Volume 42 • Issue 1 January 2014 Journal of the Society Dedicated to the performance, promotion and preservation of jazz.

Newport Jazz Turns 60 The latest edition of the George Wein Newport All-Stars perform he Newport Jazz Festival hasn’t always been in Rhode Island. In 1971 the in the Chase Room at NJPAC on December 6 (from left): Tfestival moved to New York City, and during that decade also presented George Wein, , Lew Tabackin, Jay Leonhart, Newport events jointly with the NJJS at Waterloo Village in northwest New Bria Skonberg and Clarence Penn. Photo by Tony Graves. Jersey. In 1973, there were also two concerts at Fenway Park in Boston, under the name “Newport New England Jazz Festival,” and in 1977 the festival presented an ancillary “Newport Jazz Festival-Saratoga” in upstate New York. The festival returned to Rhode Island at Newport’s Fort Adams State Park in 1981 and, after 17 years of joint presentations in NYC ended in 2008, still continues there. But for 60 years the festival’s one constant has been the leadership of impresario George Wein, first an employee and then longtime owner of the festival. Newport Jazz celebrates the 60th year of its founding this year and the illustrious Mr. Wein was feted at an NJPAC reception last month PEE WEE RUSSELL where he reminisced about the famed festival’s storied history. MEMORIAL STOMP SUNDAY MARCH 2 See story on page 28. see details page 2 and ad page 5 New JerseyJazzSociety

in this issue: New Jersey Jazz Society Prez Sez...... 2 Bulletin Board...... 2 NJJS Calendar...... 3 Jazz Trivia ...... 4 Editor’s Pick/Deadlines/NJJS Info. . . . 6 October Jazz Social: Giacomo Gates . . 47 Crow’s Nest...... 48 Prez Sez New Patron Level Benefits...... 49 Change of Address/Support NJJS/ By Mike Katz President, NJJS Volunteer/Join NJJS...... 49 New/Renewed Members...... 52 programs. On the other hand, it DIVA at the annual Mayo NJJS/Pee Wee T-shirts...... 53 Happy Jazzy must be said that a major factor Theater concert, although the stories in this year’s profitability was Newport Jazz Fest Turns 60. . . . .cover New Year to attendance was somewhat North Carolina Jazz Fest...... 4 one and all! not having to take losses from disappointing. We again in the Sky...... 8 Jazzfest, which had been awarded scholarships to jazz Talking Jazz: Catherine Russell. . . . .12 n On Sunday afternoon, substantial in the last few studies majors representing Dan’s Den...... 18 December 8, we had our Forest Hill Follow-Up ...... 20 years, mainly due to lack of Rutgers, William Paterson, NJJS Annual Meeting...... 22 Annual Meeting at Shanghai a lead sponsor and declining New Jersey City and Noteworthy...... 24 Jazz. Those who attended were Autumn in New York ...... 26 attendance. We are still hopeful Rowan Universities, and our treated to two terrific sets by ACS and The Experiment. . .29 of reviving Jazzfest in the future Generations of Jazz program Has Jazz Changed Your Life?. . . . . 29 singer Sarah Partridge. Sarah in some way, and if anyone presented five performances NJPAC Brick City Jazz Orchestra . . . .30 is not a stranger to NJJS, 3rd Annual Zootfest ...... 32 reading this knows of any under the capable leadership of Max Raabe having appeared several times potential sponsors, I would Pam Purvis, featuring Bob in New Brunswick...... 34 at Jazzfest and been a frequent certainly appreciate hearing Ackerman and other musicians, Reviews performer at Shanghai and about it. If we are to produce and coordinated by Board Book: Duke Ellington...... 36 other venues in the area. Jazzfest in the future, we will Other Views...... 38 member Frank Sole. Cotton Club Legacy...... 40 Before the music began, we have to have greater support of Vaché and Corrao...... 42 the event from the membership We then conducted an election Caught in the Act...... 44 conducted our annual business Maria Schneider/Jazz Standard . . . . 47 meeting. I was pleased to report — in 2012, less than 20% of for the Board of Directors. member households were Going into the meeting we had EVENTS that NJJS is in good fiscal shape, ’Round Jersey: Morris, Ocean. . . . . 50 and our treasurer, Larissa represented in the audience. 20 elected directors (plus Jersey Institute of Jazz Studies/ Rozenfeld, reports that we will We continue to receive reports Jazz co-editors Tony Mottola Jazz from Archives ...... 53 of other long-running jazz Somewhere There’s Music...... 54 finish out the year in the black and Linda Lobdell who serve The Name Dropper...... 55 for the first time in several festivals no longer being ex-officio). The maximum produced for similar reasons. advertisers years. This is good news in the number of directors authorized Rosalind Grant...... 4 sense that we did well at the I reported last year’s Pee Wee by the by-laws is 30. Directors Pee Wee Russell Memorial Stomp. . . .5 WBGO ...... 7 40th anniversary event last Russell Memorial Stomp was serve 3-year terms. Re-elected Shanghai Jazz...... 9 January and recently received a well attended and enjoyed by this year for terms expiring at William Paterson University...... 11 the end of 2016 were Cynthia NJPAC...... 13 substantial member donation everyone. We also had an Jazzdagen...... 17 towards our educational outstanding performance by Feketie and Sheilia Lenga. ...... 19 Trumpets...... 21 Barbara Kukla...... 22 SOPAC...... 23 Stay tuned to www.njjs.org for updates and details. Ocean County College ...... 25 Rutgers Mason Gross School. . . . . 27 Hibiscus...... 31 Concert to Honor Bruce Gast . . . . .33 NJJS Bulletin Board Berrie Center at Ramapo College. . . .35 Sandy Sasso ...... 38 Member Discount Claim your member privilege! Get free admission to NJJS socials, Jim Eigo Jazz Promo...... 40 McCarter Theatre Center...... 40 discounts to music events, discounts from partners! Cadence Magazine...... 41 RVCC...... 43 NJJS Members Discounts Hibiscus offers NJJS members a discount of 10% off their Stephen Fuller...... 44 check. The Berrie Center at Ramapo College offers NJJS members 5% off event tickets. WBGO Photo Blog...... 45 Diane Perry...... 48 FREE Jazz Socials…ongoing. Join us for music and mingling. Free for members, CTS Images...... 49 $10 non-members (applicable to membership) with just a $10 venue minimum. Watch calendar John Bianculli/Italian Bistro...... 51 LauRio Jazz...... 52 page 3 for upcoming dates and details. Beyond the schmooze, there are some serious musical Princeton Record Exchange...... 56 prizes raffled off at our socials!!

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New JerseyJazzSociety

Tell them you saw it New Jersey Jazz Society membership makes a great gift! Plus, if you are already a member, in Jersey Jazz! a gift membership costs just $20! See page 49 for details!

Bob Beck and Lowell Schantz were elected n As we head into next year, we are eagerly n On a sad note, we learned recently that as new Board members. Bob lives in Raritan anticipating the two annual events that we , the great jazz pianist who and is a musician and music teacher. Lowell, will be producing in March — the Pee Wee worked with until about who resides in Westfield, is a senior vice Russell Memorial Stomp on Sunday, three years ago, has multiple sclerosis and is president of a major bank and is on the March 2 at the Birchwood Manor in no longer able to play. boards of several other non-profit Whippany, and the NJJS/Mayo Performing once described him as “making music that organizations. We look forward to both Arts Center concert on Sunday, March 30, wore an ear-to-ear grin. It made you want of them bringing their enthusiasm for starring trumpeter-vocalist Bria Skonberg to jump for joy.” Ray appeared on over 100 jazz and their areas of expertise to the with her quartet, and special guest Tia Fuller jazz albums and played with and inspired Board as we move ahead. on alto sax. While the Stomp practically sells top jazz musicians the world over. After the membership meeting, the Board, itself, having been a sellout for the last two An on-line fundraising campaign has been including its new members, met for its years, we have 1,300 seats to fill at the Mayo established to help support Ray, his wife, December meeting. In addition to theater and would like to fill every one of Eve, and their two young daughters, ages 10 conducting routine business, the Board them. Bria is truly a rising star, having and 12, in this time of need. Ray now elected the officers for 2014. All current had her debut as a leader at Dizzy’s Club requires full-time care and the family faces members of the management team were Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center last high health care costs not covered by re-elected, including yours truly for another month, and there may not be many more insurance. Donations may be made online year as president, Stew Schiffer as executive opportunities to see her at only $20 a ticket vice president, Al Parmet as secretary, at www.YouCaring.com. NJJS is going to before she really hits the “big time.” Please contribute to this fund, and I hope that Larissa Rozenfeld as treasurer, and Sheilia put this event on your calendars and invite Lenga, Caryl Anne McBride and Mitchell many readers who appreciated Ray’s all your jazz-loving friends. This would Seidel as vice presidents of publicity, musicianship will do so as well. JJ make an ideal group excursion for membership and music programming organizations, and we are aware of a respectively. We then returned to enjoy number of church and synagogue social Like this issue Sarah’s second set, followed by the annual Board dinner, which featured entertainment groups, service clubs and corporations of Jersey Jazz? by singer Bill Robinson and guitarist John that are considering it. Ordering Have it delivered right to information for both these events is Carlini. We thank David and Martha of your mailbox 11 times a year. Shanghai Jazz for once again hosting the elsewhere in this issue. I hope to see as meeting and dinner. many of you as possible at each of them. Simply join NJJS to get your subscription. See page 49 for details Stay tuned to www.njjs.org for updates and details. or visit www.njjs.org.

Sunday January 19 Sunday March 2 Sunday March 30 Jazz Social Pee Wee Russell Spring Concert Conal Fowkes Memorial Stomp Bria Skonberg with Shanghai Jazz Featuring Dick Voigt’s Big Apple Jazz Band, special guest Tia Fuller 214 Main St, Madison; 3–5:30pm David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Mayo Performing Arts Center free admission The Keith Ingham Quintet, 3:00 pm NJJS members; $10 all others; The Warren Vaché Quintet. Morristown, NJ + $10 min. for all Birchwood Manor, Whippany, NJ www.mayoarts.org Noon – 5pm NJJS Calendar

January 2014 ______3 New JerseyJazzSociety

Jazz Trivia Got the Winter Blues? By O. Howie Ponder Head on down to Dixie for the (answers on page 52) North Carolina Jazz Festival

he North Carolina Jazz Festival, one of the the country’s Toldest jazz festivals, will mark its 34th anniversary 2014 Centenarians February 6 – 8, 2014. This three-day event, held in the ballroom of the Wilmington Hilton Riverside, features a A new year, a new batch of Centenarians, or at least they would bevy of internationally known jazz musicians from across the have been had they stayed alive. The people listed below are just a U.S., Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel and Italy. fraction of famous jazz artists born in 1914, so we may see more Thursday is ‘Special Event Night’ featuring several different styles — if things get slow in Howie’s universe this year. of jazz. Opening will be Brazilian singer Maucha Adnet performing a tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim and his style of 1. Born in Pittsburgh, this iconic drummer was also schooled in music theory jazz samba music. Following that will be jazzman Grenoldo and composition. He even played trombone in a US Army band in WWII. Along with Max Roach he is credited with changing drumming styles, Frazier with his vocal and piano interpretation of Louis emphasizing the ride cymbal, with the advent of bebop. He spent most of Armstrong. A rousing jam of traditional jazz by six Festival his career in Paris. All-Stars, led by cornetist Ed Polcer, will close out the evening. 2. This Texas-born tenor saxophonist’s career is primarily associated with Friday and Saturday nights will feature 13 jazz All-Stars playing , for whom he played and sang. He led the first Miller “ghost seven sets of traditional and classic jazz each night, with a band” after WWII. He is perhaps better remembered for his singing than different leader on each set. The star-studded lineup of musicians his saxophone prowess. includes , Ehud Asherie, Herman Burney, Adrian 3. One of the Swing Era’s finest musicians, this New York-born bassist was Cunningham, Jim Fryer, Patrick Harison, Ed Metz Jr., Nate also a talented composer and arranger. “What’s New?” is one of his better Najar, Nicki Parrott, Ed Polcer, Chuck Redd, Bria Skonberg, and known tunes. A founder of the Bob Crosby Orchestra, he later co-led with trumpeter Yank Lawson the modestly-named “World’s Greatest Jazz Rossano Sportiello. Band,” whose performances usually included his “Big Noise From Ticket prices are: Thursday, $35 general admission; Friday and Winnetka,” a whistling duet with the band’s drummer tapping his sticks Saturday, general admission $50. Discounts each night are: on his bass strings. $25 military, $15 students. Patron tickets are $175 and include 4. This Newark-born alto saxophonist’s main claim to fame is his Friday/Saturday evening concerts plus ‘Special Patron Brunch’ composition “Jersey Bounce.” He spent most of his playing career with at 10:30 Saturday morning, where the musicians will play and and and became Basie’s music director. socialize with patrons, then patron/musicians will be invited to 5. Although born in Philadelphia, New Jersey can claim him as he grew up in “sit in” with the Festival All-Stars during the closing jam. Atlantic City. He became one of the top trumpeters of the Swing Era and Patrons receive preferred, reserved seating and their names will joined Harry James and Chris Griffin in ’s powerhouse be printed in the Festival program. Top tier $200 patron tickets trumpet section. He is best known for his Yiddish freilich style solo on Benny Goodman’s “And the Angels Sing” and “Bei Mir Bis du Schoen.” include all of the above plus tickets to Thursday evening’s Special Event. 6. Although he occasionally played the trumpet, this Pittsburgh-born singer gained fame for his baritone voice and strikingly handsome looks that For more information visit www.ncjazzfestival.com, send e-mail transcended race. He gained fame originally singing with Earl Hines’s big to [email protected] or call 910-703-1111. Special hotel band. At mid-century he led a modern big band that included many stars room rates for attendees are available at the Hilton by calling of bebop. 910-763-5900. JJ 7. Another Jerseyan, from Englewood, this bassist was known for his solo style of bowing while humming the melody an octave higher. Although he came to fame playing novelty songs like “Flat Foot Floogie” with Slim Gaillard, he was conservatory-trained. He also worked with Art Tatum and Benny Goodman and later taught at SUNY Binghamton. Rosalind Grant 8. Although he played the trumpet, this Brooklyn-born artist was best known for his arranging and composing. He gained fame with Benny Goodman with his charts “Benny Rides Again” and “Clarinet a La King.” He co-led Jazz standards, an adventurous band briefly with fellow arranger Bill Finegan of Glenn Miller fame. Swing, Blues, Bossa and Ballads

Howie also welcomes suggestions for future questions — or Info or booking: comments from readers. Contact him at [email protected]. [email protected] (973) 985-3278

4______January 2014

presents

The 45th Annual

From noon to 5 pm at THE BIRCHWOOD MANOR S111und North Jeffersonay, M Road,arch Whippany, 2, NJ 201407981 (Off Route 10) • 973-887-1414

Peeigt’s BigWee Appl Vo e Jazz Band nd ick Louis A Ba D wald’s rmstrong ity O st Etern vid h e K e i t h I n g h Da T a m Q e t W a r r e n V a u i n t hRusselle c h É Q u T i n t e t MemorialWe’ll have CDs for sale. A cash bar and food buffet will be set up next to the ballroom. Please do not bring food or beverages into Birchwood Manor. BringThe New Jersey your Jazz Societydancing is qualified shoes! as a tax-exempt cultural organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to NJJS are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Proceeds of the event help support scholarships.

