Jazz and Cocktails
This is it, the last weekend of summer. Sure, that’s not what the astronomers or the meteorologists will tell you. But you know when you see Labor Day on the calendar, and feel that first chill in the afternoon winds, that this is it. Our music needs to be something breezy, and maybe a little melancholy.
George Benson’s “Breezin’” is a too-obvious choice — but so what? It’s still damn good music. Here he is performing live in the UK, an unbelievable 35 years ago. Benson had himself a crossover hit with “Breezin’,” which was all over the Top 40 stations the summer I turned eight. It was almost certainly the first jazz tune I ever heard on my own radio — a tiny olive green handheld AM relic powered by a nine-volt battery I used to remove so I could stick the contacts on my tongue. The fact that it played on my radio gave it an acceptability factor it never would have gotten had Mom or Dad tried to force me to listen. And a lifelong love was born.
For the occasion, we need just the right drink. It’s a little something I came up with for my lovely bride, and I call it — of course — Breezin’. (Melissa vetoed “Passing Wind.”)
You’ll need:
Any decent brut champagne
2 ounces Citron vodka (Ketel One Citroen is excellent, priced right, and mixes well)
1 ounce pomegranate juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
Six leaves of basil
In the bottom of a small cocktail shaker, muddle the basil in the pomegranate juice. Add the simple syrup and vodka, then a handful of ice. Shake gently until chilled, then divide evenly between two champagne flutes. Top off each flute with champagne. Give it a quick stir, then garnish with more basil. They’ll come out a sunset color, which seems sadly appropriate.
Serve with George Benson turned up to six and the last Saturday of the summer.
Here are the two I just made.
Cheers.
Beautiful presentation, Stephen! Make mine some iced honey sweetened tea, a bit of mango juice and the herb umbrella, please : )
How about some “Harry of the Ritz Specials?”
An amazing guitarist. My father played that record constantly when I was a kid. One of my favorites by Benson. He picked up where Wes Montgomery left and took jazz guitar to a whole new level.
It is sad that he looks so different now due to surgery. I had the pleasure of studying jazz with a guy who is close friends with Benson. One time following a lesson, he told me he had recently had dinner with GB and his wife in Englewood, NJ. Following dinner, the two guitarists were looking at a photo album from years past together. GB’s wife commented, “what, are you both admiring the many faces George has had?”
Dr. Green!
Nice selection to end the summer, but my drink this weekend is the Bloody Mary made with Bakon (yes, it’s real) vodka. I made need some spicier music to go with it.
(and in Phoenix, we’re only about 1/2 way through summer)
Glad you enjoyed the music.
I’ve tried a Bloody with bacon vodka, and it was just too much. But I do enjoy salting the rim of my Bloody glass with bacon salt.
And thanks again for sending me back in time with Watermelon Man a few weeks ago. So sweet. We will have to agree to disagree; there is no such thing as too much bacon.
Ok, I’ll go back berating an empty chair now and maybe spin up some Green Onions.
niiiiiiiiiice…. love me some George (and cocktails)
will give it a go — soon.
Hope you enjoy them. Melissa and I had two rounds of Breezin’ before it was time to experiment with something else for next week.