STILL STOMPING STRONG New Jersey Jazz Society Marks 50 Years of Annual Pee Wee Russell Memorial Benefit
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Recorder Community Newspapers Out&About GUIDE TO THE ARTS AND LEISURE • THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2019 STILL STOMPING STRONG New Jersey Jazz Society marks 50 years of annual Pee Wee Russell Memorial benefit By SANFORD JOSEPHSON His legacy will be celebrated at this CONTRIBUTING WRITER year’s Stomp with music by Andy Far- ber and his Orchestra featuring spe- In 1968, Pluckemin resident Jack Stine cial guests, vocalist Catherine Russell, had an idea. One of his favorite musical multi-reedist Adrian Cunningham, and performers, jazz clarinetist Pee Wee Rus- trumpeter Warren Vache. sell, had died on Feb. 15, and Stine want- Vocalist Roseanna Vitro, a resident of ed to honor him with a memorial concert. Warren, will be presented with this year’s The first Pee Wee Russell Memorial Stomp Distinguished Musician Award, and jazz was held that year, and two years later, radio station WBGO 88.3FM will be hon- Stine founded the New Jersey Jazz Society. ored as this year’s jazz advocate. From noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 7, And, as is the tradition, dancing is wel- the 50th annual Pee Wee Russell Memori- come and encouraged, spurred by a group al Stomp will be held at the Hyatt Regency of vintage-clad dancers who annually in Morristown by the Jazz Society. Stine, grace the Pee Wee stage. who died last June at the age of 96, com- bined the first concert with a fundraiser Youth Group and raised more than $3,000 for a scholar- A new feature of this year’s Stomp will ship in Russell’s name at Rutgers Univer- be a performance by the New Jersey Youth sity. Now, the event raises money for schol- Symphony’s Jazz Orchestra conducted by arships at Montclair State University, New alto saxophonist Julius Tolentino, who is Jersey City University, Rowan University, director of the jazz program at Newark and William Paterson University, in addi- Academy in Livingston. tion to Rutgers. Five members of the NJYS Jazz Or- Best known for playing in Dixieland chestra reside in the area: trumpeter Al- bands, Russell was also considered the varo Caravaca, a resident of Mount Olive first post-swing era modern performer and student at Mount Olive High School; Top: Vocalist Roseanna Vitro of Warren on clarinet. An example of his modern- trombonist Eli Foster, Chester, West Mor- will be honored with this year’s Distin- ist playing was a 1960s Impulse album ris Mendham High School; trombonist Pe- guished Musician Award during the New called Ask Me Now, recorded in a piano- ter Han, Chatham, Chatham High School; Jersey Jazz Society’s 50th annual Pee less quartet with valve trombonist Mar- trombonist Daniel Harkins, Mount Ol- Wee Russell Memorial Stomp on Sunday, shall Brown. Reviewing the album for ive, Mount Olive High School; and bass- AllMusic, Scott Yanow pointed out that, ist Maxwell Yu, Basking Ridge, Newark April 7. Left: Celebrated jazz saxophonist “Russell, late in life, broke out of the (Dix- Academy. Andy Farber will also joint the fun when ieland) stereotype and played in more it convenes at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in modern settings.” PLEASE SEE JAZZ, PAGE 2 Morristown. PAGE 2 Thursday, February 28, 2019 Out & About newjerseyhills.com JAZZ: Warren vocalist • POETS CORNER • FROM PAGE 1 Trumpeter Warren Vache, a resident of Rahway, played with Benny Goodman Vitro’s 2011 album, The Music of Ran- in the mid-‘70s and was part of the house I remember once one time when dy Newman, on the Motema label, was band at Eddie Condon’s jazz club in the nominated for a Grammy. Her most recent ‘70s and ‘80s, teaming up with the veteran album, “Tell Me the Truth” (CD Baby: trombonist Vic Dickenson. I remember once one time when I pressed no. 2018), was described by JazzTimes’ Chris- Condon’s, on West 54th Street, was we were younger than young we topher Loudon as “a return to her south- down the block from another club, Jimmy thought The moment passed ern roots, the blues, country, soul, gospel, Ryan’s, where legendary trumpeter Roy or so. blushing and softly smiling. jazz and rock that shaped her musical up- Eldridge performed. During their breaks, We heard or saw something We didn’t really know much about each bringing in Hot Springs, Arkansas.” Eldridge and the young Vache would lis- hysterically funny. other Vitro said she is “honored and blown ten to each other. Without acquaintance yet we shared did we dear? away to receive the NJJS Distinguished That, says Vache, was, “the best teach- our laughter standing there among That, dear wife, was many years and Musician Award. I’ve lived in New Jersey ing experience I ever had.” In a review of the many. years for 34 of my 47 years as a performer and Vache’s recent appearance at the Green