The Moe Koffman Quartette - The Swingin' Shepherd Blues

[rcfrenzydude]

Yea moe!!!!!

[baconater0]

my jazz band is doing this<3 i love it

[bmonkman03]

I used to go watch Moe and his group at George's Spaghetti House in Toronto often. He really was an unsung talent.

[jenicam]

My parrot whistles this song.

[TheWally243]

Could someone post "Little Pixie" follow up to Swingin' Sheppard Blues. Thank You

[awesomatedkirby]

im playing this now sax solo is great!!!!!!!!!!

hope i could do it that well

[MsCherryPop3]

Always loved Moe Koffman! One of the best in jazz.

[redhairking]

I remember the day when I first heard this song...today.

[webaroos]

Early 60's in Kings Cross, Sydney a friend would play this on his flute, certainly brings back fond memories of a different time, when things didn't matter so much, more enjoying yourself and having a good time.

[webaroos]

Wow, so few views for this unforgettable classic, man, 60's cool, hip, beatniks, hanging out in coffee lounges, corduroy pants, leather elbow patches, ripple soled desert boots, just super coolness.

[gr8zen12]

The UK version was the first record I bought myself in '58.

Any body know of the track on the b side 'Hamburg Bound' I like to hear that again too.

I heard a lovey carol version song at my grand kids school carol concert cant find that on video either

George

[wolfeshadow1313]

I remember the first time I heard this. it was in a small bar in Halifax,NS. He was just jamming with some local muscians. It was a great set, there were maybe 10 people in the place. Thanks for posting this.

[BellaMarieSwan1000]

I remember A very good friend of mine played this on clarinet, he was brilliant!

[andreabartelucci]

I had heard about this before, but had never got the chance to hear it.

Thank you for making it available! Excellent!!

[taildragger53]

I met the wonderful Moe Koffman just a few months before he died in Orangeville./Ontario. I'd been a fan of his since the mid 1960s and couldn't believe i was talking to him. I've met quite a few jazz artists but few have been as amiable & humble as Mr. Koffman.

[sheltv100]

This tune belongs to Canada.

[bearriver666]

Very relaxing , I recal it on CJOM

[adpala]

Hi people, if anyone has Moe Koffman's koff drops and could post it here, I would be eternally grateful :)

[RolloffDeBunk]

Well isn't this amazing!

YouTube gotta luv it!

And thank you from all the old boys at Georges Spag House for posting this.!

[larrynealwaxmuseum]

Like this version but somewhat impartial to Johnny Pate's cover version on Federal. Johnny Pates' version was somewhat of a bigger hit here in OKC.

Larry N. Boyington, aka Larry Neal, former curator of the Wax Museum on the big 1520 KOMA

[arikcarlo]

Along with Oscar Peterson, a giant Canadian jazzman.

[jeffperry1]

My uncle, Hugh Currie played bass on this recording. I remember hearing it on the radio when I was a little girl in the 50s and the fact that my uncle was the bass player was pointed out every time it played! (Jenny Currie Perry posting on Jeff Perry's account)

[injamaven]

this is it. What a charming piece.

[hackberryflat]

THKS MOJOFILTER02! I was just barely a teen when this came out. I put it in the same class as Steve Miller Band's BABE IN THE WOODS and MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW- no matter how many times you hear it, it's still fresh

[friendofloisw]

Cannot believe it: found my favorite jazz piece when I was 7 yrs old. Since then I wanted to play the flute, but I ended up with the treble recorder, cello, piano and singing. Thank you google for helping me track down the music even when I did not know the name. I even thought of you inventing a program to detect melodies people would sing on line on your website. Started with "jazz flutist in the 1950's and ending with the Swinging Shephard Blues, The Moe Koffmann Quartet

[sheltv100]

This tune ROCKS!!!!

[dlsofsetx]

This tune was used by a TV station's noon newscast theme in my hometown in the '60's & mid 70's

[kirkisme2]

its abit oldschool but at the same time awsome

[hankfletcher]

Thanks for posting this - I was a huge MK fan in high school. I wonder if this was cut for 45rpm? One chorus of solos, and quite an abrupt cut into the out-head near 1:23. Might explain why the later versions were broadcast more - once you've got the melody in your head, blowing over the changes is probably what makes the different versions engaging.

[JubalCalif]

I've always loved this song but only recently found out the name of it. THANKS for sharing this delightful "blast from the past" with us! What amazing flute work! A real "toe tapper", as they say! Hopefully all your wishes & dreams will come true in the New Year! Cheers!

[nandihg]

I'm playing it on my saxophone and I like it

[lorrainecameron50]

Heard this great piece played by a pipe band in George Square in Glasgow last summer at the World's. It was great!

[taildragger51]

I was lucky to've met Moe a couple of times in late 2000, just months before he passed. I was a fan of his from the early 1960s. He was one of the nicest people that ever lived...very humble, sincere.

[Gefreiter44]

Takes me back to my junior high school years where I first heard it on the radio in my electric shop class!

Thanks for the great history and best recording I've heard yet, Mojo!

Easy for me to download this as an mp3 by using "what you hear" option on my computer recorder.

[cmccandlis]

:3 i cans play dis on the flute

:D

awesome song!!!!

x3

[renatussum]

It still SMOKES!!!!

[dewbunny110362]

thanks for posting

[DynastyWarriors6]

I was born Jan.10 1958....and I remember hearing this in 1965....Great Piece!

[generationll]

Have this on tape right before Wanted by Perry Como

[TwistedIllumination]

If anyone has the flute music I'd love it!

