have a happy ending now
Taking a chance on love

Here I slip again
About to take that tip again
Got my grip again
Taking a chance on love
Now I prove again
That I can make life move again
In the grove again
Taking a chance on love

Summertime

Ouça Miles Davis em Summertime.

Miles Davis foi um trompetista, líder de banda e compositor americano. Está entre as figuras mais influentes e aclamadas da história do jazz e da música do século XX.

Miles Davis pertenceu a uma classe tradicional de trompetistas de jazz, que começou com Buddy Bolden e se desenvolveu com Joe "King" Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Roy Eldridge e Dizzy Gillespie. 

Davis esteve na vanguarda de quase todos os desenvolvimentos do jazz desde a Segunda Guerra Mundial até à década de 1990. Participou de várias gravações do bebop e das primeiras gravações do cool jazz. Fez parte do desenvolvimento do jazz modal, e também do jazz fusion que se originou a partir do seu trabalho com outros músicos no final da década de 1960 e no começo da década de 1970.

Summertime é conhecida como a mais famosa ária de jazz de 1935, composta por George Gershwin para a ópera Porgy and Bess, frequentemente está também associada ao verão.

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

Com votos de um feliz Ano Novo proponho-lhe que ouça Ella Fitzgerald em What Are You Doing New Year's Eve.

Este é, provavelmente, o standard de Ano Novo com mais versões.  A canção foi composta em 1947 por Frank Loesser tendo sido notavelmente gravada, entre outros, por Bette Midler, Lena Horne, os Carpenters, Johnny Mathis, Harry Connick Jr, Billie Eilish, Rod Stewart, Diana Krall e Norah Jones. 

Só a versão amadora gravada por Zooey Deschanel e Joseph Gordon-Levitt tem mais de 22 milhões de visualizações no YouTube. Mas foi esta interpretação registada em 1960, por Ella Fitzgerald, que escolhi em especial para hoje.

That Ole Devil Called Love

Ouça Billie Holiday em That Ole Devil Called Love.

It's that ole devil called love again
Gets behind me and keeps giving me that shove again
Putting rain in my eyes
Tears in my dreams

And rocks in my heart

It's that sly old sun of a gun again

He keeps telling me that I'm the lucky one again
Still have those tears
But I still have that rain

And those rocks in my heart
S'pose I didn't stay
Ran away
Wouldn't play

The devil
What a potion he would brew?

He'd follow me around
Build me up
Tear me down

Till I'd be so bewildered
I wouldn't know what to do
Might as well give up that fight again

I know darn well he'll convince me that he's right again
When he sings that sorry song I'm just gonna tag along
With that ole devil called love

He'd follow me around
Build me up
Tear me down

With that ole devil called love

Preste atenção, agora, a uma versão da mesma canção, desta feita na voz de Alison Moyet.

Almost Blue

Ouça Chet Baker em Almost Blue  composta por Costello.

"Chet" Baker (1929 - 1988) foi um trompetista e vocalista de jazz norte-americano. Ficou conhecido por grandes inovações no cool jazz que lhe renderam o apelido de "Príncipe do Cool".

Em 1983, o cantor britânico Elvis Costello, um fã de longa data de Baker, contratou o trompetista para tocar um solo na sua música "Shipbuilding" para o álbum Punch the Clock. A música expôs a música de Baker a um novo público. Mais tarde, Baker frequentemente incluía a música de Costello "Almost Blue" (por sua vez, inspirada na versão de Baker de "The Thrill Is Gone") nos seus shows.

Almost doing things we used to do
There's a girl here and she's almost you
Almost all the things that your eyes once promised
I see in hers too
Now your eyes are red from crying
Almost blue

Flirting with this disaster became me
It named me as the fool who only aimed to be
Almost blue
It's almost touching it will almost do
There's a part of me that's always true...always
Not all good things come to an end now it is only a chosen few
I've seen such an unhappy couple

I Left My Baby

Ouça Jimmy Rushing em "I Left My Baby" (música e letra de Count Basie). Jimmy Rushing foi um cantor e pianista de blues e jazz. Ficou conhecido, também, por ser o vocalista da Orquestra de Count Basie.

