NATE RAWLS COMMUNITY JAZZ BAND
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Practice History

The plan is to update this weekly so everyone will know what to work on
Nrcjb Current cumulative playlist and Gig Logistics May 10th 2025
​
Logistics for the Gig

We Play at Saturday May 10 at  11:00 am
***Arrive about 10 to allow for setup and sound check***
We will play for the first hour of the program starting at 11.
The program presentations will be at 12.
We will then play one piece at the end of the program

We should bring Music stands and Music.

Refreshments are expected to be provided

Location:
Edgerton Stardust Ballroom, 41 Backus Street 14608,
:
Picture of facilities
https://www.cityofrochester.gov/locations/edgerton-stardust-ballroom

Google Maps Link
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ZHNr83ct4qYt18JVA

Attire: all black,tops & bottoms, bring music and music stands 

May 10 Gig Playlist

Important Notes
*The list is alphabetical at this point. I will ask Nate to put it into "Play" sequence*.
*However Since the sequence can change anytime during the performance it is important to keep your music organized so you can get to any song quickly.
*Finally bring all your music: sheet music and books, in case we need to play a songs not on the playlist*

Playlist
Ain't no stopping us now, Darryl
Black coffee, Dilynda
Blues Medley, Dilynda
Endless Love
Europa
**I got a woman, Darryl
Is it better be tonight, Dilynda
**Proud Mary
Rt 66, Dilynda
Shaft
Sir Duke
Straighten up and fly right, Darryl
Walk on by, Darryl
With you I'm born again
Added
Stolen Moments

** Final song to be played at the end of the affair in honor of Mothers Day will be either Proud Mary or I got a Woman

Practiced on Saturday May 3

Ain't no stopping and stuff
Is that a crime
I got a woman
It had better be tonight
Stolen Moments

Watch your mail, messages and the website for changes and corrections,
Thanks Jim


***ATTENTION BAND MEMBERS***
Here is the Tentative Playlist for May 10 Gig
+++++++++++
PRACTICE THESE AT HOME
​

The list(13) is alphabetical, not necessarily the sequence in which the tunes will be played
We need enough material for an hour long performance.
We will likely add some additional non vocal material that we can draw from at the performance if we need additional material. 
Please tell us if there are any particular tunes you would like added  or if you see any problems with the ones selected so far.



Ain't no stopping us now, Darryl
Black coffee, Dilynda
Blues Medley,
Dilynda
Endless Love
Europa
I got a woman, Darryl
Is it better be tonight,
Dilynda
Proud Mary
Rt 66,
Dilynda
Shaft
Sir Duke
Straighten up and fly right, Darryl
Walk on by, Darryl

With you I'm born again


Practiced April 26 2026
​
With you I'm born again
Black coffee
Shaft
Is it a crime
Endless love
It better be tonight
Europa
Hitsville
Also
We will practice Sir Duke next week.



Tunes that we practiced
 
 April 19th


With you, I’m born again
Watermelon man.
Shake Rattle and roll
Stolen moments
Killer Joe.
Is it a crime? 


Blues in G sang by Rene( belted out with the same enthusiasm and style that he uses when he plays the trombone)

Program Notes for the May 10 gig:

We have two more weeks before our May 10 gig .
Jan explained the timing on the program . The program runs from 11 to one. We start playing at 11 and presentations begin at 12. We may also play a bit at the end of the program after the presentations.


Playlist  for May 10
We need to prepare a playlist for the event so we can work on it for the two weeks before the event.

As a suggestion for preparing the play, let’s do this:

Nate assisted by Lynn and Jim will prepare a tentative playlist of tunes to play.
Jim will call Nate and Lynn to get this started
The starting point for that list can be the cumulative list of tunes that we practiced over the last few weeks. It's on the website
Jim Will send a working copy of that cumulative list too Nate and Lynn to begin this process.

That tentative playlist should be prepared by Wednesday, April 23

Any band member that wants to recommend certain tunes for the playlist should email to Jim, and Nate and Lynn by Wednesday as well.

Jim will combine the list and get it out to the Band before the next practice.

Practices before Gig

April 26 and May 3rd
​





Watermelon man

Cumulative list of Songs we worked on the Past few weeks

*Note songs with underline and * Have been practiced multiple times

A child is born
*Ain't no stopping us now​
Alice in Wonderland

At Last
Autumn leaves 
Blues Medley

Black coffee
Cape Verdon blues
Comin' Home
Day in the Life of a Fool" (also known as Black Orpheus
*Don't get around much anymore
Endless Love
Walk on back

Early Autumn
*Europa
Four

*Fly me to the Moon
Hitsville
*Is it a crime 
*Is it better be tonight
Jive Samba

Killer Joe
The masquerade 
Mimosa
Minha Saudade
Moonlight in Vermont

On Broadway
*Orange colored sky
Perdido 
*Proud Mary
*Rt 66
Sac of Woe

Send for me
Shake Rattle and roll
Shaft
Shinny stockings
*Sir Duke
​Skydive

Stolen moments
*Straighten up and fly right 
Stuff you got to watch
Sugar

The Girl from Ipanema
Unchained my heart
Thriste
Walk On by
*Wendy

Watermelon man
With you, I’m born again
What kind of fool am I 
Work song
Yardbird suite
Saturday April 12th practice history notes: 


***NatesNotes***

Nate pointed out that the tunes we do at practice should be practiced at home by individual band members. Then when we come together on Saturdays we should use that time to fine-tuning those pieces.


Also we should include in our practicing the exercise of playing around the circle of fourths. Playing chords and scales around the circle. There's a copy of the circle in the back of our first book.