STOMP To order, or for directions and more information, OR fill out order form and mail to New Jersey Jazz Societyc/o Larissa Rozenfeld, PO= Box 232, Madison,o NJ 07940 OR fax to 908-273-9279. Reserveplease a table see and getour in free! Website: Available for groups of 10 to 14. Purchase ticketsor call: for your entire group ando get one free admission.or o fax: Booko early for best o results. By o phone only: 973-879-6330. www.njjs.org = 973-879-6330______908-273-9279 QTY x $ Subtotal Enclosed is my check payable to NJJS. Tickets to PEE Wee Stomp 2014 = ______Charge my Visa Mastercard Discover American Express $10 (in advance or at the door) ______x $10 $ Students with current i.d. = ______Name______advance sale $25 each (at the door: $30) ______x $25 $ NJJS Members 3 = ______Address______advance sale $30 each (at the door: $40) ______x $30 $ Non-members City/State/Zip______Handling: $3 PER TICKET = ______unless paid by check w/self-addressed stamped envelope. ______x $ $ Tel (D)______Tel (E)______Or = ______x $40 $ NJJS Annual Membership (per household) E-mail Address______x $100 = $ ______Three Year Membership for only $100! Credit Card Number______Exp Date______Orders received by Friday, February 21, will be mailed; thereafter tickets held at door. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges are allowed. Name on Card______Total Due $ January 2014 ______5 New JerseyJazzSociety

The Editor’s Pick The Journal By Tony Mottola Jersey Jazz Editor of the New Jersey Jazz Society Volume 42 • Issue 1 USPS® PE6668 His career cut short by MS, pianist Jersey Jazz (ISSN 07405928) is published monthly eleven times per year with a combined July/August issue for members of The New Jersey Jazz Society, Ray Kennedy needs a helping hand 382 Springfield Ave., Suite 217, Summit NJ 07901. Membership fee is $40/year. Periodical postage paid at West Caldwell, NJ. Postmaster please uring a long stint in the John Pizzarelli Trio, Ray Kennedy always seemed to be a side- send address changes to 382 Springfield Ave. Dman ready to be a star. At some point each set Pizzarelli and his bassist brother Martin Suite 217, Summit NJ 07901. All material in Jersey Jazz, except where another would sit out as Ray performed an extended piano solo that was always a crowd-pleasing copyright holder is explicitly acknowledged, is copyright ©New Jersey Jazz Society 2013. tour de force, and always ended with wild applause — often the biggest burst of the night. All rights reserved. Use of this material is strictly Reviewers were as enthused as the audiences, with the The New York Times describing prohibited without the written consent of the NJJS. Tony Mottola Editor Kennedy as “…an extraordinary pianist… [whose style] suggests a toned down fusion of 27 Upper Mountain Ave.,­­­­­­ Montclair, NJ 07042 Oscar Peterson and Erroll Garner, with a dash of George Shearing.” NPR’s Piano Jazz host e-mail: [email protected] Linda Lobdell Art Director/Co-Editor Marian McPartland declared him “…a two fisted pianist with chops to spare and plenty of 352 Highland Ave., Newark, NJ 07104 ideas to match.” 201-306-2769 | e-mail: [email protected] Fradley Garner International Editor So when the amiable and prodigiously talented Kennedy left the comfortable gig of the e-mail: [email protected] Dan Morgenstern Contributing Editor Pizzarelli trio a few years ago, teaming up with his own bassist brother Tom, a bright and e-mail: [email protected] successful solo career seemed assured. But lately comes news that fate has intervened and Mitchell Seidel Contributing Photo Editor the pianist’s career has been cut short by multiple sclerosis. The gifted musician, who e-mail: [email protected] Tony Graves, Fran Kaufman appears on more than 100 jazz albums (and performed for the NJJS with Harry Allen and Contributing Photographers in 1993), can no longer play the piano. John Maimone Entertainment Contributor 908-753-6722 | e-mail: [email protected] His family now faces major healthcare costs not covered by insurance and Ray needs Fred McIntosh Entertainment Contributor 201-784-2182 | e-mail: [email protected] fulltime care. Recently a friend created an online fundraiser at www.YouCaring.com to Don Robertson Contributing Editor help Ray, his wife Eve and their two young daughters, aged 10 and 12. Already more than New Jersey Jazz Society $16,000 of the campaign’s $50,000 goal has been met by 179 contributors. The NJJS Board Officers 2014 Mike Katz President of Directors authorized a $100 contribution at its December meeting and is encouraging 382 Springfield Ave, Suite 217, Summit NJ 07901 Society members who are able to join them in this worthy effort for a special member of 908-273-7827 | e-mail: [email protected] Stew Schiffer Executive Vice President the jazz community. 973-403-7936 Larissa Rozenfeld Treasurer To find out more about the fundraising campaign and make a contribution, 973-879-6330 just Google “Ray Kennedy www.youcaring.com” and a link to the Kennedy Caryl Anne McBride Vice President, Membership fundraiser site should be the first search result returned. You may also 973-366-8818 | e-mail: [email protected] Jersey Jazz is an NJCSPJ Sheilia Lenga Vice President, Publicity donate by check. Make the contribution payable to Ray’s wife, “Excellence in Journalism” 908-346-0558 | e-mail: [email protected] Eve Langner, who has set up a special account for his care. The address Award-Winning Publication Mitchell Seidel Vice President, Music Programming is: 135 Central Park West, Apt. 4 South, New York, NY 10023. JJ 201-243-1813 | e-mail: [email protected] Al Parmet Recording Secretary 908-522-1163 CORRECTION: In our Van Alexander interview in the December Jack Stine President Emeritus issue of Jersey Jazz, we misspelled drummer Irv Cottler’s last name. 908-658-3515 Frank Mulvaney Immediate Past President We apologize, noting in atonement that , with whom 908-233-4824 Mr. Cottler performed for more than 30 years, often introduced Joe Lang Past President him as “the world’s greatest drummer.” 973-635-2761 Directors Bob Beck, Kate Casano, Carolyn Clemente, Cynthia Feketie, Sanford Josephson, Stan Myers, Jersey Jazz welcomes your comments on any article or editorial. Send e-mail to Lowell Schantz, Jack Sinkway, Frank Sole, [email protected] or mail to the Editor (see masthead this page for address). Marcia Steinberg, Joan Streit, Elliott Tyson,­ Comments? Jackie Wetcher, Linda Lobdell (Ex-officio), Include your name and geographical location. Tony Mottola (Ex-officio) Advisors Advertising Rates Quarter page: $50; Half page $75; Full page $110. Biz card size $25. $10 discount on repeat Schaen Fox, Bruce Lundvall, Bob Porter full-page ads. To place an ad, please send payment at www.PayPal.com using our code: [email protected], Marketing/Public Relations Consultant: Don Jay Smith; or mail a check payable to NJJS to New Jersey Jazz Society, c/o Michael A. Katz, 382 Springfield Ave., Suite 217, Webmaster Steve Albin Summit, NJ 07901; please indicate size and issue. Contact [email protected] or 201-306-2769 for technical information Website: www.njjs.org and to submit ads. e-mail: [email protected] NJJS Deadlines The deadline for submission of material for upcoming issues is as follows: Hotline: 1-800-303-NJJS (1-800-303-6557) To join the NJJS and begin receiving this magazine, February: December 26 • March: February 26 go to “JOIN NJJS” (see table of contents) or NOTE: EARLY SUBMISSIONS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. visit www.njjs.org for complete information.

6______January 2014

January 2014 ______7 JerseyStoriesJazz

Big Band in the Sky

By Sanford Josephson n Foreststorn “Chico” Hamilton, 92, drummer, September 21, 1921, Los Angeles — November 25, 2013, New York City. While touring with Lena Horne in the late 1940s and early ’50s, Hamilton did studio work and played with local bands in Los Angeles in between road trips. That’s how he connected with in 1952 and became part of the baritone saxophonist’s pioneering pianoless quartet, which also featured Chet Baker on trumpet and either Carson Smith or Bob Whitlock on bass. Hamilton’s “understated, seductive approach to the drums,” according to the ’ Charles J. Gans (November 26, 2013) “contrasted with the driving, hard-bop style typified by East Coast drummer .” The Mulligan quartet, which played on Sunday nights at a club called The Haig, became an immediate hit and personified what was being called the “cool jazz” of the West Coast. A big factor in the band’s appeal, according to Mulligan (Jeru: In Jazz drummer Chico Hamilton appearing at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival in Tompkins Square Park, New York City, August 26, 2007. Photo by Professor Bop. the Words of Gerry Mulligan/Library of Congress) was Hamilton’s “good show sense that brought that out in all of us, Drummer told Jersey Jazz, composing than playing and wrote the so the group wasn’t as introverted as Chet “Chico Hamilton was the first drummer soundtrack for Roman Polanski’s 1965 and I were…Chico brought this kind of that I ‘purloined’ a solo from. I was a young movie, Repulsion. Shortly after that, he extroverted quality to it that kept the teen-ager and the movie was Jazz on a discontinued his band and began thing alive so that there was noticeable Summer’s Day. I sat through that film composing music for television programs vitality there.” maybe 6-7 times basically just to learn and commercials. Chico’s solo. I was so impressed by his use Hamilton left Mulligan’s quartet in 1955 of dynamics and melody in his playing I He never gave up playing and bandleading and started his own “cool” quintet with HAD to play his solo note for note. He had entirely and eventually moved to New York Buddy Collette on flute and alto saxophone, that impact on drummers. Chico was the where he would often lead bands featuring Fred Katz on cello, Jim Hall on guitar and epitome of taste combined with talent and young musicians on the way up. Among Smith on bass. The group was featured in yet he could swing like mad. I came from those he mentored were bassist Ron Carter, the 1957 movie, The Sweet Smell of Success, the Gene and Buddy school of drum set but saxophonist-flutist Eric Dolphy and with Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. Hall, Chico definitely left an impression on me. saxophonist Charles Lloyd. Saxophonist Eric speaking with NPR’s Mandalit Del Barco Now I’m tempted to go back into my Person who performed with Hamilton in shortly after Hamilton’s death, recalled that musical vaults, pull out old Chico Hamilton the ’80s and ’90s, recently posted a message the drummer “was fearless. Nothing seemed records and learn from a Master all over on his Facebook page about the experience. to faze him…He felt secure in what he was again. He will be greatly missed.” “I learned many lessons with him on and off doing and what we were doing, and we were the bandstand,” Person said. “Chico didn’t doing something that was a bit unusual in As musical tastes changed, Hamilton also get the credit he deserved for offering jazz a those days.” The group was also featured in changed the styles of his bands, replacing different style of drumming. He played the the acclaimed jazz documentary about the the cello with a trumpet and adopting a mallets and brushes like no other. And he 1958 Newport Jazz Festival, Jazz on a more upbeat sound. Then in the mid-’60s was the consummate drummer/leader. He Summer’s Day. he began to concentrate more on was always looking out for his band continued on page 10

8______January 2014

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Book your special parties at Shanghai Jazz. Call for information. Tuesday: 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm; Wednesday and Thursday: 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm Friday and Saturday two seatings: 6:30 and 8:30 pm | Sunday: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm for latest schedules and updates, please visit www.shanghaijazz.com Please note: We take reservations by telephone only 973.822.2899 and not by e-mail.

January 2014 ______9 JerseyStoriesJazz

Big band in the sky television later. In 1957 and 1962, he won “an orchestral style. In his right hand, he’d Writers Guild awards for history-based have the trumpet and the clarinet, and in his continued from page 8 radio scripts. He also taught in the dramatic left hand, the octave would be passing notes members by letting us record our arts department at Columbia in the ’50s and to the trombone. It was a full, rich sound.” compositions.” ’60s and worked for the Voice of America in Cause of Greene’s death was lung cancer. the ’60s. A self-taught musician, he was There are no known survivors. Hamilton became a faculty member at New enamored by Morton’s music, which he York’s New School for Social Research when became aware of in the ’40s. n Richard “Dick” Morgan, pianist, 84, the school started its New School of Jazz June 5, 1929, Petersburg, VA — October and Contemporary Music in 1987. In a blog In 1973, he formed his own version of 20, 2013, Silver Spring, MD. In the late post on the New School website, Martin Morton’s Red Hot Peppers band, which 1950s, while working in Norfolk, VA, Mueller, the program’s executive director, played at Lincoln Center during the Morgan would often play with guitarist called Hamilton a “friend, colleague, mentor Newport Jazz Festival in New York. John S. Charlie Byrd, who helped bring him to and jazz giant. We have no greater or more Wilson, writing in The New York Times, said Washington, DC. He became one of the central figure in our school history and that Greene “projected the flavor of capital city’s favorite local pianists, playing community. Generations of New School Morton’s music — the breaks, the slurs, the in a variety of venues including Kennedy jazz artists are his children and his legacy.” accents, the coloring.” Whitney Balliett, the Center, Blues Alley and the Showboat. In longtime jazz critic at The New Yorker, 1960, saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Hamilton’s most recent album, Revelation, wrote, “If there were such a thing, Greene Adderley saw Morgan play and was so was released in 2011 on the Joyous Shout would hold the Jelly Roll Morton Chair of impressed that he contacted his record label, label, and he had recorded another one, Music at an Ivy League college…He gets Riverside Records, and had a recording crew Inquiring Minds, which was scheduled for inside Morton’s Music.” capture Morgan live for an album, Dick release this year. He received a National During the ’70s and ’80s, Greene promoted Morgan at the Showboat. Endowment for Arts Jazz Masters award in Morton’s music around the country and the 2004 and also was named a Kennedy Center Through the years, Morgan appeared with world as both a bandleader and solo pianist, Living Jazz Legend. In 1997, the New School such artists as , Frank and he played Morton’s music on the gave him its Beacons in Jazz award, along Sinatra, Etta Jones and Joe Williams. soundtrack of the 1978 Louis Malle-directed with an honorary doctorate. According to Matt Schudel, writing in The movie, Pretty Baby, starring Keith Carradine, Washington Post (November 1, 2013), Survivors include: a brother Don; a Susan Sarandon and Brooke Shields. Morgan “was a versatile, crowd-pleasing daughter Denise Hamilton; a granddaughter Writer and clarinetist Tom Sanction, pianist who could embellish a large and two great-granddaughters. writing in his “News & Views” blog on repertoire with improvised flourishes.” n Bob Greene, 91, pianist, September 4, October 16, 2013, recalled when he and Morgan was modest about his talent. He 1922, New York —October 13, 2013, Greene “teamed up to form a regular told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that, “I Amagansett, NY. Greene was a Tuesday night quartet at the Cajun Bar and don’t make any claims to be a first-class jazz documentary writer who never planned to Restaurant on 16th Street. We would also pianist. I’m somebody who will immediately become a full-time musician, but his meet up for dinners at PJ Clarke’s from time get immersed in the audience and get them devotion to the music of Jelly Roll Morton to time. When I was assigned to Paris as a to pay attention. That has carried me won out, and in 1968, he switched careers. Time correspondent in the 1990s, Bob through the years.” At the time, he had been planning to join visited our house and filled it with his In the late ’70s, acting on the suggestion Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign. music, his infectious laughter and his of his friend, the comedian Bill Cosby, When Kennedy was assassinated, Greene stories, all fueled by gin and tonics that he Morgan returned to college, earning an decided to devote his life to music. He told liked on the stiff side…Bob was a larger- undergraduate degree from Antioch College the online arts magazine Joyzine that, than-life character who touched the lives of and a law degree from Howard University. “When Bobby got shot, I realized that many people around the world. I am happy Cause of death was prostate cancer. the time had come for me to get into to have known him. And I will miss him.” Survivors include: his wife, Sylvia; daughter, music full time. Certainly if he had lived, I In January 2011, Greene presented a concert Anita; stepdaughter, Verlon; seven wouldn’t have devoted myself to Jelly the in Bridgehampton, NY, of music by Morton grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. way that I have.” as well as other New Orleans musicians such The family has requested that, in lieu of Greene graduated from Columbia as Louis Armstrong, King Oliver and Bunk flowers, donations be made to Howard University in 1943 and became a radio Johnson. He described Morton’s music to University’s Law School Student documentary writer, moving on to Claire Walla of The Sag Harbor Express as Fellowships. JJ

Sanford Josephson is the author of Jazz Notes: Interviews Across the Generations (Praeger/ABC-Clio). He has written extensively about jazz musicians in a variety of publications ranging from the New York Daily News to American Way magazine.

