Harlem Nocturne

Our Vanessa Coffman has grown up in a very musical family. Her mom, Julianne, is a singer and today teaches music in the Cabell County schools. Her dad, Gary, also an educator, played sax in Marshall University jazz bands back in the ‘90s. So it’s not surprising that both her young siblings also play assorted instruments and sing. Veezy’s memories of childhood are filled with the sounds of her dad playing some of our greatest jazz standards of all times — “‘Round Midnight,” “Take Five,” “Georgia on My Mind” — and when at about 7 she wanted to be a sax player like her dad, it was Gary who taught her those first notes. The two of them still regularly jam together; some of our favorite new pictures in the Flood album are of the Coffmans playing duets, at home and even on the beach last summer. Well, today is Gary Coffman’s birthday, so here’s a little surprise from his Flood family: His favorite saxophonist playing his favorite tune. From a recent Flood gathering, this is Earle Hagen’s classic “Harlem Nocturne.” Aw, tell it, Veezy!