***Songs Practiced***

Perdido 
Cape Verdon blues 
Is it a crime 
Fly me to the Moon
Autumn leaves
Shaft 
 It had better be tonight 

The masquerade 



​​Songs practiced April 5

​Walk on by
Europa
Orange colored sky
Don't get around much anymore
Is it a crime
Straighten up and fly right
Black coffee
Killer Joe
On Broadway


​​Songs practiced March 29 

Wendy
Sugar
Stuff you got to watch
Unchained my heart
Walk on by
Don't get around much anymore
Autumn Leaves, here's the last four measures for the introduction

Straighten up with fly right
Ain't no stopping us now
Route 66
Send for me

https://youtu.be/p_Pkvc-x6RI?si=0xBAfLrDjsUZmyIT

Endless Love
Rt 66
Proud Mary

​​Songs practiced March 22:

Is it a crime
Walked on by
Black coffee
Endless love
Autumn Leaves
Repeat the last four measures at the end
Snapper
Route 66
Comin home
Europa
Notes from March 15th Practice

These notes have been provided by Michael Christie, tenor sax player. I was not practice because of the Saint Patrick's Day parade that day. Thanks Mike for the notes!!!
------
Songs we played>

"Comin' Home">hand-written chart which you guys might have since the band has played it before; simple blues form

"Day in the Life of a Fool" (also known as Black Orpheus, etc.) arranged for big band w/music passed out>Di singing it.

(If you search youTube for "A Day in the Life of a Fool" for the arrangement by Jerry Nowak, there's some audio of the first bit of it that you might find helpful; also just saw there's a performance of this arrangement by "UPB" big band, that I have not yet listened to).

Is it a Crime

Girl From Ipanema--duet vocals!

Don't Get Around Much

Autumn Leaves w/male vocal

Walk on By

It Had Better Be Tonight

Minha Saudade--no vocal (only one today except the first song)

Nate said he might bring a version of 'Stolen Moments' by Oliver Nelson

He also mentioned a gig on May 10, maybe at 11.


Songs practice on March 1st March 1 .

The Girl from Ipanema
Is it a crime 
Straighten up and fly right 
Don't get around much anymore
Autumn leaves 
Hitsville
At Last

Note: Tentative gigs May 10th between 10 and 2 gig and another one potentially in pittsford for which the details are still being worked out.




Practice list from previous weeks
These are the tunes we practiced  Sat Feb 22:
​
Alice in Wonderland
Early Autumn
Skydive

 Skydive note: has an introduction that we played four times starting with a piano and ending with two horns.
​
Walk on By
Don't get around much anymore 
What kind of fool am I 
It had  better be tonight 
Practice Notes from February 15, 2025
​
These are the tunes we work on:

Jive Samba
Wendy 
Yardbird suite
Shinny stockings
Europa 
Hitsville
Walk On by 
And
Don't get around much anymore



Practice Notes from February 1, 2025
​
These are yhe tunes we work on:
Moonlight in  Vermont 
Orange colored sky 
A child is born 
Endless Love 
Walk on back
Don't get around much anymore 
Route 66
Hitsville 

Nate suggested practicing the circle of fifths in the back of book one. Go around the circle first practicing the root note then practicing the route and the third then the route 3rd and 5th and the route 3rd 5th and 7th. Finally you can practice the entire scale on each.

As a way to remember the sequence of notes in the circle, he suggested the phrase C F BEAD. Then continuing on around the circle F # BEAD G,. The first BEAD are flats.

In route 66 we worked a bit on measures 42, 43 and 44. These measures have a really catchy sound which only works if we all play in the same way.


Thanks Jim 

Practice notes From Jan 25 2025
Minha Saudade 
Walk On by 
Don't get around much anymore 
Rt 66
Is it better be tonight 
Hitsville


Hitsville YouTube recording of the arrangement we use:
https://youtu.be/klU9DdYYSUA?si=ZCINqA37usBIR0qz

​

Practice log from Saturday January 18th.

These are the tunes we practiced:
Alice I Wonderland
Four
Thriste
Hittsville
Work song

Also talked about these to do in the future when we all had sheet music
Saw you walking down the street 
Don't get around much anymore 
Autumn leaves

We use the first tune to practice some improvisation warm up exercises, playing first the root note of the chord for each measure, then the root and the third, then the root 3rd and 5th and finally the root 3rd 5th and 7th.

Notes January 11th 2025 practice

We began the practice with tunes we worked on last week. I added notes based on Nate's direction about how we proceed through each of the tunes:
Alice in Wonderland
Sack of Woe- we played it twice through based on the repeat sign. Each time had three solos one at section C and two in section D
Mimosa -Alto plays first eight measures. Tenor comes in in the eighth measure.  Solos On A and B. After solos return to the sign and follow the coda to the end. 
Skydive- follow the music. Tune  AA B A,  been solos AABA. After solos back to the sign, then follow the coda.
Sir Duke follow the music. Solos at E and G
​
Then we started work on these additional tunes:
Rt 66
It had better be tonight
Blues Medley
Hittsville 


The tunes we worked on at last Saturday's Practice were:
​
January 4,2025


​Skydive
Alice in Wonderland
Sac of Woe
Mimosa
and
Sir Duke
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  • Home
  • UPCOMING EVENTS
  • BOOK US
  • HISTORY
  • PICTURES OF PAST GIGS
    • Pulaski Park
    • 06-06-2023 St Monica's
    • ESWA July 2023
    • Clarissa Street
    • 06-02-2018
    • 06-03-2023 - Aberdeen Square
    • 08-13-2022
  • CONTACTS
  • Practice History
  • Youtube Playlist Links
  • Real Easy Book 1