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Talking Jazz A Jersey Jazz Interview with Catherine Russell By Schaen Fox f you are unfamiliar with I Catherine Russell, and I doubt that many of you are, a brief visit to her website www.catherinerussell.net will be a treat. There you may sample her marvelous voice and also see both home and Hollywood movies of the musical royalty she grew up with. Her mother, Carline Ray, once a member of the Photo by Stefan Falke International Sweethearts of She has graced the stage at many NJJS and Rhythm, was a working musician her entire life. other area events. Her career has had several Her father, the great Swing Era bandleader interesting twists that we had to discuss over a Luis Russell, is probably best known for his long long period of time because, happily, she is a association with Louis Armstrong. very busy working musician.

JJ: When did you begin your daily yoga She was a great teacher and later invited me into CR: That was the only Broadway show, and that routine? the company. I danced with her for six or seven was in the ‘80s. I had gone to the American years, and then she left to go to Haiti. I continued Academy of Dramatic Arts in my college years and CR: Nine years ago. Before that I didn’t have a graduated from there. I wanted to study that. I love daily regimen. I had been a dancer, but I hadn’t to take classes, but I wasn’t competitive enough to been taking dance classes for years. I was on tour be in a company. Dance is very competitive. being in the theater and acting. It has been a great with David Bowie and the opening band, called the thing for me personally. I got to do Big River JJ: It must, however, have been exciting to because the pianist at Catch a Rising Star comedy Dandy Warhols, was with us for about three dance in the Aida production starring months. The lead guitar player’s wife was a yoga club where I was singing was regularly an audition Leontyne Price even for a child. instructor. We got to talking, and the subject came pianist. He heard that they were looking for a around to I needed an exercise regimen. She said, CR: Yeah, I did share the stage with Miss Price. replacement for Jennifer Lee Warren who was “I’m a yoga instructor.” I thought I could never [Chuckles] Yeah, being in the was very playing a character who didn’t have any speaking afford to take as many classes as I wanted. She exciting. I didn’t have any adult fears. I was a wide- lines but had a featured song. He said, “Why don’t said, “I’m out here anyway. I’ll come and train you.” eyed kid at that point. It was a lot of fun to dance in you come down and audition for the director, Des She trained me for a couple of months until I a beautiful old theater. For two years of the Aida McAnuff?” I went and auditioned with another developed my own regimen. run, we were at the old Metropolitan Opera House woman. She could hit all of the high notes but I could fit the costumes. So I trailed for a week. You JJ: About your dancing, how did you on Broadway before Lincoln Center was built. It see every show, and they show you where you go get into the Katherine Dunham dance was a shame when they tore that beautiful building down, but I got to experience that. for your costume changes and give you your company at age five? blocking. It was the last six months of the run, so I CR: My mother was playing piano at her school JJ: You also spent time doing theater, did the show for a month straight and then went on 42nd Street and entered me in her classes. It but the only show I saw mentioned was back in twice until the end. After that, I did a few turned out I really loved it and took to it naturally. Big River. Off-Broadway musical theater productions and one continued on page 14 This interview was conducted before Catherine Russell’s mother, musician and vocalist Carline Ray, died in July of last year. A jazz guitarist, bassist and vocalist for seven decades, Ms. Ray had just released her first recording as a soloist, a month earlier. The recording was produced by Catherine Russell.

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CATherine RUSSELL CR: It’s a long story. continued from page 12 The short answer is that the business went sour, and I had to come back home. straight dramatic production because I was in a theater company. That was in the mid ‘90s. After JJ: I read that you that, I haven’t done musical theater. are a real fan of the JJ: What was the straight dramatic Grateful Dead and production? that they were big jazz fans. CR: That was called Necropolis by a playwright named Don Nigro. The play was based on the CR: Yeah. I hear that Bosnian crisis, but since I was in the play we is what they based a changed it around and put it in Zaire. It is a two lot of their jamming on. character, one act play. That was great fun. We had They liked all types of an excellent director, and I played a sniper. It was music just like me. really interesting to go into a completely, They were a very Catherine Russell enjoying the performance in The Allen Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Photo by Elizabeth Leitzell/JALC. completely different world. We would be deep in unique sounding unit. A rehearsal and then I’d come out and be in New friend of mine let me at the beginning and the end of his show. Then we York City and go, “Wow! We are really fortunate.” borrow his album Live Dead maybe in 1967, and I did a couple of weeks at the Circle in the Square [Chuckles] I had to speak in some kind of Central thought, “Gee that is great, so different, and the Theater in New York and two weeks at the Henry African dialect. They are French speaking, so it was songwriting is really, really good.” A friend took me Fonda Theater in Los Angeles. Yeah, that was my very interesting to study a dialect like that. I can do to my first show for my 14th birthday, and I loved it first stage show with a run of shows. He is great. I a generic African dialect, but infusing the French in so much I got hooked. I went to maybe a hundred love Robert. He has been very nice to me. I’ve done there put another level on that. That was maybe shows between 1970 and 1995 when Jerry Garcia maybe three of his HBO shows. 1995 that we did that. passed away. Now I am in The American Beauty Project. We do songs of the Grateful Dead. It is JJ: Steely Dan has also been a long running JJ: Your living in Paris for a year must have great fun because the songs are so good. gig. How did you hook up with them? helped that dialect. JJ: I assume you got to know the musicians. JJ: I was singing at Catch a Rising Star comedy CR:: Not really. [Laughs] I had a friend Carol The Dead? No, I never did. Friends of mine club. I met a whole lot of great musicians through Fredericks, who is deceased now, one of the sisters CR: were friends of the band and still are. I got to go that. The sub-drummer in the trio that used to play of Taj Mahal. She and I had been roommates in the without tickets and sit at the soundboard and be with the comedians on and off said, “I have another ‘70s. She went to France to begin her solo career. backstage and see Jerry Garcia and all of those gig up the street at a club called Hades. I think you When I graduated from the American Academy, she things. I knew Dick Latvala, their archivist and so should come up and sing. I think they would like sent for me to work on her first solo album. I ended I got to meet Bob Weir but, no, I don’t know them. you.” I did and sat in. I was singing blues and soul up staying because I kind of wanted to be an I was called to sing with Billy Kreutzmann’s band tunes in those days. The leader of that band was ex-pat. I thought that I had left the US, but I ended a couple of times and ironically had my own tour Jimmy Vivino, who is now the leader of the Conan up coming back anyway. I spent the year there and could not work with him. [Chuckles] You wait O’Brian Basic Cable Band. He said, “I want you to working and recording and having strange record 40 years to be able to work with people and then come back regularly because a lot of well known deals. It was the beginning of my professional you can’t make it when the call comes. [Laughs] people come and sit in with me, and one is Donald career. You learn a whole lot for better or for That’s life, but at least I got the call. [Laughs] I’m Fagen.” So one night all of a sudden I’m sharing the worse. [Laughs] I know Paris very well now, so it in the loop anyway, kind-of “one degree of stage with Donald Fagen. They became Donald’s was good to live someplace else. separation” away. back-up band for his Rock and Soul years before JJ: What a wonderful thing to be able to the re-formation of Steely Dan. So Donald called me say, “I know Paris very well.” JJ: How was working with Robert Klein? to be a part of that. CR: It is great working with Robert! I also got my CR: [Laughs] Yeah. I have been there a lot since We did a bunch of shows called New York Nights Actor’s Equity card with him. That was a good then, so when I arrive in Paris it is one place I can where he would have celebrities do the shows. thing. That started because I was doing demo work put my suitcase down and go live like the people, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, Annie Ross, Pat for his musical director Bob Stein, who was walk around, read a map and get along in the Metheny and all kinds of people used to do that. co-writing songs with Dave Mancini and other song language — sort of. I was a lot more fluent when I Then when he formed the Rock and Soul Review writers. Singing songwriters’ demos was a way that was living there. It is still my favorite city. It is so with Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, Phoebe Snow I made a living in my early adult years. Then Robert beautiful. and Chuck Jackson I was a part of that. There is a started doing HBO specials, which he is still doing. lot of YouTube on that now. Then when Steely Dan JJ: I’m glad you returned, but what I was involved with that, and you can still see that reformed I was asked to do that. It has been quite a changed your mind about being an ex-pat today and see how I looked back in 1984. He did few years. We just finished a four-month tour in in Paris? his stand-up routine, and then he would have music 2011. That was really fun. Donald Fagen had

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chosen a Willie Dixon tune for me, “I I stayed friends with Earl after Doc Live the Life I Love and Love the Life I passed. He said, “I work at a club out Live,” knowing that I just love Willie in New Jersey called Shanghai Jazz. I Dixon material. Boz Scaggs, a great would love for you to come out there. blues guitar player, was playing on I think they would like you.” At that, I that. I looked around at one point and felt, “Now what have I done?” thought, “Gee, Boz Scaggs is playing [Laughs] I just put together a list of guitar for me.” [Laughs] How does standards that I knew. That is how my that happen? [Laughs] It’s a good life. singing jazz started. Before that, I had sung standards in wedding bands but JJ: I’d guess he was doing it never in clubs. It was me standing because he liked it. What is the there making my way through the gig. worst part of a musician’s life? I didn’t know anything about leading a CR: Air travel. [Chuckles] It is really jazz band. Earl was going, “Yeah, hard. You can’t bring anything, air yeah, yeah. Sing another one,” from quality is awful, and you never know behind the bass. He actually led me if your flight will be on time. If the gig Catherine Russell shown with Lee Hudson performing in the Earl May Tribute through the forms of the tunes. is within a day’s travel, I drive. I like Band at NJJS Jazzfest at Drew University in June 2008. Photo by Tony Mottola. Earl really fathered me through that driving. You just pack up the car and and how to tune in a club for the go. We travel by tour bus on these experience with that. I thought, “Gee being a star is audience. I’d never sung jazz in front of people who bigger tours, which is fine. It is much easier. It is not easy. You can’t go anywhere. It is very difficult were listening. I worked with Earl for a couple of expensive so it has got to be a big enough tour to go out and have a meal without fans coming up years and recorded the Live at Shanghai Jazz album where the bosses are going to provide buses for to the table. You can’t walk down the street.” at Shanghai Jazz, but it was pretty terrifying there the band, but it is much easier for us. JJ: That brings me around to asking about for a while…[Chuckles] David and Martha [Shanghai JJ: Do you have any favorite stories from your going to Sweet Basil and having your Jazz owners] kept hiring me, and I was just there the road? career focus change. Would you tell us New Year’s Eve. They have been wonderful. I’m not about that? there very often because of travelling, but I’m there CR: Let’s see. I wasn’t in rock and roll where a few times a year. They say it has been 14 years. It people were trashing hotel rooms, so I don’t have CR: Sure. My mother, Carline Ray, was subbing on has become my jazz home in the New York area. those stories. I was in the Bowie band in Nice, bass for Earl May when he was playing with Doc France. They had put us in a hotel which looked Cheatham. I didn’t really know who Doc was at the JJ: Has anything else in New Jersey like something out of Walt Disney — like a circus time. One time I did go and see him play. I was kind played a significant role in your career? tent with larger than life sculptures and weird color of lost because the Grateful Dead had been my CR: WBGO has been amazing, amazing! All the schemes. We walked in, and David Bowie hated it. home group. After Jerry passed on I thought, “What people there, Rhonda Hamilton, Gary Walker, He is a rock star, so how are we going to get out of do I do now?” I walked into Sweet Basil and heard Michael Bourne and Dorthaan Kirk, have been so there? His fans are really dedicated. They would be that music, and it was like a little piece of New nice and so great to me I feel like they are my at every show, down front. We knew their names Orleans in New York. The food was great. There friends. They have given me great work. I and they would be waving and calling your name. was a crew of people that went there every appreciate how involved they are in the community They know where you are going to be. They wait Sunday, so I got to know them. Doc sounded great, and how much they support the musicians. Jersey for autographs. So a note comes to my door, “Pack and I got to meet him, Chuck Folds, Eddie Locke pride is a real thing. It is very interesting for me to your bags. We are leaving by 11:00 pm.” We are and Earl May. I thought, “This is great.” see how strong that is. They love their jazz in ducking paparazzi that are all over the place Jersey, and that is a beautiful thing. waiting. Everybody is yelling, “Get in these cars One afternoon, I went up to the table and said, “I’d now.” It was this James Bond movie car chase love to sing a song and sit in.” I don’t know how I JJ: Do you have any memories of 9/11 you got the guts. I would never do that. Everybody was, scene until we lost the paparazzi. We end up are willing to share with us? staying at this place somewhere between Nice and “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” They were in the middle of a Monte Carlo on the Riviera. When I worked with meal. The next week, they did actually call me up. I CR: I was teaching on Mondays at Berklee College Cyndi Lauper, we went to South America. We thought, “Oh God, what have I done now?” I think of Music [in Boston]. I would take the train or fly up ended up in Buenos Aries for 10 days because the the first song I sang with them was “Just in Time” on the 6:00 or 6:30 shuttle Sunday night. Before show was cancelled in Paraguay. I was stuck in the because I was well aware of a lot of standards. I 9/11 you could get to the airport at 6:25 with no hotel for 10 days because she had given me the had grown up hearing them. Then they asked me to ticket and get on a 6:30 airplane. [Chuckles] I was opportunity to sing a song I had written in her sing another one. I was so shocked at that. They on my way back to New York the Tuesday morning show. Nobody does that, so she has a big heart. started calling me up every Sunday, and I became on an Amtrak train. All of a sudden the conductor She’d leave the stage to change her costume or one of Doc’s songbirds. Charles Linton, who sang was going through the cars saying, “Something whatever and I’d sing this song, “Simple Not Easy.” with the Chick Webb Orchestra, was one also. He happened in New York at the World Trade Center, So the fans knew me too. I couldn’t leave the hotel. was around Doc’s age and would sing every week. but it doesn’t say what.” We got to New Haven, and Fans were camped outside. That was my only He had a beautiful voice. the conductor said, “Everybody off the train. The continued on page 16