I left my baby

Standing in the back door cryin'

I left my baby

Standing in the back door cryin’

She said, Baby you got a home

Just as long as I got mine

When I leave you baby

Count the days I'm gone

When I leave you baby

Count the days I'm gone

Where there ain’t no love

There ain't no getting along

Me and Bobby McGee

Ouça a inesquecível cantora Janis Joplin na inolvidável canção Me and Bobby McGee (Vídeo oficial).

Busted flat in Baton Rouge, waitin' for a train
When I's feelin' near as faded as my jeans
Bobby thumbed a diesel down, just before it rained
And rode us all the way into New Orleans

I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana
I's playin' soft while Bobby sang the blues
Windshield wipers slappin' time, I's holdin' Bobby's hand in mine
We sang every song that driver knew

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free, no-no
And feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
You know feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

From the Kentucky coal mine to the California sun
There Bobby shared the secrets of my soul
Through all kinds of weather, through everything we done
Yeah, Bobby baby, kept me from the cold

One day up near Salinas, Lord, I let him slip away
He's lookin' for that home, and I hope he finds it
But, I'd trade all of my tomorrows, for one single yesterday
To be holdin' Bobby's body next to mine

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', and that's all that Bobby left me, yeah
But feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues
That feelin' good was good enough for me, mmm-hmm
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee

La-da-da, la-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da-da-da
La-da-da-da-da-da-da-da, Bobby McGee, yeah
La-da-da-da-da, la-da-da-da-da
La, la-la-la-da-da- Bobby McGee, oh yeah

La-da-da, la-da-da, la, da-da, la, da-da
La-da-da, la-da-da, la-di-da
Hey now, Bobby now, now Bobby McGee, yeah
Lord, oh Lord, oh Lord, lo-da-da, na-na-na, na-na-na, na-na-na
Hey now, Bobby now, now Bobby McGee, yeah

Well, I wanna call him my lover, call him my man
I said, I call him my lover, did the best I can, come on
Hey now, Bobby now, hey now Bobby McGee, yeah
Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, a Lord, oh
Hey-hey-hey, Bobby McGee, Lord

Compositores: Kris Kristofferson e Fred L Foster.

Come Rain Or Come Shine

Ouça Chet Baker em Rain ou Come Rain Or Come Shine .

Chet Baker (1929 - 1988) foi um trompetista e cantor de jazz norte-americano.
Chet Baker sempre foi influenciado pelo pai, guitarrista, de quem herdou a paixão pela música e de quem recebeu, aos 10 anos de idade, um trombone. Amante do Jazz, não tardou em conquistar o sucesso, sendo apontado como um dos melhores trompetistas do género logo com o seu primeiro álbum.

Especialistas dividem a vasta obra do músico em duas etapas: a fase cool, do início da sua carreira, mais ligada ao virtuosismo jazzístico, e a outra, a partir de 1957, quando a sensibilidade na interpretação se torna ainda mais evidente.

Era dotado de uma extrema criatividade, inaugurando um modo de cantar no qual a voz era quase sussurrada. Exerceu grande influência em alguns dos grandes nomes da bossa nova, como João Gilberto e Carlos Lyra.

Aqui vai a música.

E agora com voz (e letra): Come Rain Or Come Shine

I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you 

come rain or come shine

High as a mountain and deep as a river 

come rain or come shine

I guess when you met me it was just one of those things

But don't ever bet me cause I'm gonna be true if you let me

You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me

come rain or come shine

Happy together unhappy together and won't it be fine?

Days may be cloudy or sunny

We're in or we're out of the money

But I'm with you always, I'm with you rain or shine

I'm gonna love you like nobody's loved you 

come rain or come shine

High as a mountain deep as a river 

come rain or come shine

I guess when you met me it was just one of those things

But don't ever bet me cause I'm gonna be true if you let me

You're gonna love me like nobody's loved me

come rain or come shine

Happy together unhappy together and won't it be fine?