You put your hand on my shoulder. ago or so. teacher, but I’ll always be grateful to Ar- Mill Jazz Club in Chicago, the Chicago I covered yours with mine. Sir, please, just say that you remember. nett Cobb, master tenor player in Hous- Tribune’s Howard Reich wrote of “the We laughed a moment longer. ton, Texas, for introducing me to jazz.” gracefulness of his lines and the pro- I considered an introduction then - TOM MURRAY foundly melodic character of his solos.” but you tried to pull your hand away. Chester Broadway Since relocating to New York City from Saxophonist Andy Farber studied jazz his native Australia in 2008, multi-reed- composition at the Manhattan School of ist Adrian Cunningham has performed Music, played and wrote arrangements at some of the city’s leading jazz clubs in- for legendary vocalist Jon Hendricks in cluding Birdland, the Blue Note, and Diz- Learn about New Jersey owls March 21 the ‘90s, led the orchestra for the Broad- zy’s Club Coca-Cola. way musical revue, “After Midnight,” and And, he has played with some of New directed the band that backed Tony Ben- York’s leading jazz musicians: trumpet- New Jersey Audubon Society teach- ed hair and other digestive wonders – they nett and Lady Gaga for the PBS special er Wynton Marsalis, trombonist Wy- er/naturalist Dorothy Smullen will host leave behind. “Cheek to Cheek Live.” He has appeared cliffe Gordon, and pianist Ted Rosenthal, “Give a Hoot! Owls of New Jersey” at The program is for children seven and at such venues as Dizzy’s Club Coca-Co- to name a few. Hot House Magazine has 2 p.m. Sunday, March 31, at Scherman older. Because seating is limited, please la and the Jazz Standard in New York as called him “indispensable to New York’s Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary, 11 Hard- call and reserve a spot. well as the New Jersey Performing Arts jazz scene,” and All About Jazz described scrabble Road, Bernardsville. The cost is $7 for members, $10 Center in Newark. him as “a young artist who plays as if he Eight species of owls can be found in non-member and suitable for children sev- Catherine Russell (no relation to Pee has been playing for over a century.” Both the state at certain times. en and older. Wee) is a jazz superstar. In 2012, she won Cunningham and Vache record on Arbors In this family program, participants Because seating is limited, register by a Grammy Award for her appearance as a Records. will learn to imitate their calls and how Friday, March 29. To register, call (908) 396- featured artist on the soundtrack album Advance tickets for the Stomp are $40 to investigate those “pellets” – regurgitat- 6386. for the HBO TV series “Boardwalk Em- for NJJS members, $45 for non-members; pire.” Her 2014 Jazz Village album, “Bring tickets at the door are $45 for members, It Back,” received a five-star review from $50 for non-members. Downbeat Magazine, and her 2016 JV al- There will be a cash bar and buffet and bum, “Harlem on My Mind,” was nomi- CDs for sale. NJ Jazz Society president nated for a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Cydney Halpin, a resident of Mount Ar- Recorder Community Newspapers Album. lington, predicts “an afternoon filled with When she appeared at New York’s Bird- fabulous music, artistry, and nostalgia land jazz club in 2015, The New York worthy of a golden anniversary.” Times’ Michelle V. Agins wrote that she & projected “a strength, good humor and There are three ways to order tickets: online at Out About intelligence that engulfed the room in a www.njjs.org; by phone at 800 838-3006/Opt. 1; NEW JERSEY HILLS MEDIA GROUP mood of bonhomie . There is no happi- or by sending a check payable to NJJS including er music than early jazz performed with a $3 per order handling fee along with a stamped • • Editor: P.C. Robinson spirit, understanding and a sense of fun. self-addressed envelope to NJJS, c/o Mike Katz, 383 WHAT’S INSIDE Phone: (908) 766-3900 ext. 219 Ms. Russell and her crew brought them Springfield Ave., Suite 217, Summit, NJ 07901. Mail all.” orders must be sent no later than March 20. Fax: (908) 766-6365 Art ....................7 Address: Film ...................5 Suite 104, 100 South Jefferson Road, >> GO MOBILE Poetry .................2 Whippany, N.J. 07981 Email: Sudoku .................4 Find us on your smartphones and tablets at http://m.newjerseyhills.com/ [email protected] mobile_adv/. Theater ................5 To be considered for Out & About, please Wine ..................4 send information by Tuesday, the week before the publication date. newjerseyhills.com Out & About Thursday, February 28, 2019 PAGE 3 ‘Simply Steampunk’ exhibition opens March 15 “Simply Steampunk,” the second install- • ”Tea and Treasures: Simply Steampunk, • ”Last Look: Behind the Scenes of Sim- ment of the Morris Museum’s four-year ju- a Curator’s View” lecture and tour 2 p.m., ply Steampunk,” 6 p.m.