January 2014 ______15 JerseyStoriesJazz catherine russell JJ: Is there any world renowned composer, arranger continued from page 15 film or play that you feel will give and bandleader in us non-musicians the early 20th train is stopping here. Everybody has to get off the an accurate view century. He was a platform and go down into the station.” Still we of a musician’s graduate of the didn’t know what was happening. We go into the life? Julliard School of station. There was a little television monitor, and a Music. He was hundred people crowded around as they showed CR: I have been offered a job with the footage of the planes striking the towers. There reading about Louis the New York was mayhem and confusion in the station. Armstrong a lot. I Philharmonic in the like biographies. brass section but Then there was one muffled announcement, “There That is the way you did not take the job is going to be one Greyhound bus going back to learn how people because he needed Boston.” At that time, I was staying with my now actually lived. I can’t full-time work. The husband when I was teaching. I thought, “Gee, if I think of a play that Philharmonic did don’t get on this bus, I’m going to be stuck in New would do that. A not perform all year Haven, and I don’t know anybody in New Haven.” I play is going to round in those days. got my ticket, got on the bus, and then we found really dramatize it. out that everything had been shut down, and the CR: Has anyone There are some Young Catherine Russell gets a music lesson from her famous towers collapsed. It took six hours to get back to given you some great books about father. Photo from www.catherinerussell.net my house. I called my mother and said, “I’m fine I his life. What a memorable wasn’t on a plane.” My mother was terrified Wonderful career advice that you care to pass along? because [previously] I had taken that very same World by Ricky Riccardi, a fantastic read, is what CR: My mother has been a wonderful adviser flight that the hijackers had turned around. I might I’m reading now. Gary Giddins wrote one which is regarding areas of the music business. She have been on that flight. also a great read. Duke Ellington’s Music is My mainly guided me to take care of business and Mistress is great. Dancing in the Dark is a book Then I was stuck in the Boston area for a week. I save the drama for the stage. I learn lessons about black ballroom dancers in Harlem and the finally got to New York, which looked like Night of from everyone I work with and work for. I like struggles they had. It is a great account about the the Living Dead. I live about 40 minutes walk from to observe what works and what doesn’t, then limitations of race. You just don’t get the same Ground Zero. It smelled horrible with photos all I try to learn from that. over the place. People were walking like they were opportunities, period. We have it really easy these in a trance. Everything stopped. There was no days by comparison. It is not easy, but these people JJ: Is there anything coming up that you work. You couldn’t fly anywhere. No one was going paved a tough road. would like to mention? to shows. I did have a few shows with other artists Fradley Garner did a great thing by translating CR: I’m happy to say that many exciting in the Northeast where 10 people would show up Timmy Rosenkrantz’s memoir of his life in Harlem opportunities are unfolding for me here and abroad. but not on my own. It was really, really bad. I ended [Harlem Jazz Adventures: A European Baron’s We plan to record another album in the spring as up taking a second day of teaching at Berklee and I Memoir, 1934-1969]. That is a fantastic read. A lot well. I am thankful for all blessings. had some session work, and that was about it. of things really came alive for me. He tells you the step by step: arriving at a club and how he was JJ: Thank you for being so generous with That was an end of an era and a new beginning for your time. a lot of things. In 2000, there was a six-month greeted by the door people, actually what the room was like and meeting all the greats like Billie union strike, which put a big hole in the jingle CR: Thank you so much. I hope to see Holliday and Fats Waller. It is a bird’s eye view of business; then 9/11 was the death of a lot of that. you soon. Bye. JJ Harlem in its heyday. Also, my favorite photo of A lot of jingle studios went out of business. It Luis Russell and Louis Armstrong was taken by Bring It Back, Catherine Russell’s 5th album, to be ended a lot of work for people. The advertising Mr. Rosenkrantz in Harlem, 1935. He took a lot of released in February, digs deep into a rich vein of business was struck very hard by those two things. musical treasures. Mining collaborations between great photos! JJ: Let’s change the tone. Do you have any her legendary father, Luis Russell, and the great Since you mentioned your dad, I wanted Louis Armstrong, Catherine brings along the same career souvenirs that you would like to tell JJ: to ask about your family. You are from team from her two previous chart-topping albums. us about? musical royalty. Your father, Luis Russell, Gems from the Jazz Age and the Swing Era CR: I don’t have artifacts, but I have a lot of was a famous band leader and worked with performed with new arrangements for 10-piece orchestra, blend seamlessly with reinventions photos from places. There is one photo I have of Louis Armstrong. Your mother, Carline sourced from Blues icons Esther Phillips, Al Hibbler, when the Bowie band did the Montreux Jazz Ray, was with the International Sweethearts Wynonie Harris, and Little Willie John. She will also Festival. We had a Claude Nobs evening. He invited of Rhythm. Were any other relatives appear at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola on January 13 and us up, so I have a photo of the band with him at his professional musicians? February 24, 2014. home. Claude Nobs is a collector of juke boxes and model trains and I love trains. He has a beautiful CR: My maternal grandfather, Elisha Ray, was a For more information, please visit home, of course. sousaphone player with James Reese Europe, the www.catherinerussell.net.

Schaen Fox is a longtime jazz fan. Now retired, he devotes much of his time to the music and shares his encounters with musicians in this column.

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Dan’s Den | Year-end Roundup By Dan Morgenstern

t was a private With an ear for two of Mary Cleere. He was a true Iaffair, so this is no the Institute’s primary polymath with a sparkling review. The tribute collections, Daryl saluted sense of humor. to Jean Bach’s “life Mary Lou Williams with a and legacy” held by rendition of “The Land of Big Night and for her friends Oobladee,” assisted on the at Smalls at one of the great refrain by Mr. Temperley, Smalls is one of the most documentary film who was the star of Benny varied and active venues maker, radio producer and jazz aficionado’s Carter’s “When Lights Are for jazz in Manhattan, favorite hangs, the Cafe Carlyle, was so Low.” A surprise treat was lovingly and splendidly produced and Maleson’s cello outing on and perhaps in the world. hosted by her friend, the photographer “Perdido,” a tip of the cap This narrow Greenwich Carol Friedman, that it must not go to Oscar Pettiford and Village cellar with its rows unmentioned. On the afternoon of beautifully done — no of metal folding chairs November 1, friends including , wonder Ron Carter always (there’s a small banquette Sandy Stewart, Annie Ross, Barry Harris, enlists Boots among his on one side by the Barbara Carroll, Loren Schoenberg, Jimmy stringed accompanists. bandstand), long and Heath, Gary Giddins, Joe Temperley and (Boots and Daryl have Barbara Rosene well-stocked bar, and Jessye Norman spoke, sang, played and been a team for lo, these overpowering blow-up, reminisced, accompanied by a slide show many years.) vintage 1934, photo of spanning the one-of-a-kind life that began Louis Armstrong above the bandstand, n Sir Richard Rodney Bennett (March 29, on September 27, 1918 and ended on May offers music every day of the week, starting 1936 – December 24, 2012) was a man of 27, 2013. Jean would have approved. at 7:30 pm Monday through Thursday, at many musical parts — an accomplished 4:00 pm Friday and Saturday, and at 1:00 pm n Evan Christopher is one of today’s classical composer, an excellent pianist, a on Sunday, continuing well into the night. foremost clarinetists, so it’s always a delight writer of film scores, and a devotee of the Attractions span a wide range of sizes — when he comes up from New Orleans, his Great American Songbook, which he duos to big bands — and styles. Pianist home since 1994. At the Sidney Bechet mastered as an accompanist to singers such Spike Wilner, who usually performs on Society concert at Symphony Space in as Marian Montgomery, Karin Krog and Tuesdays, is the brains behind this one-of-a- October, his “Clarinet Road” comprised Mary Cleere Haran, among others. Jazz kind place. Go to www.smallsjazzclub.com Randy Reinhart, cornet and trombone; Eli was another love. Some of these bases or look it up in Hot House; admission is Yamin at the piano; Thaddeus Expose on were touched at the memorial concert $20. Because of its proximity to a famous, bass, and Lafrae Sci on drums, with Hilary held October 28 at St. Peter’s Church in venerable fellow jazz cellar, I think of Smalls Gardner, vocals. There were some Manhattan, with his “Concerto for Tenor as a down-home cousin of the Village memorable moments, but the leader was in Saxophone,” written for , who Vanguard. a particularly talkative mood, eventually performed it, and saw it captured on film, exhausting this listener’s patience. Randy though he did not commercially record this On November 10, a Tuesday, it was duo scored with a “New Orleans” á la Bobby piece de resistance. Eddie Daniels did a time at 7:30 and a full house greeted Barbara Hackett, and Miss Gardner did a lovely job marvelous job on the demanding solo part, Rosene and Conal Fowkes. These two first on Ellington’s challenging and seldom heard with admirable support from an expert met as members of ’s “Azalea” — and everybody was on form for ensemble of 16 strings, conducted by famous Nighthawks at the turn of the “The Mooch,” Eli á la Monk and Evan Scott Dunn, a longtime friend and century and have worked together, live and hinting at Pee Wee Russell. And we were collaborator of Bennett’s. on recordings, since then. The relationship taken with Miss Sci’s lively and engaged Other works on the program included between singer and accompanist is a very drumming. two world premieres, and the American special and crucially important one, and n At my old haunt, the Rutgers Institute premiere of “Songs Before Sleep,” a cycle these two definitely have that vibe. I’ve been of Jazz Studies, a first-rate trio led by for children, scored for bass baritone and aware of Barbara for quite some time, but Daryl Sherman, piano and vocals, with strings. The singer, for whom the work was must confess that Fowkes is a recent Joe Temperley on baritone sax and Boots composed, and who has recorded it, was discovery. He is one of that special group of Maleson, bass and cello, was the highlight of Jonathan Lemalu, born in New Zealand of British-born pianists who settled in the an afternoon celebrating the Institute’s Samoan parents. I had the great pleasure of United States. It started in 1946 with Marian reception of a Literary Landmark Award dining with Sir Richard and Daryl Sherman McPartland. Then followed the late Ronnie from the New Jersey Center for the Book. after a performance at the Algonquin with Ball, then Derek Smith, then my dear friend, continued on page 20

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January 2014 ______19 JerseyStoriesJazz dan’s den Forest Hill Follow-up continued from page 18 By Don Robertson Former Editor Jersey Jazz the late Dill Jones, then in 1979 Keith Ingham, and in 1996, rad Garner and I ended our saga Conal Fowkes. (If I missed anyone, apologies.) Individuals all, Fof the Dick Oliver Orchestra they share deep Anglo roots in the jazz piano tradition. (November Jersey Jazz) with an appeal It was clear from the start that this full house was Barbara’s to our missing (for 69 years) alto sax player, Lou Rossi: “If you are out there, audience, and she responded with comparable warmth. I enjoyed Lou, give us a holler. Do you remember the groove too much to take consistent notes, so this report does the name of the other trumpeter in the not cover the considerable breadth of repertoire. There was a band picture?” Rosene favorite, “Sunday Kind of Love,” and that Johnny Green- Eddie Heywood (not the pianist!) gem, “Easy Come, Easy Go,” Through the good offices of Marie which she does with just the right feeling. For a solo turn, Fowkes D’Amico, of the Alumni Group, Lou was located next offered “Black Beauty,” one of Ellington’s early masterpieces, at door to Newark at his home in the proper tempo with a Ducal touch. “You’d Be So Nice To Belleville, NJ. So I gave him a holler — Come Home To” showed off the duo’s good time, as did a in fact, several calls. He remembered swinger, “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” with a fine piano Dick and most of his other band mates spot. “Maybe You’ll Be There” was imbued with longing — the Lou Rossi playing with the Dick — except our mystery trumpeter — Oliver Orchestra at Newark’s Stage first of two good ones by Rube Bloom. There were more first-set and was delighted to reconnect. Door Canteen in 1943. goodies, among them a mellow “Shadow Of Your Smile.” Lou, now 86, said the Oliver Orchestra Don Robertson on the drums. There was much intermission socializing for our star in this was just one of the bands he played in narrow yet cozy space. The second set’s surprise guest, Michael back then. “I started playing in the Barringer Blue Jackets,” the big stage band, Hashim and his alto sax, raised the temperature with some hot “as a freshman and led the band in my senior year,” he said. stuff. I’ve been a fan of Hashim’s since the days of the After graduating in 1945, Lou spent two years in the Army, playing clarinet Widespread Jazz Orchestra (remember?) and was very sorry to and sax in the army band at Fort Belvoir, VA. Back in civilian life, he pursued have to miss his Billy Strayhorn concert a few weeks later, which his interest in composition and arranging, hoping to make a career in music. among other fine players, included Jordan Sandke, whom I “I went to the Sherwood School of Music in Chicago for a year in 1947-48,” haven’t seen in far too long, and my main man Scott Robinson he said, adding, “While in school I led a 12-piece swing band organized for who, according to Barbara (when asked for a report), wore “a Columbia College in Chicago.” The next year, however, found him back in crazy red smoking jacket.” She also noted the contributions of Newark, looking for regular employment. Music became an avocation when baritone saxophonist Lauren Sevian, with whom she tours with he started working for Public Service Electric and Gas Company’s Engineering Testing Laboratory in Maplewood, NJ. the Harry James Band. This event is covered elsewhere in this issue (page 46) by our good friend Joe Lang. “I got interested in accounting, and went to Rutgers evening school for most of the ’50s,” Lou told me. He earned an accounting degree in 1958. That was Back to Smalls and set two, for which Barbara uncorked one of three years after he married his Barringer classmate, Jean Vinciguerra, a union her naughty but nice specials, “My Man O’War,” which nearly that lasted until Jean’s death in 2008. brought down the house. “Seems Like Old Times” changed the mood. Colin, vocally as well as pianistically, and Mike joined In addition to his managerial responsibilities in the Testing Laboratory, he was forces on “You’ve Got That Thing,” an atypical 1929 Cole Porter company representative as a member of the American Society for Testing hit. Fun and games. Barbara scored with “Fools Rush In,” the Materials, sitting on the Laboratory Accreditation Criteria Committee. He was also Chairman of the Board for the American Association for Laboratory second good one by Rube Bloom, done with the verse, and with Accreditation in Washington, DC for two years. He was a member of the Mike soloing in a Johnny Hodges groove. His work behind American Delegation to the International Laboratory Accreditation Conference, Barbara was notable throughout the set. Cole Porter in a more attending meetings in Mexico City, Tokyo, Prague and London. familiar vein was Barbara’s “From This Moment On,” once again at the good tempo she and Colin consistently picked. Tempo was Lou retired from PSE&G in 1990. He followed his muse, playing in a number also just right for an instrumental duet on “Some Of These of community bands and, being a member of the Maplewood Rotary Club, Days,” torrid indeed, after which Mike complimented the pianist. he joined the Maplewood Community Band “Swing Town.” But by 2005, rheumatoid arthritis had stiffened his fingers. Forced to stop playing, he has (He knows about such teamwork from his duo days with Judy kept right on listening to the music we love. Carmichael.) To my chagrin, I can’t recall what Barbara tried to sign off with, but an encore was demanded, and that I do recall as During our conversation, Lou remembered that he had in his archives a photo a gently floating “I’ll See You In My Dreams,” a proper landing of himself soloing with the Dick Oliver Orchestra at the Newark Stage Door following a delightful evening. Canteen in 1943, which he graciously agreed to share; an added bonus was an image of yours truly drumming in the background.

And so long until February! JJ We still have to find “the other trumpeter in the band picture.” JJ

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Trumpets Jazz Club & Restaurant 6 Depot Square Montclair, New Jersey 07042

Trumpets’ Jam Session Enrico Granafei Quartet Party for New Year! Saturday January 25 thursday january 2 Funk Band Saturday February 1 Rob Paparozzi Saturday January 4 Organ Summit with Seleno Clarke, Mel Davis, John Dukich and Ruben Wilson, Jazz 5 BrazilianNights All Star a Week!Band and ContinentalLonnie Gasperini Cuisine. featuring Claudio Roditi saturday February 8 Helio Alves, Nilsson Matta, Adriano Santos Valentine’s Day with Saturday January 11 Nicolas Bearde & Nat Adderley, Jr. Trio Quartet friday February 14 Saturday January 18 Brazilian Carnival Diane Mosers’ Composers with Yashmin Charnett Big Band Anniversary Party and Paul Abler wednesday January 22 Friday February 28

Tuesdays at Trumpets — no music charge/$5 minimum 6:30 – 10:30 pm These are partial listings. Visit www.trumpetsjazz.com for our complete schedule.

