Crisp ground, dusted with frost. A huge oven teaming with heat and full of pies. A town resting from the summer farming labors, reflecting and enjoying. Indian summer leading to post-harvest festivities, taking stock, preparing for the winter. Bounty. Church. Celebrations.
How We Kept Thanksgiving at Oldtown is a story written in 1869 by Harriet Beecher Stowe about a civic honoring of our singular American holiday. We take excerpts from this missive from a distant, simpler time and blend them in with some of the most sumptuous jazz from the past 100 years. From the purity of Tony Glausi’s “Just Friends” to the effervescence of Samara Joy’s “Sweet Pumpkin” we’re already celebrating Thanksgiving… c’mon in, pull up a chair, no chicken necks for you… only the best gravy and stuffing, good cheer and reflection. Thanksgiving Jazz. This week on Lester the Nightfly.
SOME MUSICAL NOTES
Robert Lrod Dorough (December 12, 1923 – April 23, 2018) was an American bebop and cool jazz vocalist, pianist, composer, songwriter, arranger, and producer. Dorough became famous as the composer and performer of songs in the TV series Schoolhouse Rock!, as well as for his work with Miles Davis, Blossom Dearie, and others.
Samara Joy is very familiar to our LTNF team. I {PJ} saw Samara at The Blue Note in NYC the night before her world debut on The Today Show. Her family was there. Press. Jazz Illuminati… was simply flipping!!! The comment of the night… “I have to go now (at about midnight) as we have to be at the studio at 4:00 a.m. for The Today Show.” Her dad sang for us… just a night of nights… and now she is… SAMARA JOY, signed with Verve… a big deal!!! See the clip I shot below.
Thanksgiving Jazz
| Track | Artist | Album | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Serenade | John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman | John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman | 1963 |
| Just Friends | Tony Glausi | Exclusively Trumpet, Vol 1 | 2019 |
| Supper Time | Oscar Peterson | Oscar Peterson Plays The Irving Berlin Song Book | 1959 |
| Sweet Pumpkin | Pasquale Grasso, Samara Joy | Sweet Pumpkin | 2022 |
| Carvin’ the Bird | Charlie Parker | The Complete Savoy & Dial Master Takes | 2002 |
| The Frim Fram Sauce | Nat King Cole Trio | The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio | 1993 (orig. 1945) |
| Gravy Train (Rudy Van Gelder/Digital Master 2007) | Lou Donaldson | Gravy Train | 1962 |
| I Get the Neck of the Chicken | Bob Dorough | Right on My Way Home | 1997 |
| Thanksgiving Theme | Vince Guaraldi Trio | A Charlie Brown Christmas [2012 Remastered & Expanded Edition) | 1973 |
| Stuffy | Coleman Hawkins | Hollywood Stampede | 1989 (orig. 1945) |
| Tight | Samara Joy | Tight | 2023 |
| Stuffy Turkey | The Bill McBirnie Duo/Quartet | Mercy | 2009 |
| Black Coffee | Janis Siegel | At Home | 1987 |
| Great Pumpkin Waltz | Vince Guaraldi Trio | A Charlie Brown Christmas [2012 Remastered & Expanded Edition) | 1973 |
| Here’s to Life | Shirley Horn | Here’s to Life | 1992 |
You lucky radio stations – for finding LTNF you get this fabulous show on your air! Well done!
Thanksgiving Jazz | Thanksgiving in Oldtown (S4 | E208)