Days may be cloudy or sunny

We're in or we're out of the money.

But I'll love you always, I'm with you rain or shine

Rain or shine.

Kozmic Blues

Assista a duas atuações de Janis Joplin interpretando ao vivo a canção Kozmic Blues. A primeira em 1970 no CNE Stadium, Toronto, no Canadá.

Time keeps moving on,
Friends they turn away, Lordy Lord.
Well, I keep moving on
But I never found out why
I keep pushing so hard a dream,
I keep trying to make it right
Through another lonely day.

Whoa — don't discover it lasts ...
Honey, time keeps a-moving on, hey yeah, yeah yeah.
Well, I'm twenty-five years older now
So I know it can't be right
And I'm no better baby and I can't help you no more
Than I did when I was just a girl. Yeah!

But it don't make no difference baby, no, no,
'Cause I know that I could always try.
There's a fire inside of everyone of us, huh-uh,
I'm gonna need it now,
I'm gonna hold it yeah,
I'm gonna use it till the day I die.

Don't, honey, don't you expect any answers, dear,
Ah, I know they don't come with age, no, no, no, no.
Hey, I ain't never gonna love you any better baby
'Cause I'm never gonna love you right
So you better take it now, I said right yes now, yeah.

But it don't make no difference baby, no, no,
'Cause I know that I could always try.
There's a fire inside of everyone of us, huh-uh,
I'm gonna need it now,
I'm gonna use it yeah,
I'm gonna hold it till the day I die.

Don't make no difference babe, no, no, no,

Honey, I hate to be the one.
I said you're gonna live your life
And you're gonna love, love, love your life.
I'm gonna need it now,
I'm gonna hold it yeah,
I'm gonna use it, say, whoa ...

Don't make no difference, baby, no, no, no,
Honey, I hate, I hate to be the one.
I said every time you're gonna wanna love somebody,
Every time you're gonna wanna need somebody,
You're gonna wanna turn around, I'm gonna be there.
No no no no no, no no no no no, no no no no.

When you're gonna put out your hand,
All your want is some kind of lovin' man,
He ain't gonna be there, I said, not here.
No no no no, no no no no, no no no no,
No no no, no no no, no no no no,
No no no no, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Whoa, wah wah, whoa,
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa
Honey when I wanna reach out my hand
I said darling all I ever wanted
Was for you to understand me now — whoa
Ah baby, I wanna sing about me Lord, honey, every day yeah!

This is a song that demands audience participation. All you have to do is clap your hands, man. I know you can cope with it no matter how stoned you are, man. We are all gonna cope with it and we're all pretty stoned, too, man. Like that! I can't hardly hear you, man! — Yeah!

E agora a segunda interpretação.

Swing é Outra Coisa

Stephen Sayer é um dançarino/instrutor que se dedica a preservar as grandes danças de jazz americanas das décadas de 1920 a 1950. Steve começou a dançar em 1998, aos 16 anos. Em 2011, Steve e a sua parceira Chandrae Roettig conquistaram o primeiro lugar no National Jitterbug Championships e nas divisões US Open Strictly Lindy Hop. Em 2012, foi incluído no Hall da Fama do Swing Dance da Califórnia. 

Após um início de carreira na ginástica avançada, Chandrae "Chanzie" Roettig começou na dança contemporânea na Dance Vision em Portland, no Oregon. Em 2007, Chanzie encontrou o seu "amor verdadeiro" no mundo da dança: Swing Dancing (Dança Swing). Depois de ganhar muitos títulos nacionais de dança swing , ela e Stephen Sayer voltaram o seu foco para o ensino. Conhecida pela atitude alegre e divertida, Chanzie é uma alegria de assistir, dançar e aprender.

Chanzie trabalhou com alguns dos principais coreógrafos de Los Angeles no cinema, televisão, música e palco. Recentemente, ela e seu parceiro de dança Stephen Sayer concluíram o trabalho num grande filme intitulado Gangster Squad.