Tel (973) 744-2600 • Fax (973) 744-7735 • www.trumpetsjazz.com « Trumpets is closed on Monday and Tuesday evenings except for special events. » « Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday evening sets 7:30 & 9:15 pm « Friday and Saturday 8 & 10 pm (2 shows) unless otherwise noted. » « Italian/Continental cuisine, full service restaurant and bar open to 1:00 am Friday & Saturday « to 12 midnight weekdays. » « Kitchen open Wednesday & Thursday 5:30 – 11:30 pm. « Friday & Saturday 5:30 pm – 1 am « Sunday Brunch 11:30 am – 2:30 pm « Sunday Evening 7 pm – midnight »

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NJJS Holds Annual Meeting at Shanghai Jazz s required by its bylaws, the NJJS convened an Aannual meeting and report to the membership at Shanghai Jazz in Madison on December 8, 2013. President Mike Katz reported on Society activities in the past year and outlined plans for 2014, the organization’s 41st year. He noted that the NJJS ended 2013 with its budget in the black for the first time in several years. The reversal was due, he said, to the discontinuation of Jazzfest and funds raised by the 40th Anniversary Concert. He stated that the Board is continuing to explore the possibility of reviving Jazzfest in a new cost-effective format sometime in the future. At the meeting Cynthia Feketie and Sheilia Lenga were re-elected to three-year terms as Board members, and Robert Beck and Lowell Schantz were elected as new members of the Board. The Board then adjourned to conduct its regular monthly business meeting at which its current officers were all re-elected for one-year terms. Vocalist Sarah Partridge entertains NJJS members at Several past presidents of the society were on hand for the Society’s Annual Meeting on December 8. She was the annual gathering, incluing Andi Tyson, Joe Lang accompanied by Jim Riddle on piano and Bill Moring, bass. and NJJS co-founder and President Emeritus Jack Stine. JJ Photo by Tony Mottola.

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­Noteworthy Fradley Garner International Editor Jersey Jazz

BILL CROW COPS FIRST ANNUAL Jersey jazz ‘NOTEWORTHY’ POETRY CONTEST Six entries pinged in for the first Jersey Jazz Reader Poetry Contest in the 41-year history of this journal. They are six doozers. The competition was inspired by a jazz poem in National Public Radio star and popular author Garrison Keillor’s 2002 anthology, Good Poems. This was simply a list of real and nicknames of jazz personalities. Two submissions follow this model. Judge Keillor nodded their way, but pinned the blue ribbon on world-class bassist and jazz writer Bill Crow’s lyric, “Roll, Jimmy John.” Here comes the Judge:

oetry and jazz have a brief checkered relationship, mostly are solo workers, without mates, and we “Pback in the ’50s, mostly in San Francisco, when poets such might wish somebody would call us as Kenneth Rexroth and Lawrence Ferlinghetti and some of the Warmdaddy or Kid or Bud or Prince (but other Beats found their way into smoky little jazz clubs and more likely it’d be Fathead or Slow Drag or performed with musicians, but it was never a happy marriage. Mutt or Dodo). Usually it was musicians accompanying a poem, which was read “The winner is an easy choice — Bill Crow’s from a text, not improvised, and the whole turned out to be less “Roll, Jimmy John” — a rollicking lyric about than the parts. two hot guitarists jamming late at night in a club whose owner is trying to close the joint. “But the JJ Poetry Contest brought in some fine entries, one of Garrison Keillor which — Gloria Krolak’s ‘It Was A Very Good Year’ — is a As you read it, you can hear someone, collage of song titles, arranged by season, spring, summer, perhaps you yourself, singing it, and that’s perfect for a jazz autumn, and winter, from ‘My Funny Valentine’ through ‘What poetry contest, a poem that wants to burst into song. Thanks to Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?’ And two — by Tim Coakley and all the entrants, and Mr. Crow wins the living room suite, the William F. X. Bonnet — are composed of jazz musicians’ names, Amana range, and the all-expenses-paid week at Waikiki.” including some unknown to me (Trilok Gurtu, Dodo Marmarosa, — Garrison Keillor Warmdaddy Anderson, Leroy Vinnegar). Jazz musicians and Since these are beyond my means, I’ll ask Bill if he’d like a ballplayers get nicknames, writers don’t, probably because writers good book instead. Say, Garrison Keillor’s Good Poems. -fG JJ

Roll, Jimmy John By Bill Crow Bill Crow wrote this lyric in 1974 and Denny Leroux wrote a tune for it. They made a demo, but nothing came of it. In a honky-tonk on a back road A spell was on the dancers Before a soul could answer They played ‘til the moonlight faded, Where the local in-crowd goes, As the music shook the floor, The stranger crossed the floor, And the morning brightly shone, The boss’s son gave the last call, But nobody knew the stranger who He plugged his wire in the amplifier The boss, he shut off the liquor, “One more drink before we close.” Was standing by the door. And his pick began to roar. But nobody would go home.

Big Red tapped on his cymbal He was dressed in threadbare Levis, He played like a white tornado, They played like twin volcanoes, As the last drinks came around, He was built like a lumberjack, He played like a cyclotron, They played like shooting stars, And Jimmy John got his guitar on Smoked a cheap cigar, He played so right, Ever since that day, And he started bearing down. and a good guitar it was plain that night nothing’s come this way Was slung across his back. He was as bad as Jimmy John. That could touch those two guitars. Joe Bailey’s bass was rocking As Big Red laid it on, He opened his guitar case Oh, roll, Jimmy John, This joint has seen some players You should have heard the way As he listened, with a frown, Roll your guitar on, Who could really get it on, that guitar purred The way his fingers twitched, Let the music play ‘til But they were put to shame In the hands of Jimmy John. you could see they itched the judgment day the night the stranger came To break that guitar down. And the last guitar is gone. To jam with Jimmy John. He played as mean as a grizzly bear, As pure as a mountain stream, Jimmy John stopped his picking Jimmy John’s jaw fell open So, roll, Jimmy John, He played as hot as a pistol shot, And he reached back for his gin, As the stranger hit his stride, Roll your guitar on, As wild as an eagle’s scream. And the room stopped dead With a whoop and a grin, Let the music play ‘til when the stranger said, Jimmy John jumped in the judgment day Oh, roll, Jimmy John, “Do you mind if I sit in? And the two played side by side. And the last guitar is gone. Roll your guitar on, Let the music play ‘til the judgment day And the last guitar is gone. Thanks to NJJS member Joán McGinnis of Mission Viejo, CA for Web research assistance.

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Autumn in New York

By Schaen Fox entral Park — Manhattan’s great green jewel. For two years, using the wah-wah Cthis treasure has been burnished by “Jazz & Colors,” a late peddle.” autumn event with the spirit of a hippie-era “happening.” Perhaps it We then tried to make is an offspring of “The Gates,” the famous art installation that took a rapid 20-some block over the park for 15 days in 2005. Back then, people could follow descent to Summit bright trails of overhanging saffron-colored fabric through the Rock where 2 Sisters, winter-bared park. This project welcomes people for four hours to Inc. performed. This is hear free live music while they enjoy the late seasonal colors. a trio consisting of two Starting at noon on Saturday, November 9, 2013, 30 jazz bands baritone saxophonists, performed a single unifying set list in locations scattered around the Claire Daly and Dave park. Some bands were well known, such as Arturo O’Farrill’s Afro- Sewelson, and bassist Latin Jazz Orchestra and the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars. Others David Hofstra. The were still emerging, but no less deserving attention. trio began, according to Claire, when, “We This year’s set list included “Take the A Train,” “Harlem Nocturne,” started getting together “Grand Central,” “New York City” plus many more by titans just to crack each associated with the Big Apple. Once that was completed, however, other up, a totally the last half hour was open for the musicians to perform their own improvised group. material. Wayne Escoffery performed in New York’s Then Dave Sewelson Central Park on November 9. Photo by Vicki Fox. Volunteers, sporting “Jazz & Colors” vests, were tasked with got us a gig just to get greeting the musicians as they entered the park, assisting them in us out of my house. A guy was there who books a festival and we setting up and for the entire event, providing information, such as got a week in Switzerland.” That loose, joyous vibe from their the event maps, to the public. The maps are almost two feet long beginning was still evident throughout the set – especially when with information about each band, their locations, the set list and Dave (repeatedly) asked the crowd, “What are we supposed to play park restrooms. Although designed for this specific event, the maps next?” Reflecting on the experience, Claire said, “I like playing could serve as a long term handy park reference guide. outdoors. I like the surprise element of it being in the park, that We entered the park at Frederick Douglass Circle on 110th St. to some people knew about it and some didn’t. People were thrilled to the sound of Mitch Frohman’s Latin Jazz Quartet offering a spirited chance upon different groups. I could see people were charmed by “Bemsha Swing.” The band was right beside a path, and while there the weirdness of it all, because it was an odd thing.” was little space for an audience, people stopped to listen to the Jason Kao Hwang agreed, “I think it was certainly an imaginative Monk classic. As we wanted to hear the Wayne Escoffery Quartet spectacle to have 30 bands in Central Park — and unusual, because with Carolyn Leonhart, we quickly hurried to the Dana Center on people aren’t accustomed to hearing music in all these historical the east side of the park. This was a more crowd-friendly location: points. The concept of everyone playing the same set was kind of The band had their backs to the Harlem Meer, leaving a large open novel. Those are things that pique the public interest, and that is space by the center. This allowed a good number of people to gather good for the music. There were a good number of bands that were and listen. (The vast majority in the crowd listened closely but a few new to me. But that is what’s fabulous about New York City — chatted obliviously in their midst, and a steady stream of people there are these waves of talent coming in with new ideas and strolled or jogged past in the background.) different backgrounds and a lot of diversity flowing into the music.” Violinist Jason Kao Hwang and his band performed at the very foot Jay Leonhart was also there — not to play, but primarily to watch of the Meer in another slot that was too restricted to allow a real his young grandson. He did get to hear two guitarists and found crowd to form. Looking on the bright side, Jason later remarked, their music “new, complicated and sophisticated. [It] makes me “We were a bit removed, but we had a great view of the water. think the younger generation will come up with some brilliant ideas. People seemed to enjoy it. But there was no place to sit, so we had This has to do with art, life and everything. Our art shows us where people flow by, but most seemed to be having a good time.” we are headed as a culture.” Reflecting on the experience the violinist noted that he had to adapt Several critics have noted that it is not possible to hear all the bands to the environment: “I usually play acoustic violin, but because of at Jazz & Colors. This is a pity as this is a wonderful way to sample the weather, if you bring an acoustic violin out, there is a good new artists or enjoy established favorites. Those interested in going chance that the wood might crack. It is sensitive to the elements. next year should check the website http://jazzandcolors.com/ I played the solid body violin and that instrument processes the centralpark/…and bring folding chairs and lunch. Then relax electronics very well, but I don’t like the sound of it by itself so I was and smile. JJ

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January 2014 ______27 JerseyStoriesJazz

George Wein: Impresario of ‘Jazz from A to Z’

Story by Sanford Josephson Photos by Tony Graves

eorge Wein has always Gbelieved in offering “jazz from A to Z. I once presented Lennie Tristano and Eddie Condon on the same program. That’s how I’ve always done it,” he told John Schreiber, president and CEO of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, at a special, invitation-only “evening of music and conversation with George Wein,” held on Friday, December 6, in NJPAC’s Chase Room. “A festival,” Wein added, “should appeal to everybody.” The evening consisted of two parts: an interview session by Schreiber with Wein, his mentor, and a performance by the Newport All-Stars, which demonstrated Wein’s affinity for assembling non- traditional bandmates. There was fellow octogenarian Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, veterans such as Jay Leonhart on bass and Lew Tabackin on tenor saxophone and flute, and emerging artists such as drummer Clarence Penn and trumpeter Bria Skonberg. Wein, on piano, rounded out the sextet. Schreiber recalled his days as a student at Haverford College outside of Philadelphia. “I ran a concert series, and we once presented Marian McPartland. She said to me, ‘You’re good at this. You should do it for a living.’” Unbeknownst to Schreiber, McPartland wrote a letter to Wein recommending him. That was 38 years ago, and Schreiber worked for Wein for about 10 years before leaving to form his own company. He was named CEO of NJPAC in 2011. “There’s not a day that goes by,” he said, “that I don’t think about George Wein.” The Newport Jazz Festival will be 60 years old next summer, and Schreiber asked Wein to comment about several of the jazz giants he worked with over that span, specifically, Miles Davis, Louis Top: John Schreiber, president and CEO of the New Jersey Performing Arts Armstrong and Duke Ellington. On Davis: “When you’re going Center with George Wein on Friday, December 6, in NJPAC’s Chase Room. through customs, don’t carry his bag.” Bottom: George Wein on piano rounds out his Newport All-Stars sextet. On Armstrong: “I’m such a lover of Louis Armstrong, just being in the same room with him was an honor.”

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Jazz and Beyond: ACS with The Philadelphia Experiment in Newark JPAC presents an adventurous evening of progressive jazz When talking about Ellington, some acoustic music!’ He said, ‘I Nwith two groups that unite some of the hottest artists on Wein recalled the historic don’t have a guitar.’ My big today’s jazz scene. Ellington at Newport concert in mistake was not grabbing his Hear tomorrow’s jazz today at this union of two of jazz’s most 1956, an appearance that revital­ ­ electric guitar. It just sold for exciting trios: ACS, featuring pianist and composer Geri Allen, ized the Ellington Orchestra, $965,000.” Grammy Award-winning bassist Esperanza Spalding and sparked by a combination electrifying drummer Terri Lyne Carrington; and The performance of “Diminuendo in Queried about the future of jazz, Philadelphia Experiment with special guests Eric Krasno, Blue” and “Crescendo in Blue,” Wein revealed that there will be a guitarist from Soulive, and DJ Logic; avant-garde pianist Uri highlighted­ by tenor saxophonist symposium on the subject at Caine; hip-hop drummer Ahmir Khalib “?uestlove” Thompson, ’s extended solo. next year’s Newport Festival. He and bassist Christian McBride, Jazz Advisor for NJPAC. “Ellington called me on also tried to put jazz in its proper Thursday night,” Wein recalled, perspective. “If you ask 100 Formed out of their work on Carrington’s Grammy Award- “and I asked him what he was people about jazz, three of them winning album The Mosaic Project, ACS is stretching boundaries going to do at the concert. He will say it appeals to them.” with music that is as elegant as it is experimental. “(ASC’s) said he’d play a medley of That’s okay, he added, pointing expressionistic push-pull turns out to be a show of jazz fealty favorites. I said, ‘I want to out that there are about 300 as disorienting as it is riveting,” says The Village Voice. Of The perpetuate the genius that is million people in the United Philadelphia Experiment, All About Jazz says, “There is joy and Ellington. I’m not getting any States, so having an audience of excitement (in their music) — the joy of three consummate help from you.’ ” 3%, or 9 million, is not so bad. musicians doing what they do best, and the excitement of an experiment, an adventure, an undertaking in which no one In his autobiography, Myself When the Newport All-Stars really knows what to expect.” As a special part of this Among Others (DaCapo Press: took over, the audience was event, Spalding and McBride will take to the stage to 2003), Wein described what treated to a variety of standards perform a bass duet. JJ actually happened at that including “Undecided” (Sid NJPAC Prudential Hall | Jan. 25, 2014 at 8 pm | Tickets $29-$79 concert: “At the proper moment, Robin/Charlie Shavers), Gonsalves dug in with his tenor Romberg/Hammerstein’s “Softly and started blowing. Somewhere as in a Morning Sunrise” and the around the seventh chorus, it Ellington hit, “Caravan,” written Has Jazz Changed Your Life? happened. A young blonde by Juan Tizol, and featuring a woman in a stylish black dress robust flute solo by Tabackin. Author wants to hear your story sprung up out of her box seat Clearly, the two showstoppers, n author working on a joint publishing/educational project and began to dance. She had however, were Pizzarelli’s solo on called “Why Jazz Matters” is seeking stories of how jazz has caught the spirit, and everyone A the Django Reinhardt standard, changed individual lives in profound ways. took notice — Duke included… “Nuages” and Skonberg’s Has encountering jazz — in its entirety, a particular artist or The tune ended, and the towering solo on the Louis even a solitary recording — transformed your destiny? Has it applause and cheering was Armstrong favorite, “Sleepy steered you in a different direction, into new sounds, thoughts immense — stronger, louder, Time South’ (written by and people? Enabled you to meet friends and loved ones who and more massive than anything Clarence Muse and Leon and ever heard at a jazz concert you otherwise might have missed? Has it opened your mind to Otis Rene). Wein said he first new ideas about life, love, art, music, politics and community? before.” heard Skonberg, a favorite of Schreiber also asked Wein about New Jersey Jazz Society The goal of this project is to tell the stories overlooked by the the Newport Folk Festival, and members, about a year ago at a jazz histories, the tales of its fans, its devotees, and the music’s the impresario recalled the Louis Armstrong Foundation influence on ordinary — and extraordinary — people. In short, I am asking why jazz matters to the human heart. If you’ve got disappointment of the audience event where she played with one of those stories please reply, I’d love to hear it. on the night that Bob Dylan clarinetist/saxophonist Anat played with an electric, instead of Cohen. “I could not believe what You may reach the author via email at [email protected], and acoustic, guitar. “I said to Bob, I heard,” he said. “She is very by regular mail to: Jim Gerard, 312 West 15th St., #17, ‘You’ve got to go back and play special.” JJ New York, NY 10011, or by calling 917-609-1574. JJ

