Something Blue

DJ Hairy Larry Presents NJHB Playing Malaysia
From The Archives Of Something Blue 2026-03-22

NJHB – Stinger

Thanks Marty. Today we’re going to hear a song I’ve been talking about lately.

Chris “Stinger” Stevens came in from Peoria, Illinois, to play at New Jazz In Jonesboro. He did a set and then he played with NJHB, the New Jazz House Band.

NJHB’s regular guitarist, Mike “Zif” Lovell played with Chris and it was great to hear them trade soaring lead guitar parts. Mike always loved my song, “Malaysia” and he did it justice. This was the first time Chris had played the song but you couldn’t tell that by listening to him play.

So, I did some overdubs and we ended up with the NJHB album “Stinger”. Noel Badges Pugh gave me permission to use his drawing of symmetrical bees for the cover art so thanks for that.

Playing on the album were.

Chris “Stinger” Stevens – guitar
Mike “Zif” Lovell – guitar
Cody Ballard – tenor sax
Corey Emerson – bass
Carl Abraham – drums
and
Hairy Larry – piano and harmonica

Now NJHB leans heavily towards free jazz which is not everyone’s cup of tea. In jazz we call an album accessible if you don’t have to be a jazz fan to enjoy it. NJHB’s most accessible albums are “Stinger” and “Cookin For Piper” so there’s your gateway into NJHB’s music.

I will post links on the Something Blue website at sbblues.com.

Now, “Malaysia” is one of those songs that everybody loves to play. I call it yet another variation of “Autumn Leaves”.

There’s a thing called a contrafact where a jazz musician writes a new tune over an existing change. Like Charlie Parker writing “Donna Lee” over the change to “Indiana” or Sonny Rollins writing “Oleo” over the change to “I’ve Got Rhythm”.

“Malaysia” is not a contrafact. Although the change is similar to “Autumn Leaves” there are substantial differences to the chord structure in crucial places. Also it’s a Bossa, not a Ballad, with a completely different melody.

And why have I been talking about “Malaysia” lately? Because before it was ever recorded Tyler Warsham and Terrell Montgomery read it for me in the bandroom at ASU. This was the first time it had ever been played. I liked it and I could tell that they liked it too.

Then, last year, Terrell came to Jonesboro for Tyler’s wedding. And the next day he came to the HairyLarryLand studio to play with Jazz Buskers and we recorded the “Freddy’s Blues” album. That reminded me af that day in the bandroom when I heard “Malaysia” played for the first time.

So now, recorded live at TheArts@311 on April 6, 2013, with some overdubs by Cody Ballard and Corey Emerson, here’s “Malaysia” from the NJHB album, “Stinger”.

links

NJHB – Stinger Liner Notes
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