Mike Kaupa - Stardust - Songs of Hoagy Carmichael (2021)

There’s one thing about Hoagy Carmichael (born in Bloomington, Indiana, on 22 November 1899 and died in Rancho Mirage, California, on 27 December 1981) that’s undeniable: no two of his songs sound alike. If you hid his name on all the songs titles, played them for a friend, and asked which ones were from the same writer, they likely would not be able to tell. Each of Hoagy’s tunes has a unique personality. As a general rule of thumb, he would compose the melody first and then collaborate with the lyricist to get a good fit between the tune and its text, much in the same way that George and Ira Gershwin collaborated. But that’s a rule Hoagy often broke.

When people come across an album entirely of tunes by Hoagy Carmichael, they might ask “why” – which is a valid question. In the case of this album, Stardust, the answer is in the players. We have here an amazing trumpet player, Mike Kaupa, and a sensitive, accomplished pianist, Tom George, who played together for years, often in Rochester, New York, in the 1980s when they gigged in the area. It’s fitting that their pairing is much like another, but from the 1920s, between a budding songwriter named Hoagy Carmichael and trumpeter Bix Beiderbecke.

Mike would likely blush a little being compared to the legendary trumpet player, but from the listener’s perch, he’s got that same fluidity and grace that Bix Beiderbecke had. Mike has the uncanny ability that few players have to dance around the melody of a song with a little embellishment, countermelody and lyricism. Tom is his perfect counterpart, subtly providing the harmonic color and nuance that frame Mike’s solos, while contributing some tasty solos of his own. To complete the picture, Ric Vice, whose idea it was to record this album dedicated exclusively to Hoagy Carmichael songs, contributes the foundation of smooth, stylish bass playing. Like Mike and Tom, Ric allows Hoagy’s music to come forth with his memorable melodies first and foremost.