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NJPAC Announces Debut of ‘The Brick City Jazz Orchestra’ Eighteen-piece ensemble will feature gifted teenage musicians from throughout Greater Newark as “Ambassadors of Swing” ineteen talented teenage jazz players in academic year. Nthe Greater Newark area will receive Their official debut the opportunity to heighten their skills as performance will musicians and bandmates this Fall with the be at the Women’s creation of The Brick City Jazz Orchestra Association of (BCJO), a collaboration between NJPAC NJPAC Luncheon and the Institute of Jazz. in May 2014. The 18-piece BCJO ensemble will allow After auditioning students to collaborate as performing artists in front of a panel and serve as cultural ambassadors for both of educators on Newark and New Jersey, touring both September 28, the regionally and nationally. following 19 high The formation of the BCJO adds a new school students chapter to Newark’s jazz legacy, which were elected to reaches back to the days when such participate: The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in . luminaries as , , Gregory Fassuliotis, and could be 17, of Woodcliff Lake, Pascack Hills High “The Brick City Jazz Orchestra is about heard in the downtown’s clubs and halls. School, alto saxophone; Simon Crosby- the transformative power of music. These Legendary jazz label Savoy Records made Arreaza, 16, of Union, Union High School, young musicians represent the best that Newark its home for many years, and one alto sax; Jonathan Jett, 16, of East Orange, the Greater Newark area has to offer. On of the city’s sons, revered saxophonist Cicely Tyson High School of the Performing audition day there was a strong sense that James Moody, is now remembered annually Arts, baritone sax; Liany Mateo, 15, of Jersey NJPAC was doing something that has the by NJPAC’s TD James Moody Democracy City, Snyder High School, bass; Joseph potential to be transformational in the lives of Jazz Festival, being held this year from Quiles, 18, of Newark, Arts High School, of these young people,” said Laurie Carter, Nov. 4-10. bass; Jared Silverstein, 16, of Hillsborough, NJPAC’s Vice President of Arts Education. Hillsborough High School, drum; Zack Some respected jazz artists and educators Lorelli, 17, of Montclair, Montclair High will guide the BCJO. James Burton III, “As a young person starting out in the School, drum; Rahsaan Pickett, 17, of conductor of the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra music business, I spent a lot of time on the Newark, Arts High School, guitar; Justin and associate conductor of the Jazz at road with big bands and big band leaders,” Bocchino, 17, of Cedar Knolls, Whippany Lincoln Center All-Star Orchestra, will says NJPAC President and CEO John Park High School, guitar; Galo Inga, 16, of conduct the BCJO. Grammy-nominated Schreiber, who worked with the orchestras Newark, Arts High School, piano; Darius vibraphonist Stefon Harris will serve as of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Woody Phillips, 15, of East Orange, Cicely Tyson artist-in-residence. A preliminary roster Herman, Lionel Hampton and Buddy Rich High School of the Performing Arts, piano; of guest artists and coaches includes Geri in an early career producing jazz festivals. Luca Farrel, 17, of Nutley, Nutley High Allen, Carl Allen, Christian McBride, Jon School, piano; Matthew Ward, 16, of “I learned that a big band is a family of Faddis and Benny Golson, among others. Berkeley Heights, Governor Livingston talented musicians who all aspire to In addition to teaching musicianship, the High School, tenor sax; Luxshman common goals of excellence in artistry and faculty will provide sectional support and Saravapavan, 17, of Summit, Morristown performance. The Arts Center’s new Brick mentor the young musicians. Beard School, tenor sax; Justin Branch, 16, City Jazz Orchestra will deliver that and Mr. Burton will share direction of rehearsals of Plainfield, Plainfield Academy for the more: an opportunity for students to with Dr. JB Dyas, Vice President, Education Arts & Advanced Studies, trombone; Alan develop collaborative skills and a sense of and Curriculum Development, at the Hsaio, 17, of Hillsborough, Somerville shared responsibility. The next chapter of Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. BCJO High School, trombone; Jason Worthem, Newark’s great jazz history is about to get members will receive instrumental lessons 16, of South Plainfield, South Plainfield played, and I can’t wait!” and attend workshops in jazz theory, ear High School, trumpet; Carlos Juncal, 16, training and composition and arranging. of Newark, Arts High School, trumpet; The ability to pay tuition does not factor The BCJO will rehearse weekly at NJPAC, and Matthew Branch, 15, of Plainfield, into admission decisions. Tuition for from October to May, with rehearsal Plainfield Academy for the Arts & BCJO students will be assessed on a performances taking place during the Advanced Studies, trumpet. sliding scale. JJ

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The new spot for Live Jazz in Morristown Official Home of the New Jersey Jazz Society Piano Join us weekly for dining and live music! Sundays Jazz Brunch 12–3pm 1/5: Joan Streit Tuesdays Sunday 1/12: “Singer’s Showcase” Piano Jazz Jazz Jam Session 6–9pm Brunch 1/19: Steve Meyerson 1/7: Janice Wiggins Clark in full 1/26: Pam & Bob 1/14: Rio Clemente 1/21: Lauren Hooker swing . Fridays Jazz 1/28: Rio Clemente One-of-a-kind pm Sunday Brunch 7–10 at the only 1/3: Julie Mac Saturdays place you’ll 1/10: Jane Stuart 6–9pm find traditional 1/17: Mickey Freeman Tracy George American fare as 1/24: Betty Liste well as delicious & Bill Robinson Caribbean foods. 1/31: Stephen Fuller Reservations recommended.

NJJS Located in the Best Western Morristown Inn Mon. . . . . 5:30pm–9:30pm members 270 South Street, Morristown NJ 07960 Tue–Thu . . 11:30. am–9:30pm (973) 359-0200 Fri . . . . . 11:30am–10pm enjoy a www.hibiscuscuisine.com Sat...... 2–10pm 10% Sun...... 2–8pm Walk-ins welcome/Reservations recommended Hours may vary; discount! Call us for more info and music updates please call .

January 2014 ______31 JerseyStoriesJazz

Good Vibes at 3rd Annual Zootfest

Story and photos by Mitchell Seidel

e generally don’t think of autumn as the “festival season” Wfor jazz in New Jersey, but the second weekend in November proved that wrong. The region was festive from nose to toe, with activity from Newark to Cape May. And just across the Delaware River in East Stroudsburg, PA, they were celebrating the legacy of Al Cohn and at the annual Zootfest. Vibes player Joe A fundraiser for East Stroudsburg University’s Al Cohn Memorial Locke performs Jazz Collection, the third annual Zootfest was a combination at Zootfest at the northwest symposium, jam session, concert and musicians’ schmooze, with New Jersey- the performers having as much fun as those in the audience. Pennsylvania The archive is appropriately Cohn-centric, as is the musical border just hours after playing at the celebration that bears the nickname of his late stablemate. Exit 0 Jazz Festival The collection also includes materials donated by the estates in Cape May. of pianist John Bunch and bassist Eddie Safranski. The “serious” part of the latest Zootfest included an appreciative panel discussion of the works of and other bop-influenced big bands, with a transcontinental appearance from California by Terry Gibbs, whose visage (and personality) loomed large over the room, even if he couldn’t hear much of what was being said in Pennsylvania. The musicians who performed during the afternoon had a relation to Cohn and Sims in either style or spirit, and some even closer than that. Guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, who opened the afternoon, often performed with the pair. Gibbs, as well, crossed paths with the tenor pair and featured Cohn’s arrangements in his big band. While Gibbs couldn’t be there in person, another vibes player, Joe Locke, broke a few speeding laws to make the event just hours after playing at the Exit 0 Jazz Festival in Cape May. And you couldn’t get a much closer relationship than Cohn’s son, guitarist Joe Cohn, who also performed. Although his alto sax was noticably absent, Phil Woods added quite a bit to the Tenor saxophonist Joe Lovano, fresh from a triumphant Zootfest afternoon, here playing piano during a jam session. appearance at the TD Bank James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival in Newark, lent his skill to a group playing of Cohn’s four-saxophone “Four Brothers” style charts before heading off to the Deer Head Inn with wife Judy Silvano for a book release party for Mike Stephan’s Experiencing Jazz. While he was not playing his usual alto sax, NEA Jazz Master and Pocono resident Phil Woods was an ever-present figure, whether it was playing piano at a jam session, conducting the Delaware Water Gap Celebration of the Arts Big Band or heckling from his seat. Vocalist Bob Dorough also paid tribute to Cohn and Sims, singing lyrics set to tunes written by the pair. The Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection is housed on the ground floor of the university’s Kemp Library in East Stroudsburg. For more information call 570-422-3828 Al Cohn’s “Four Brothers” charts are performed by “Four Others,” from left: or go on line at www.esu.edu/alcohncollection. JJ Adam Niewood, Lew Tabackin, Joe Lovano and Jay Ratman.

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January 2014 ______33 JerseyStoriesJazz

“Life is a cabaret, old chum…” ’s Palast Orchester Brings The Golden Age to New Brunswick

ith elegant He has even traded quips Wpoise, suave with Bert and Ernie on sophistication and a Sesame Street. silky-smooth baritone, His passion was first Max Raabe and his roused by a record he tuxedo-attired 12-piece found in his parents’ band perform swing and cupboard: a humorous cabaret hits of the instrumental called “I’m decadent 1920s-’40s with Crazy About Hilde.” Raabe’s slick, modern Before long he was yet nostalgic style, wit, collecting 78s in flea mischief and razor sharp markets and junk shops. precision and humor. By the age of 16 he was an With more than a million expert on the songs and albums sold and previous styles of the Weimar era, sold-out tours in the U.S. his enthusiasm fueled by and around the world, audiences have been black-and-white films taken by Raabe’s featuring music, dance meticulous arrangements and comedy. In his early of the standards as they 20s Max moved to Berlin used to be sung — in to study opera, dreaming formal evening wear, Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester of becoming a baritone, moonlighting with a friend to perform the giving proper credits to the composers others and celebrates an era when Josephine and deadpan jokes while using a special 1920s songs he loved so much at bars and Baker danced dressed only a banana skirt, student parties. microphone that allows him to sound dance halls were thriving, every restaurant precisely like the music sounded when had an orchestra and the Charleston became After graduating, he made a handful of first recorded. The ensemble’s repertoire of the sensation: that special time in between appearances at the Berlin Philharmonie, but 500 songs also includes tunes from Marx wars before the horror of Hitler when it all soon realized his true love remained the Brothers films and a number of works that came to an end. music of the ’20s and, finding there was no recall the influence of long-gone German ensemble performing such songs, he formed musicians such as orchestra leader Paul Max comes to the US every few years and with fellow students the Palast Orchester to Godwin, the songwriting team of Jacob his March swing through the states includes play them. The music is treated with Jacobs and Sholom Secunda and the vocal stops in New York City and New Brunswick. reverence. “Every note and every phrase is ensemble the Comedian Harmonists. There polished like a diamond,” says Raabe. “We are also new works and takes on today’s all studied classical music and we interpret pop hits, including ’s “Oops I About Max Raabe & the music in the same way we would did It Again” and Tom Jones’ “Sex Bomb.” The Palast Orchester interpret Beethoven. We take the music While the orchestra is known for its Dashing, dapper and debonair, Max Raabe seriously — but we don’t take ourselves intellect and humour, the classically might have walked straight out of the seriously.” Therein lies the appeal of Max trained musicians work as seriously at the Golden Age of Berlin in the 1920s. With his Raabe, a man out of time, yet in tune with performance of their music as they would at elegant poise, suave sophistication and silky- today’s Recession-hit world, where — just that of a composition by Beethoven. As the smooth baritone, he brings to life the songs like Berlin in the 1920s — we all want to title suggests, Golden Age is a collection of and style of a bygone age. Max Raabe is not take our minds off austerity with a night classics from the Great American Songbook. only a unique talent, but a very funny man. of good old-fashioned entertainment. JJ Drawing from the era between World War I and II, with titles like “These Foolish Things,” “Singin’ In the Rain,” “Dream a Little Dream” and “Cheek to Cheek,” Raabe 2014 Palast Orchester US Dates: introduces a new generation to timeless March 2, Fairfax VA; March 3, NYC; March 5, McCarter Theatre, NJ; tunes by Cole Porter, Noel Coward and March 6, Kennett Square, PA; March 8, Atlanta; March 9, Miami.

