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Holding hands at midnight
'Neath a starry sky...
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it -- if you try.
Strolling with the one girl
Sighing sigh after sigh...
Nice work if you can get it
And you can get it -- if you try
Who could ask for anything more?
from "Nice Work If You Can Get It" by George and Ira Gershwin
"Nice Work If You Can Get It" is one of the great standards. The three jazz artists on this episode of State of the Arts each have their own take on this song – veteran trumpeter Clark Terry, rising star Tony DeSare, and one of the foremost jazz pianists of his generation, Bill Charlap.
clark terry
 clark terry story
Clark Terry's career in jazz spans more than 60 years. He's a world-class trumpeter, flugelhornist, educator, and an NEA Jazz Master. Terry has composed more than 200 jazz songs, and recorded with The London Symphony Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, and The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, as well as with his own duos, trios, quartets, quintets, sextets, octets, and two big bands -- Clark Terry's Big Bad Band and Clark Terry's Young Titans of Jazz. Of Terry, jazz writer Chuck Berg wrote, "Clark Terry is one of contemporary music's great innovators, and justly celebrated for his great technical virtuosity, swinging lyricism, and impeccable good taste. Combining these with the gifts of a great dramatist, Clark is a master storyteller whose spellbinding musical 'tales' leave audiences thrilled and always awaiting more." State of the Arts producer Eric Schultz talked with Terry shortly after his 85th birthday as he prepared to teach, rehearse, and inspire a group of gifted jazz students at William Paterson University.
 See a photo album of Clark Terry's life
 Watch an extended performance of Clark Terry playing "Ballad for Clark Terry's Poodle" with the William Paterson Jazz Band
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Clark Terry
Clark Terry
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tony desare
tony desare story
In his early 30s, singer and pianist Tony DeSare is considered one of the rising young stars in the jazz and cabaret world. He has been performing since he was 17, headlined a jazz trio at Ithaca College, and has been steeped in American popular standards since childhood. More recently, DeSare has played venues like the Cafe Carlyle, Birdland, and the Apollo Theater, where he met guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, who backs DeSare up on his debut CD, "Want You." State of the Arts producer Amber Edwards interviews DeSare at his West Orange home and tapes him performing at one of his favorite local haunts, Shanghai Jazz in Madison, New Jersey. He appears there regularly and has built a fan base of serious jazz lovers. DeSare also composes music, and his own songs are an uncanny bridge between pop music's Golden Age, and a 21st century sensibility.
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Tony DeSare |
bill charlap
bill charlap story
"Bill Charlap Plays George Gershwin," released in 2005, includes both best loved tunes and little known gems. Born in 1966, Bill Charlap has been called his generation's jazz piano standard bearer, and he has a string of well received CDs to back it up. State of the Arts producer Susan Wallner visits Bill Charlap at his home in Summit, New Jersey, and in performance – solo, at an "Afternoon Music" concert series at the Unitarian Church in Summit, and with the Bill Charlap Trio at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York. He describes why he enjoys playing music from the American Songbook, and the importance of lyrics to his work (even though he’s an instrumentalist!) Charlap has also recorded an album with singer Sandy Stewart – who also happens to be his mother. His musical roots also include his father Moose Charlap, the Broadway composer.
See the full performance of "Nice Work If You Can Get It" by the Bill Charlap Trio, recorded at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City, on January 26, 2006
 Listen to "Here I Am In Love Again" sung by Sandy Stewart, accompanied by Bill Charlap (her son). The song was written by Moose Charlap (Bill's dad) and Charles Sweeney. From the CD "Love Is Here To Stay" (Blue Note, 2005)
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Bill Charlap
Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart,
"Love Is Here to Stay"
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