Assista agora a Shag Showcase com Stephen & Chandrae. Ora veja

James Brown & B.B. King

 Ouça uma hora de boa música com James Brown & B.B. King (ao vivo em 1983, no Beverly Theatre).

James Brown (1933 - 2006) foi um cantor, dançarino, compositor, produtor musical e multi-instrumentista norte-americano, reconhecido como um dos cantores mais influentes do século XX na música mundial.

B. B. King (1925 - 2015) foi um guitarrista de blues, compositor e cantor americano. O "B. B." no nome significa Blues Boy, que era o seu pseudónimo como moderador na rádio W. Foi considerado, ao lado de Eric Clapton e Jimi Hendrix, um dos melhores guitarristas do mundo pela revista norte-americana Rolling Stone.

Run Rudolph Run

Ouça Chuck Berry em Run Rudolph Run. 

Out of all the reindeers you know you are the mastermind
Run, run Rudolph, Randolph ain't too far behind
Run, run Rudolph, Santa's gotta make it to town
Santa, make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph 'cause I'm reelin' like a merry-go-round

Said Santa to a boy child, "What have you been longin' for?"
"All I want for Christmas is a rock 'n' roll 'lectric guitar"
And then away went Rudolph whizzin' like a shootin' star

Run, run Rudolph, Santa's has to make it in town
Santa, make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph, reelin' like a merry-go-round

Run, run Rudolph, Santa's gotta make it to town
Santa, make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph, I'm reelin' like a merry-go-round

Said Santa to a girl child, "What would please you most to get?"
"A little baby doll that can cry, sleep, drink and wet"
And then away went Rudolph, whizzin' like a Saber jet

Run, run Rudolph, Santa's gotta make it to town
Santa, make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph I'm reelin' like a merry-go-round

Chuck Berry - Run Rudolph Run (Official Video)

E agora Chuck Berry em Run Rudolph Run (Official Lyric Video)

Half Moon

Ouça Janis Joplin em Half Moon em 1970 no The Dick Cavett Show.

Half moon, night time sky,
Seven stars, heaven's eyes.
Seven songs on seven seas
Just to bring all your sweet love home to me.

Hey, you fill me like the mountains,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
You fill me like the sea, Lord,
Not coming past but still at last
Your love brings life to me,
Your love brings life to me, hey!

Rings of clouds and arms' a' flame,
Wings rise up to call your name.
Sun rolls high, Lord, it burns the ground
Just to tell about the first good man I found.

Yeah, you fill me like the mountains,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
You fill me like the sea, Lord,
Not coming past but still at last
Your love brings life to me,
Your love brings life to me.
Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah!

Half moon on night time sky,
Seven stars, heaven's eyes.
Seven songs on seven seas
Just to bring all your sweet love home to me.

Hey baby, you fill me like the mountains,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
You fill me like the sea, Lord,
Not coming past, honey, still at last
Lord, you fill me like the mountains,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
You fill me like the sea, Lord,
Not coming past but still at last

Hey, you fill me like the mountains,
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,
You fill me like the sea, oh Lord,
You're not coming past, honey, still at last
Your love brings life to me,
Your love brings life to me,
Your love... la la la la la la

Won't you bring life to me
I said you're gonna ride around
When I'm on a little home, babe,
Bring it on home, you bring it on home,
Bring it on home, bring it on home,
I said your love brings life to me, yeah!

Piece Of My Heart

Ou a cantora Janis Joplin em Piece Of My Heart (1969) em Frankfurt, na Alemanha.

Well, come on, come on, come on, come on

Didn't I make you feel like you were the only man, well yeah
Didn't I give you nearly everything that a woman possibly can
Honey, you know I did
And each time I tell myself that I, well I think I've had enough
But what I'm gonna show you, baby, that a woman can be tough
I want you to come on, come on, come on, come on and take it
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby
(Oh, oh, break it)
Break another little bit of my heart
Now, darling, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Oh, oh, have a)
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby
You know you got it if it makes you feel good
Lord, yes indeed

You're out on the streets looking good
And baby deep down in your heart I guess you know that it ain't right
Never, never, never, never, never, never hear me when I cry at night
Babe, and I cry all the time
But each time I tell myself that I, well I can't stand the pain
But when you hold me in your arms, I'll sing it once again

I'll say come on, come on, come on, come on and take it
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby
(Oh, oh, break it)
Break another little bit of my heart now, darling, yeah
(Oh, oh, have a)
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby
You know you got it, child, if it makes you feel good

I need you to come on, come on, come on, come on and take it
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby
(Oh, oh, break it)
Break another little bit of my heart, now darling, yeah, c'mon now
(Oh, oh, have a)
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby
You know you got it whoahhhhh

Take it
Take another little piece of my heart now, baby
(Oh, oh, break it)
Break another little bit of my
Heart, now darling, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Oh, oh, have a)
Have another little piece of my heart now, baby, hey
You know you got it, child, if it makes you feel good

Payday Blues

Ouça o cantor George Adams em Payday Blues. George Adams (saxofone tenor, flauta, piano, voz), Don Pullen (piano), David Williams (baixo), Dannie Richmond (tambor/caixa).
George Adams foi um músico de jazz americano que tocava saxofone tenor, flauta e clarinete baixo. 

George é mais conhecido pelo seu trabalho com Charles Mingus, Gil Evans, Roy Haynes e no quarteto ele co-liderou com o pianista Don Pullen, com o baixista Cameron Brown e com o baterista Dannie Richmond.

Glenn Miller

Glenn Miller nasceu em 1904 em Clarinda, Iowa, Estados Unidos. É considerado um dos maiores nomes da história do Jazz, o maior bandleader da era Swing!

A era das big band do final dos anos 30 e início dos anos 40 não estaria completa sem as gravações de Miller de "Moonlight Serenade" e "In the Mood"!

Nos anos 40, Glenn Miller dominou os salões de dança do Ocidente com hits como "Moonlight Serenade", "In the Mood" e "Little Brown Jug"!

Em 1942, no auge da sua popularidade, decidiu abandonar a vida civil e ofereceu os seus serviços para o esforço de guerra!

Infelizmente, em dezembro de 1944, o seu avião perdeu-se no mar enquanto sobrevoava o Canal da Mancha. Esta foi uma morte trágica e misteriosa que o transformou num mito bastante rentável!

Em 1953, a história da vida do Major Glenn Miller foi transformada num filme "The Glenn Miller Story", protagonizado por por Jimmy Stewart!

Atualmente, o legado de Glenn Miller continua, com as suas gravações e o enorme impacto que teve com a sua orquestra e o som distinto que criou!

Aprecie agora a versão ao vivo do clássico, do inesquecível Glenn Miller, ''In the Mood'' (Joe Garland/Wingy Manone), com a Glenn Miller Orchestra Scandinavia!

Blue No More

Ouça a canção de Buddy Guy, Blue No More. 

"Buddy" Guy (1936) é um guitarrista e cantor norte-americano de blues e rock. É conhecido por servir de inspiração a Jimi Hendrix e a outras lendas da música dos anos 60.

Guy também é considerado um importante expoente do chamado Chicago blues, tornado famoso por Muddy Waters e Howlin' Wolf. Foi considerado o 23º melhor guitarrista de todos os tempos pela revista norte-americana Rolling Stone.

When I reach heaven's gate
And they see the joy on my face
They might not know me
'Cause I won't be blue no more

None of my songs will sound the same
'Cause all of the heartache and all of the pain
Will be taken from me
And I won't be blue no more

Lord knows the blues
Is deep in my soul
Is my whole life
Is everything I know
It's been my home
And I bring it everywhere I go
Oh, yeah, everywhere I go
I can't leave without it

One of these days (One of these days)
The road is gonna end
He'll call my name (Call my name)
Up yonder then
I believe (I believe, yes)
I won't be (No I won't be)
Blue no more
Yeah I believe
That I won't be (I won't be)
Blue (I won't be blue no more)