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January 2014 ______35 ­­JerseyReviewsJazz

Book Review: Duke: A Life of Duke Ellington

New Ellington Bio a Portrait in Acid | By Terry Teachout (Gotham; 482 pages; $30) By Jim Gerard

he photo of Duke Ellington from Billy Strayhorn and the reader his helping of Tthat graces the cover of many of the band’s greatest salaciousness while seeming to Terry Teachout’s bilious new instrumentalists stand righteously above it. biography — a rarely seen • A musically uneducated poseur Teachout criticizes Ellington for image of the Maestro writing temperamentally unable to not speaking publicly about his music, cigarette in hand, a long write long-form compositions love life (as if we haven’t had scar curving across the left side I’ll stop there lest I suffer the enough of the rich and numb­ of his face — is a preview of the skulled using the media to book’s contents: Duke, scars distaste I felt while reading Teachout’s revisionist character gleefully air their dirty laundry), and all. because it would’ve contradicted assassination. This is a pity, for his professed goal of “com­ Teachout acknowledges that, Teachout writes well, for the manding­ respect for the race.” like Pops, his far superior most part,2 deftly weaving While there may be some truth biography of Louis Armstrong, academic research into to that presumption, it’s Duke was a “synthesis” of recent steadily readable prose. research on Ellington’s life done indisputable that in Duke’s age, by others, and a “critical None of the author’s criticisms such public confessions just biography.” He means the latter or revelations is new. What’s weren’t made. And in the end, literally. Since so much has been what he did; his misdeeds, not disturbing is Teachout’s Duke commanded a lot more written about Ellington the his deeds. approach to Ellington — from a respect with his art. 1 lofty (and highly conservative) composer, and millions of Teachout’s aim clearly is to It’s also true that Duke took musicians, fans, critics and moral perch. (He used the same undue credit for a fair amount rip away this veil and cut M.O. in his Armstrong book, many of Ellington’s musical Duke up like his first wife, of the work done by Billy contemporaries, such as Aaron except that he arrived at a much Strayhorn and the musicians in who razor-bladed the scar more favorable judgment — Copeland and Gunter Schuller, on his left cheek after learning his band. In the former case, that “Pops” was a good man.) Teachout implicitly — and have used up all the accolades, he’d cheated on her. Teachout apparently decided Teachout uses Ellington’s unfairly — blames Ellington for that whatever is left to say must You see, Duke Ellington was womanizing as a leitmotif, at Strayhorn’s dissipation and concern Ellington the man. This not only America’s greatest one point accusing him of premature death from alcohol is a tricky proposition, since composer, but according to “satyriasis,” which sounds like (in which, according to Ellington fastidiously concealed Teachout, he also was: disease you contract from a Teachout, he drowned his his inner self behind a veneer • A compulsive womanizer parasitic worm. And while it’s heartbreak from Duke’s 4 of soigne sophistication and and misogynist undoubtedly true, how relevant exploitation). It’s also true that these instances constitute a detachment. Teachout casts a • A hypocrite is it when all involved are gone? sinister shadow on Duke’s Does it shed any light on his small percentage of Ellington’s • A world-class spendthrift evasive persona, instead of work which, let’s face it, is the 1,700-odd compositions. fully acknowledging that it was • An “opportunist” Ellington that lives on? Do we Moreover, Teachout reiterates created to carve out space in (“like all great artists”) really need to read that the conclusion reached by which to compose. And Duke is • A musical kleptomaniac, Ellington was a self-confessed previous scholars: That none of often more about what unable to write a “singable “p---y freak?”3 This is the the musicians from which he Ellington didn’t do, rather than melody,” who pilfered credit lowest kind of blow — giving “stole” (what in most cases were

1 Ellington was one of the first jazz musicians to be taken seriously by classical in which he unflatteringly contrasts Ellington with Strayhorn, who Teachout music critics, who produced scholarly articles on him starting in the early 1930s. claims, was so advanced in chromaticism that he was capable of “unconsciously Barry Ulanov wrote the first of many biographies of Duke Ellington in 1946 quoting Valses noble et sentimentales, a work by Ravel that he had yet to hear, in (which Ellington vetted). the opening bars of ‘Chelsea Bridge.’” How can anyone “unconsciously quote” from a work he never has heard? Strayhorn was a genius, but not telepathic. 2 At times, Teachout seems so determined to attack Duke (by praising Strayhorn, in this case) that he ties himself into syntactical knots. For example, in a passage 3 Taken from an understandably unpublished interview.

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partial tunes at best) ever wrote anything and symphonic form, or how to write a Teachout castigates Ellington for making memorable on his own and away from musical comedy book or opera libretto.6 elaborate pronouncements-cum- Duke. Musicians who strongly disliked On the other hand, Teachout repeatedly explanations of the artistic inspiration for Ellington personally, like Johnny Hodges asserts that Ellington couldn’t write a some of his tunes, but then, when discussing and Lawrence Brown, stayed in the band for “hummable” melody or “hit tune” without “Daybreak Express,” which Duke claimed decades, and even when they left to lead borrowing riffs from the band members. A was inspired by train movements, Teachout their own groups or play in other bands, few chapters later, he contradicts himself, labels it an “orchestral tour de force” and they always returned. They knew Duke then about-faces again, making a prosecu­ that “it was natural for such homely sounds would bring out their best. torial case that Ellington wrote few “singable [the train] to find their way into his work.” tunes,” just “instrumental pieces.” Teachout’s major criticism of Ellington the Duke is replete with similar criticisms — composer is that his reach exceeded his In this way, Teachout manages to act as both some of them incredibly picayune (Duke ambition to write large-scale work, due to reactionary highbrow and lowbrow: Ellington wore a ponytail in a vain attempt to keep up his lack of formal musical training. Yet the couldn’t write symphonies (which, we’re led with the hippies that had helped rock eclipse composer always contended that he wasn’t to believe, are the yardstick for compositional jazz.) In all fairness, Teachout offers an greatness) and was merely a gifted interested in learning Western classical occasional insight such as Duke’s penchant “miniaturist,” yet he also hadn’t the capacity theory5 because it wouldn’t serve his for placing otherwise incompatible musi­ to write melodies that Aunt Minnie could cians in the same section (trombonists musical vision. sing. (Teachout not once mentions that a Brown, Juan Tizol and Joe “Tricky Sam” Critical opinion is divided on Ellington’s great majority of Ellington’s “miniatures”­ were written for a dance-band orchestra.) Nanton). And his cogent estimation of the longer pieces — with informed voices such estimable merits of the oft-overlooked Ivie as Phil Schaap and Wynton Marsalis tipping Teachout really plays the schoolmarm when Anderson hits the mark. their hat to such works as “Black, Brown he dwells on another long-acknowledged and Beige,” “A Tone Parallel to Harlem” fact: that Ellington wasn’t a “disciplinarian,” However, a reader who picked up Duke as and many of the later suites. and that he had a laissez-faire attitude his introduction to the life and work of toward his musicians’ often sub-profes­ Ellington would wonder how this purport­ ­ However, even if one agrees with Teachout’s sional, if not debauched, behavior. However,­ edly indolent reprobate managed to write on assessment that Ellington, when compared Ellington always claimed (and Teachout such a prolifically high level and keep a to Sibelius, Strauss or Brahms, comes up quotes him) that his laxity was a worthwhile supremely gifted band going for a half cen­ short in the long-form department, one sacrifice to keep the distinctive voices of tury — well past era. He’d try cannot accept his explanations, in which he Hodges, Ray Nance, et al, at the ready, where to wrap his mind around how this woman­ attributes the failings of Ellington the com­ they served as inspiration to and instruments izer who picked his musician’s pockets poser to weaknesses of character. Teachout in his orchestral imagination. became a world-famous figure whose con­ portrays Ellington as a procrastinator (true, Perhaps Teachout should’ve pondered the tributions to American culture are second to but again irrelevant). Much worse, he potential consequences for American music none, and whose place in the pantheon of strongly implies that Ellington — otherwise if Ellington had been, like Benny Goodman, American culture has, if anything, only described as a compulsive writer whose a stern taskmaster who would’ve fired three grown since his death in 1974. raison d’etre was composing — was quarters of the Ellington band on his first somehow too indolent to learn counterpoint day at the helm. I pity this poor reader. JJ

4 In actuality, their professional fact, Strayhorn didn’t write much of sufficiently long? Duke packed more the three-minutes-per-side 78-rpm arrangement was much more complex. consequence on his own and within a music into three minutes than most record and as leader of a band that Duke and his band were Strayhorn’s few years, their mutual need brought of his contemporaries, classical or played largely for dancers (which is “beard,” allowing him to lead a him back into the Ellington fold. otherwise, could in an hour.) How decidedly not a slight), Ellington had relatively open life as a gay man. And many African-American composers little incentive or opportunity to exceed 5 An attitude he moderated over the when Strayhorn finally got fed up were writing symphonies in Ellington’s those limits. Yet the fact that he tried years. and left Duke, Teachout admits that era? What were the chances that they to do so as early as 1931 (with “Creole he failed to reach his goals — leading 6 Perhaps sonata form isn’t the sole would’ve been played by a major Rhapsody”) and was practically alone his own band and receiving critical criterion for judging long-form classical orchestra, or recorded by a among his contemporaries, testifies to acknowledgement for his work. In works. (And what length is considered major record company? In the era of his compositional ambition.

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Other Views By Joe Lang Past NJJS President

s I anticipate n Sometimes you pop an album into your CD “Liza,” “Lulu’s Back in Town,” “Nice Work If You A the taste of the player, and it just grabs you right away, not letting Can Get It,” “Dinah,” “I Should Care,” “Tea for Two,” Thanksgiving turkey, up until the final note. Such was my experience “Everything Happens to Me,” “Just a Gigolo,” “Don’t I’ll give you a taste of with Frame of Mind (Jazzed Media – 1066) by Blame Me” and “Between the Devil and the Deep what you can expect the L.A. 6. The L.A. 6 are Clay Jenkins on trumpet, Blue Sea,” you can feel the inspiration that they got from some new CDs. Ira Nepus on trombone, Tom Peterson on tenor from Monk’s versions. Most of these tunes Monk sax, Rich Eames on piano, Jeff D’Angelo on bass played many times, sometimes as solo piano n At Jazzfest in 1999 we had as one of the bands and Dick Weller on drums. The 11-song program is pieces, and also in group sessions. Each of his MIKE LONGO and the NEW YORK STATE OF a mix of standards “I Wish I Knew,” “How About explorations of the tunes was unique, so Lewis THE ART JAZZ ENSEMBLE, a relatively new You,” “You’re My Thrill” and “If I Should Lose You;” had a lot of inspiration for his spirited approaches presence on the big band scene. Since then, the jazz tunes, ’s “The Eternal Triangle,” to the music. The album turns out to be a fun band has released four albums, and has, for the Frank Strazzeri’s “Frame of Mind” and Oliver listening experience. The players each have their past few years, been appearing in concert at the Nelson’s “Yearnin’;” and four originals, two by own voices, but the influence of Monk always NYC Baha’i Center several times a year. Live from Eames, and one each by Weller and Jenkins. The hovers in the background. Lewis has a terrific New York! (Consolidated Artists – 1041) was music is best described as straight ahead, much concept that he has kept fresh with each new recorded at the July 23, 2013 concert at this venue. with a West Coast jazz feeling, but with an recording. This is a keeper. (greglewismusic.com) The album contains eight selections, and captures occasional taste of hard bop. Each of these cats is n No matter how much one tries to keep on top of this impressive aggregation at the top of its game. a first-call type player. They keep things interesting the players on the scene, along comes an album It is manned by the cream of the crop of New York in both the ensemble moments, and when they from a terrific player with a lot of recordings who area jazz musicians playing Longo’s interesting and take the solo spotlight. The arrangements are has slipped under the radar. Such is the case with challenging arrangements. There are three Longo mostly by Eames and Peterson, with Weller and tenor saxophonist/flautist DAVID SILLS. Blue’s originals, Benny Golson’s “Whisper Not,” Denzil Jenkins providing the charts on their original the New Green (Gut String Records – 013) Best’s “Wee,” and three selections with outstanding pieces. This is their first album as a group, and finds him in the company of guitarist Larry Koonse, vocals by Ira Hawkins, “Over the Rainbow,” “I’m Old will hopefully serve as a launching pad for more pianist Chris Dawson, bassist Derek Oles and Fashioned,” arranged by Hawkins, and “Muddy in the future. Water.” The band is filled with fine soloists, and the (www.JazzedMedia.com) charts provide several of them space to stretch out. n For his first two Wanna hear something GOOD? This is first rate big band jazz from a superb group albums with his Organ of musicians. (store.fastcommerce.com) Monk group, organist GREG LEWIS n EARL McINTYRE is a master on both trombone concentrated on sandy sasso and tuba. He has been a member of many notable playing tunes written bands such as the Thad Jones- Orchestra, by Thelonious Monk. the Gil Evans Orchestra, ’s World of Quarte t On Organ Monk: Trombones and the Mingus Big Band during his four American Standard plus decades on the scene. Brass Carnival & (Greg Lewis), he turns Tribute! (Legend Factory) is his first outing as a the group’s attention to leader. There are two groups represented here. January 25 songs from the Great Brass Carnival is a 20-piece band comprised of 16 American Songbook that The Mill brass players, four on trumpet, one on , 101 Old Mill Rd. Monk addressed during three on French horn, three on trombone, three his career. The group is Spring Lake Heights, NJ 07762 on Euphoniums and two on tuba, plus three comprised of Lewis on (732) 449-1800 percussionists and a drummer. Tribute! is a sextet Hammond B3 organ, Ron featuring with McIntyre on tuba and bass trombone, Kenny Jackson on guitar, Riley Rio Clemente on piano, Rampton on trumpet, Vincent Chancey on French Mullins on trumpet, Mike Carino on bass and horn, Sam Burtis on trombone, Warren Smith on Reggie Woods on tenor Desi Norman on vibes. Vibraphone and Tambourine, and Vinnie Johnson sax and Jimmy Bean No cover, 8-11, on drums. The music from the large ensemble is Clemmons on drums. great food, mostly exciting and explosive, but they can be Monk had a singular beautiful room. deliciously subtle as on “All I Have to Give,” a vocal approach to anything that feature for Renee Manning. If you are like me, an he played, and his takes enthusiast for the sound of brass instruments, this on standards was often visit for more info is the album for you. (www.cdbaby.com) surprising. As they play www.sandysasso.com

