Videos

Live videos from our YouTube playlist. All of these are single takes with no edits beyond fade in/fade out, and minimal mixing – overall level and occasional EQ. There’s some crowd noise in the cafes, but at least you get an honest sample of what we’re like in live settings.

Quick Sampler Tunes

Think executive summary… These exerpts provide a quick sample of the MCMJQ in performance. For complete tunes, keep scrolling. These were recorded at the Little Theatre Café on 8 March 2026.

Romaine by Jim Hall, recording picks up with Al’s solo and finishes with the head to take it out.
Green Dolphin Street by Bronislau Kaper, picks up during Chuck’s solo, then Chuck & Al trading, then the head.
We See by Thelonious Monk, picks up with Al’s solo, then CHuck and Al trading, then the head to take it out.
Samba de Orfeu by Luiz Bonfá, picks up with Chuck and Al trading, then the head and a fade out.

Little Theatre Café, 2026

We recorded our gig on March 8, 2026, and here are some highlights. We’ve grown a lot since the earlier videos from 4+ years ago, which follow these tunes, but we kept a sampling of the old days as a reference point. Bonnie, our staff videographer and Chuck’s wife ran the recorder. Thanks, Bonnie!

Raincheck by Billy Strayhorn
This Lovely Feeling written by Arif Mardin for Dizzy Gillespie
Jitterbug Waltz by Fats Waller
Rhythm-a-ning by Thelonious Monk

Rochester Fringe Festival, 2021

We were back in the Little Theatre for a live Fringe Festival performance in 2021 on the newly remodeled main stage in Theatre # 1. During COVID we were busy adding tunes to the repertoire including this tune, a feature for Steve, but we’ve retained one of our favorite closers. Many thanks to Steve’s wife Susie Truesdell for great videos!

Our Delight, by Tadd Dameron
Samba de Orfeu from the film Black Orpheus, by Luis Bonfá

Rochester Fringe Festival, 2020

With the COVID crisis we were unable to perform live at the Little Theatre Cafe, RIT’s venue for the Rochester Fringe Festival, so we set up at dusk and played a set on Steve’s deck overlooking Sodus Bay. You’ll notice a slow fade to black as the sun set (should have started earlier…), and the video inexplicably froze in the middle for a few minutes, but the audio came out fine, and we had a lot of fun on a lovely summer evening, serenaded by crickets as we finished.

Mid-Century Modern Jazz Quartet at Fringe Festival, 2020

Think of One (Thelonious Monk)
Journey to Recife (Richard Evans)
Interplay (Bill Evans)
Softly as in a Morning Sunrise (Sigmund Romberg)
All or Nothing at All (Arthur Altman)
Samba de Orfeu (Luiz Bonfa)
Just Squeeze Me (Duke Ellington)
Beautiful Black Eyes (Wayne Shorter)
No Moe (Sonny Rollins)
St. Thomas (Sonny Rollins)

Rochester Fringe Festival, 2019

This was recorded at the Little Theatre Cafe on September 20, 2019. We had a great time and a full house. Chuck’s wife Bonnie ran the camera (and ran for cover when it fell over near the end of Turnaround).

Al’s favorite Cole Porter tune that wasn’t written by Cole Porter

Porch-non-Fest, 2019

This video is from a rehearsal on Chuck’s porch that was supposed to be for “Porch Fest 2019.” The Fest didn’t happen, but it was on our calendars, so we played anyway. Actually, this is our first performance with Bruce on bass, and the first time we played Samba de Orfeu together. You can find later recordings of this tune elsewhere on this page. Bonnie did the recording again. Thanks, Bonnie!

From Black Orpheus, with kids playing – just like in the movie!

Starry Nites Cafe, 2019

A video from a gig at Starry Nites on November 2, 2019. It’s a tight squeeze in this very intimate setting – Steve really is back there someplace! There are occasional cameos by patrons and staff (both visually and aurally), but the sound came out okay with no mixing. Bonnie once again recorded us. As always – thanks, Bonnie!

Another straight-up standard, this one featuring Steve trading fours

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