[mojofilter02]

If you find it, I'd love to know how they deal with the end of the solo into the verse following it. There's a jump of an octave plus a fifth, which is accomplished on the record by an edit in the tape. Is it even possible to jump 13 whole notes without taking a breath?

[TwistedIllumination]

Well, on a flute as long as you tighten your embouchure then it should be possible to pull off the jump, perhaps a piccolo would be better suited either way I'm still hunting for the music...

[juliar65]

@mojofilter02 I have the music for this piece. I used to play it by ear when it was popular. Probably the only piece of flute music ever to be popular in my memory. The music I have was part of a colletion. I haven't performed it, but it is an easy piece especially when you compare it to Claude Bolling's Suite for Flute and Jazz Piano!

[jazzflutist]

@TwistedIllumination : It's part of the Band In A Box jazz collection. I just did a quick version with that backing (not that good, just a first take to test out the backup). I think I can Save down to Midi and send you a copy - need your email though.

[MalachiBordman]

ahaha t.v. listings music :)

[watcher818]

Thanks for the song. I used to listen to this and others on my crystal radio when I was a kid. KGIL in California back in the 60's. Would hearr this and Caravan by Les Elgart. Brings back good memories.

[kb3eza]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I played this record to death when I was young, and, finally I found it again.

[MarkAnthonyLentine]

Does anyone know how I can convert this to an MP3 so I can listen to it constantly??? It is THE funkiest, goofiest, coolest song there is!

[kb3eza]

free youtube video to MP3 converter, pick one and download it;

[eljuanandres]

with the firefox ad-on downloadhelper you can download+convert to mp4. from there to mp3 there are various ways.

[64098]

like......crazy. dig it. the most.

[titoshinigami]

nice nice im doing a project about him :)

[mochaseefus]

ahh kool beanz!!

we're playin this

in jazz band!!!!

This song is awesome!!!!!

[JohnMagg]

This is and will always be a great tune. I learned all but the bridge when I started to play guitar in the 50s. I never pursued the bridge (it was to difficult at that time)until I started jamming with a new friend a couple of months ago. I played what I new one time and he said that's a great tune lets work on it. I then wanted to learn the whole song and found it here. Thanks for putting it in here for me to learn.

[vanhall123]

I was a nerd in 1957, but I played the flute (natch). When this song came out, suddenly I got laid every weekend. Thank you Moe Koffman.

[BF117]

I play flute.

Im a guy.

I see what your getting at.

[titoshinigami]

nice nice

[hootinouts]

Guess I picked the wrong instrument. I play guitar and I never did.

[titoshinigami]

nice

[arikcarlo]

@vanhall123

Along with Oscar Peterson, a giant of Canadian jazz. I saw Moe Koffman play at a small club in Ottawa. I was surprised that such a great was playing such a small venue. He was superb. I love the jazz flute.

[ianjcameron]

@vanhall123

Jeez, me too. Some weekdays, as well.

[MIKEPREAMP]

Holy cow....Suddenly I'm riding in my folks' '57 Ford Custom 300, with the radio on!

[minor7b5b9]

Koffman & my Dad played together about a dozen times. They were both reed men. Dad used to kid him about the popularity of this draggy old blues. Called it a "piece of shit." Moe agreed, saying,"I needed the money."

[SteelyKlez]

Any time he played live (at least in his later years) he would introduce this tune as "a medley of my hit".

[sognol]

Mojofilter02 you ripper. Been searching for this original version for years. I've found my white whale. Thanks for posting it.

[mojofilter02]

You're very welcome! Glad I could be the one to end your search.

[dougmcmahon]

does anybody have any info on Ron Rully the drummer

[secordman]

Just a classic, Moe did some good stuff, my partner has an old album called Museum Pieces or something like that which is one of her favourite records ever.

[hardbluesguy]

Ahh, good music, common language of all and the great healer. You know, if when they were trying to get Noriega out of the compound many years ago and blasting him with Heavy Metal...maybe they should have flipped this one on and Pied Pipered him out.

[hootinouts]

I'm 49 and this piece takes me back to my childhood too as well. My dad always had the radio on with this kind of music playing while he worked around the house. Those were the best of times for me. Life was simple and more relaxed.

[mojofilter02]

I'm 49 as well. One of my earliest memories is of listening to this record as a toddler, on a 78 at my grandmother's house. One of my uncles bought it, so it's like I've always known it.

[hardbluesguy]

Thanks...when I was a kid, my Dad used to work around the yard on his days off, always had music playing on a radio and this song was playing in those days...as a small kid, I loved this piece, though I never knew the title or artist...I was probably about 6-7 when this was going...I'm 53 now and it takes me back, reminds me of a great man...my Father...Thanks for listing

[hootinouts]

That's awesome!  I can relate to your experience.

[mojofilter02]

Those are some priceless memories there. Thanks for sharing them here.

[Rome41jm]

I had to dig into my 1950's 45's to remember this song..I haven't heard since the 1960's.

Thanks for listing it..

[SteelyKlez]

I wonder if anyone has some video of his final public performance at the Toronto Jazz Festival, with Rob Mconnell and the Boss Brass on the main stage. The whole band wore roots caps in his honour (he was wearing one due to the effects of his chemo). Moe played his heart out that day. One of the musicians told me that it was as if he decided to empty the tank.

[SteelyKlez]

Thanks for putting this up. I cannot believe it is 7 years since Moe died. One of the great highlights of any Moe Koffman set was when he would introduce a "Medley of my Hit" and launch into Swingin Shepherd Blues.

[cjthemusicman]

Oh, man, thanks for finally putting up Moe's version of this great classic!

If I was a shepherd, I'd be swingin', too! Heck, I'm swingin' anyway!