October Songs #2

In the mid 1990s, I had a unique opportunity to work with an exceptional jazz artist who chose 7 vocalists, by audition, whom she deemed “promising”, for a 2 year workshop intensive in jazz singing. Jay Clayton has worked with some of the very best & has appeared at Lincoln Center, Town Hall, the Kennedy Center, Jazz Alley, Sweet Basil, & jazz festivals through out the world. Jay was on the Jazz faculty of Seattle’s Cornish College of the Arts for 20 years. The workshop was unique & challenging. After the 1st year the workshop gave a series of small concerts & different venues around Seattle. I can’t remember all the songs in my set (I remember I did a “moon” song medley), but I loved singing When October Goes. The lyrics are by the great Johnny Mercer & were left without a melody at the time of his death. His widow gave them to Barry Manilow, knowing that Mercer had been a fan (their daughter is named Mandy). Manilow wrote the melody & recorded this song. It was a favorite of mine to sing during my brief stab at being a jazz vocalist. What I was aiming for during this period, the artists that were inspiring me, were Michael Franks & Kenny Rankin (not to suggest that I was ever in their league). Have a listen: