hey bud, it's hammer time!

Jazz in the afternoon...how very nice!
A Bloody Mary would have made a nice addition, but also would have been completely unnecessary for the enjoyment of this rhythm trio. Featuring Tardo Hammer on piano, he was accompanied by the talented Nicki Parrott on bass (a woman!!! in high heels and a skirt!!!) and phenomenal Leroy Williams on drums.
This noon30 was titled, aptly enough, "Bouncin' With Bud: Tardo Hammer plays Bud Powell". Hammer is the pianist for another group playing at the Savannah Music Festival and is a huge aficionado of the undersung bebop forerunner. (There is no telling how famous the man might be had he not died at 42 of tuberculosis.)
I remembered to bring paper and pen so I could have the set list!
Woohoo!!!
First up was "Monopoly", followed in quick succession by the bouncy and fun "So Sorry Please". Tardo then played "Sure Thing", exactly as Bud would have, with no riffing of his own thrown in. Very nice to have the pure original! And very good of Hammer to give kudos to the man by honoring his style!
Next up? "Parisian Thoroughfare" and "Dusk in Sandi", both of which were good and were nicely melodic, but not especially for dancing. You know how I need to dance, right?
(smile)
That need was addressed for the next few songs! Woohoo! "Dance of the Infidels"! The fabulously frisky "Un Poco Loco"! "Bridge"! (Well, that's what I thought it was called...)
Then Hammer slowed it down, for a heartfelt "I'll Keep Loving You". Oh, to have been twirled around the floor to that lovely song!
Back to the bebop as the title song came along! Here it is, from the album of the same name, for your listening pleasure! Tap those toes, snap those fingers!
Then, guess what they played??? You'll Never believe it! "Over The Rainbow"!!! No, Bud did not write it, but, as Hammer said, Bud did show jazz pianists how to play it. Coolness! My first niece would have loved it! On second thought - nah, she is too much of a purist for all those trills and riffs.
(smile)
They ended the set eleven songs later with "John's Abbey". Very lively and upbeat, guaranteed to get those hips wiggling!
Ah, over too soon!
Just as well - my Office Hours are in thirty minutes and all the way southside from this north-of-Gaston-Street venue!
Gotta jet, y'all!