A Perfect Easter

We spent much of this Easter Sunday driving slowly through hills covered with hundreds of acres of apple and cherry trees gloriously abloom. Spring is here in full flower, with enchanting vistas that include glimpses of Mount Adams and Mount Rainier. This post comes late in the holiday, but the Rifftides staff hopes that your Easter has been equally inspiring.

“Easter Parade” is hardly a jazz standard, but Irving Berlin gave it a wonderful melody and a harmonic structure that encourages playing to match the beauty of the season. The song made a splendid vehicle for cornetist Ruby Braff and pianist Ellis Larkins in the first volume of their “Calling Berlin” series.