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drummer Jake Reed for a program of 10 tasty by organist Ron Owanski and drummer Alvin songs performed by four empathetic artists, tunes. Seven of the selections were composed by Atkinson have produced a tasty gem titled Saucy empathetic with the music, and with each other. Sills, two are standards, “’Tis Autumn” and “I’m a (Planet Arts – 301318). Dempsey wrote five of (www.motema.com) Fool to Want You,” and the remaining track is “No the ten selections, and he has a nice gift for n At our last NJJS member’s social, a pleasant Moe” by Sonny Rollins. Sills has a nice tone on both melody. He is also a swinger on guitar, a gentleman approached me, and offered me a copy tenor sax and flute, is a mainstream style player, characteristic matched by his fellow players. The of his new CD to review. It was STEPHEN FULLER, and plays nicely flowing lines that are immediately sound that Dempsey gets on his instrument really appealing. His bandmates are equally adept at blends well with the sound of Oswanski’s organ. a Newark-based vocalist who had just recorded his finding a nice level of accessibility while remaining Atkinson is among the most versatile of drummers, first album. Expressions of the Heart (Fuller creative and interesting. Jazz is a fragile art, with and fits into this trio perfectly. Saucy is a well Sounds – 1001) proved to be a most appealing listeners as varied as the players. This group hits named album, as it reflects the spirit of this trio. collection by a singer with a rich, smooth vocal my ears in just the right way, and the album (www.tomdempseymusic.com) style. He has a fine band in support, Lou Rainone gets a big thumbs up from this corner. on piano, Bob DeVos on guitar, Diane Perry on n In June of 2011, CLAIRE MARTIN and RICHARD (www.gutstringrecords.com) violin, Karl Kaminski on bass and Greg Bufford on RODNEY BENNETT performed a memorable drums, with percussionist Geovanni Arencibia n program of songs by Irving Berlin at the Oak Room The STAN GETZ QUARTET on Live at present on three tracks. The program is eclectic, a Montreux 1972 (Eagle Records — 203322) is of the Algonquin Hotel. Say It Isn’t So (Linn bit of soul, “With You I’m Born Again,” “On and On” Getz on tenor sax, Chick Corea on piano, Stanley Records – 454) is a studio recording that contains and “Caribbean Queen;” a taste of bossa Clarke on bass and Tony Williams on drums. Corea, 14 of the songs that were performed in their live nova,”Dindi;” standards, “Send in the Clowns” and Clarke and Williams were major contributors to the program. Supported by Bennett’s piano, they share “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life;” and jazz/rock fusion movement, and Getz was flirting the vocalizing. The selections are bookended some pop/rock, “Time After Time” and “And I Love with this scene when the concert captured on this appropriately by “Steppin’ Out,” sung by Martin, Her,” but Rainone’s arrangements give them all a disc took place. It was an experiment with mixed and “Waiting at the End of the Road,” performed as jazz flavor. The musical voices of Rainone, DeVos results. On “Lush Life” and “I Remember Clifford,” a vocal duet. In between, Martin gives us “Love You and Perry lend strong support to Fuller’s vocalizing. Getz seems at home, and he plays in his normal Didn’t Do Right By Me,” “How Deep Is the Ocean,” Fuller is a confident singer who has created an lyrical style, The other five selections are Corea “Better Luck Next Time” and “What’ll I Do,” plus album that should have appeal to a wide audience. originals, and while Getz seems to be in the spirit two medleys, “Get Thee Behind Me Satan/I Got (www.fullersounds.com) of the moment, it never sounds quite like the Stan Lost in His Arms” and “Shakin’ the Blues Away/ Getz that captured the ears and enthusiasm of his Blue Skies.” Her rich voice caresses each selection. n Perhaps the most unique concept album to arrive fan base. The meeting of Getz and this rhythm Bennett applies his lighter sound to “Change in the mail this year is Bella Napoli (Capri – section generates a lot of excitement, but it never Partners,” “He Ain’t Got Rhythm,” “Lonely Heart” 74129), a collection of Neapolitan songs performed seems like a comfortable fit. This concert is also and “Say It Isn’t So.” Bennett’s arrangements in a jazz context by a group led by baritone available on a DVD. (www.eaglerockent.com) provide a perfect setting for their singing. Although relatively brief in length, this is a terrific taste of the saxophonist GARY SMULYAN, and featuring n BOB DeVOS and his guitar have been a steady genius of Berlin. (www.linnrecords.com) vocals by DOMINIC CHIANESE. Smulyan enlisted presence on the New Jersey jazz scene for over Jeff Lederer as the arranger and musical director, n CHRISTINE EBERSOLE is a familiar presence in four decades. His blues-based style has lent itself engaged pianist/accordionist Gary Versace, the worlds of Broadway musical theater and perfectly to the classic trio format of organ, guitar bassist Martin Wind, drummer Matt Wilson and cabaret. On Strings Attached (Motéma – 132) and drums, and this has been a frequent setting for mandolinist/violinist Joseph Brent as bandmates. she finds herself in a more jazz-oriented setting DeVos during his career. He got his professional The result is an album with five instrumental tracks, among violinist Aaron Weinstein, who provided the start playing organist Trudy Pitts. For Shadow Box “Funiculi Funicula,” “O Saracino,” “Tre Veglia e hip arrangements, pianist Tedd Firth and bassist (American Showplace – 5922), DeVos is in the Sonno,” “Fenestra Che Lucive” and “Pegue;” five Tom Hubbard. The lineup of tunes leans heavily on company of some familiar partners, Dan Kostelnik selections where Chianese adds vocals, “Anema e standards from the Great American Songbook, but on Hammond B-3 organ, and Steve Johns on drums. Core,” “Marechiare,” “O Sole Mio,” “A Vucchella” there are a few surprises. A couple of the tunes Another instrument often found in organ groups is and “Dicitencello Vuie!” plus Chianese’s a capella come from the country and western world. The the tenor sax, and on five of the 11 tracks, Ralph take on “Santa Lucia Lontana.” I am not Italian, “Am I Blue” that she includes is not the song made Bowen adds his tenor work. DeVos contributed five famous by Ethel Waters, rather one that was a hit nor do I pretend to be familiar with most of this originals to the program, and they fit in comfortably for George Strait. In medley with “After You’ve material, but I found the album enchanting. with the likes of “Pensitiva,” “Wives and Lovers” and Gone,” she sings “Too Gone Too Long,” a staple Samulyan has a distinctive sound on baritone, “Born to Be Blue.” This is a meeting of compatible of the Randy Travis book. Ebersole also makes a somewhat hard-edged. Chianese, best known for musical minds that is a pleasure to hear. When they couple of trips to the Disney songbook for her last playing the role of Uncle Junior on The Sopranos, fall into an easy groove as they do on songs like two selections, “Something There” from Beauty and does not have a polished voice, nor is there any “Basie in Mind” or “Born to Be Blue,” it is kick off the Beast, and “La La Lu” from Lady and the Tramp. jazz element in his singing, but the songs are part your shoes and put your head back time, but for Ebersole is not a jazz singer, but she is right at of his life, and he sings them effectively, and with most of the time the album is a real cooker. home with Weinstein’s arrangements. Weinstein is deep emotion. The use of the mandolin, accordion (www.bobdevosjazzguitar.com) as good as it gets when it comes to jazz violinists, and violin lends a Neopolitan feeling to the project. n This was the month for guitar/organ/drums trio Firth is a top tier accompanist, and Hubbard enjoys Bella Napoli is a most welcome surprise! albums. Guitarist TOM DEMPSEY, accompanied a similar status. All in all, this is a set of terrific (www.caprirecords.com) JJ

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After Midnight Show at Brooks Atkinson Celebrates Cotton Club Legacy By Robert L. Daniels ump for joy! Those of a certain in Rhythm’” and “The Mooch’” Jage will surely recognize fond which is often considered the echoes of Lena Horne, the quintessential jungle music piece. Nicholas Brothers, Cab Calloway, From the Arlen songbook there is John Bubbles, Bill “Bojangles” “Stormy Weather” sung with a Robinson and the Four Step smoldering sense of loss by Brothers, among others on the Fantasia Barrino, the American stage of the Brooks Atkinson Idol winner who has matured into Theater. None of these names are a classy young chanteuse. She also spoken or noted in After Midnight, brings cheeky humor to the Fields- but the spunky and exuberant new McHugh strut “On the Sunny Side Broadway musical revue pays of the Street” and Cab Calloway’s loving homage to the musical call and response, “Zaz Zuh Zaz.” glory days of Harlem in the thirties The show drips with class, humor and the formidable legacy of the and boundless joy. The costume Cotton Club. Season three America Idol winner Fantasia Barrino appears in the role of “Special Guest Star” in After Midnight at the Brooks Atkinson Theater. design has been created with an But even more than its glittering array of plumes and feathers, top roster of singers and dancers is the danced with the Charlie Barnet band. hats and tails by Isabel Toledo. music and lyrics of such creative icons as The band also provided haunting Warren Carlyle is responsible for the Duke Ellington, Harold Arlen, E. Y. “Yip” accompaniment for soprano Carmen Ruby dazzling choreography and the sizzlingly- Harburg, Dorothy Fields and Jimmy Floyd’s creamy wordless vocal to “Creole paced direction. JJ McHugh. It’s a veritable treasure trove of Love Call.” I first heard the piece at the enduring pop and blues classics gathered Paramount when together for the fastest 90 minutes on Duke accompanied Broadway. “There are over a dozen the late Kay Davis. Ellington pieces, beginning with an overture Ms. Floyd added a of ‘Daybreak Express,’” performed by the touch of eye-rolling, JALC All-Stars celebrating the singing rails winking humor to her and whirling whistles of a high speed rendering of the express train. soulful lament that Another memorable jazz classic featured was most amusing. tapper Jared Grimes dancing to “It Don’t Other Ellington Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” classics included a in a slickly elegant routine that summoned loping “East St. Louis memories of Bunny Briggs who often Toodle-oo,” “Rockin’

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On The Road | For Vaché and Corrao, It’s a Walk in the Park

By Gloria Krolak

ust think: If you could walk quipped, “I spent 40 years Jto a charming trattoria where playing the trumpet, sing one the food is worth going out for, song badly and everybody and you could hear top-flight applauds!” musicians, with no cover, The two men have played wouldn’t that be your kind of together for only a few years, a scene? For lucky Highland relationship built on mutual Parkers, the Italian Bistro is on respect. As Vaché put it, “You the main thoroughfare, Raritan can only practice by yourself so Avenue, also known as Route much,” adding earnestly, “I’m 27. Add an attentive but never here for the chance to play intrusive European wait staff with Vinnie.” The maestros (no one sidles up to proclaim, and the bistro are a good “Hi folks, I’ll be your waiter match; they have the same tonight!”) and a wine list that is casual air cultivated through both inclusive and affordable. rigorous practice and high That’s my kind of bistro. standards. Rudy Hisena has owned the At Highland Park’s Italian Bistro, Vinnie Corrao and Warren Vaché share the stage. Dining tables are well spaced. modestly named Italian Bistro Photo by Michael Ryan. for three years. A successful Waiters move around with ease and others’ conversations New Jersey restaurateur — he piano and played three short sets of duets. don’t intrude on your own. Not even from also owns the very popular Dora in Corrao chose most of the tunes, playing that table of 10. We ate well for very little. Clinton; Square in Morristown; Trattoria straight man to the wisecracking Vaché, and The kitchen offers a daily (except Saturday) Amici in Gladstone, and Trattoria Torino he was the horn man’s rhythm section prix fixe menu, under $20 for three courses, in Warren — I was surprised to find during solos. Vaché never seems to take with a choice of two for each course. There him tending bar. Hisena’s Bistro is himself seriously, but that’s all right, his is a small assortment of wines that can be unpretentious, comfortable and impeccably lifetime of playing speaks for him. His solos ordered by the glass; the rest of the vino is clean. About a year ago, he brought jazz into were understated, not trying to impress bottled. The room seats the mix, and now both locals and out-of- anybody. Warren made his points with 90 people easily. For larger private parties it towners can enjoy live music Wednesdays subtle melodic phrasing and emotional can expand to about 140. and Friday through Sunday. On Thursday depth. Corrao’s solos were warm, evenings you can hear live music, too, just sometimes lush, sometimes spare, always If you have to drive, there’s parking behind not jazz. Friday nights, John Bianculli plays full of feeling, the artistry of a master the establishment and even on the street if solo piano or with guests. (See their Jersey completely comfortable with his instrument. you arrive a little early. In nice weather, Jazz ad for more details.) Which brings me Somehow you didn’t miss bass, drums or there’s a patio for outdoor dining. New to why we went there. piano; the two men stayed closely tethered, Jersey Transit runs bus service through Cornetist Warren Vaché and guitarist alternating solos and supporting each other Highland Park from both the Woodbridge Vinnie Corrao are both solidly throughout as equal partners. If their Center mall and New Brunswick train accomplished native sons. Their bios list a melancholy “Cry Me a River,” the ultimate station, so you can catch a ride from either Who’s Who of musicians, orchestral and payback-is-a-witch song, didn’t get to you, direction. it might be time for a pulse check. otherwise, with whom each has played, PJ’s Coffee House, also on Raritan Avenue major venues where they have appeared, The night was filled with sweet and swinging in Highland Park, features a jazz jam on and recordings and movies to which they standards like “Star Eyes,” “Witchcraft,” Sunday afternoons, 1–5 pm. Jazz in the have contributed. They combined as a duo and a very naughty cornet on “Makin’ Park. Make it! JJ to play the Wednesday night gig in Whoopee.” In the last set, when Vaché sang November, at hours — 6:30 to 9:30 pm — Irving Berlin’s “All By Myself” á la Satchmo, Italian Bistro to please even the early risers among us. the room suddenly grew quiet. Even the 441 Raritan Ave., Highland Park, NJ Without introduction, the two veterans spirited table of 10 near us stopped talking No cover mounted the small strip of stage left by the long enough to listen. Afterwards Vaché 732-640-1959

Gloria Krolak is host of Good Vibes at www.jazzon2.org.

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time, and consistently adds the right accents conversation during an Encores! production at the right times. of Cotton Club Parade, a show with much Caught in Harris, who has a steady gig at Bemelman’s creative input from Marsalis, between Peter Act Bar at the Carlyle Hotel from 9:30 pm, Gethers, editor of two books of lyrics by the Tuesday–Saturday, through the end of the Stephen Sondheim, and Jack Viertel, Artistic By Joe Lang year, is a performer who immediately Director of the Encores! series at New York Past NJJS President establishes a natural rapport with his City Center was the genesis for A Bed and audience. If you get a chance to dig him in a Chair, the fascinating and satisfying LOSTON HARRIS person, take advantage of the opportunity. blending of the artistry of Sondheim and Marsalis that played for seven performances Birdland, NYC | Nov. 12 In the meantime, make sure to check out Swingfully Yours. at City Center. Singer/pianist Loston Harris celebrated the For too long, there has been a lack of release of his new CD, Swingfully Yours, interest by most jazz players in the music (see Other Views column in December 2013 A BED AND A CHAIR: A New York Love affair of Stephen Sondheim, with the notable issue) with an appropriately swinging first exception of the wonderful series of piano set at Birdland on November 12. Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra trio albums by Terry Trotter in the 1990s. Most of the music he played on this Cyrille Aimée/Jeremy Jordan/ In recent years that disconnect has started occasion was included on the new album. Norm Lewis/Bernadette Peters to be mended by several jazz artists like Bill All of the cats in the band, Harris on piano, New York City Center | Nov. 13 –17 Mays, Tommy Cecil and Terry Vosbein who Ian Hendrickson-Smith on tenor sax, Mark have devoted albums to Sondheim’s music. How did it come to pass that the acclaimed Whitfield on guitar, Gianluca Renzi on bass A Bed and a Chair brought a big band Encores! series produced an original piece and Clarence Penn on drums, got a chance exploration of some two dozen Sondheim bringing together the Broadway theater to introduce their talents to the audience on melodies as the backing for vocal music of Stephen Sondheim and the jazz the instrumental opener, “Kiss and Run.” explorations of his lyrics by one singer from aesthetic of Wynton Marsalis, Artistic the world of jazz, Cyrille Aimée, and three Harris is a high energy performer, and he Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center? A gave enthusiastic readings of with Broadway credentials, Bernadette standards like “Let’s Fall in Peters, Jeremy Jordan and Love,” “I’m Old Fashioned” Norm Lewis. In addition, and “How About You.” Two several selections are dance tunes that almost demand this numbers choreographed by Expressions of the Heart Parker Esse, and performed by high energy approach are “Hey A Brand New CD from Stephen Fuller You with the Crazy Eyes” and Meg Gilleneine, Tyler Haynes, “You Can’t Love ’em All,” and “timeless hits, with a unique fresh spin” Grasan Kingsberry and he nails them. Elizabeth Parkinson. The Featuring Bob DeVos guitar | Carrie Jackson bkg. vocals Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra There is a gentler side to Harris Diane Perry violin | Geovanni Arencibia percussion performed the music on the as he showed on “If I Only Had Greg Bufford drums | Karl Kaminski bass | Lou Rainone piano City Center stage under the a Brain.” direction of David Loud. “All I Need Is the Girl” got Available on iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby and at other fine outlets. off to a jazzy start with a In addition to arranging several Monkish piano intro, and of the pieces himself, Marsalis also featured a nicely creative January 31 engaged the talents of four bass solo from Renzi. 2014 members of the LCJO, Ted Nash, Vincent Gardner, Victor The band was outstanding. 7 – 10pm Goines and Sherman Irby, and Harris is a scintillating pianist. Hibiscus American Hendrickson-Smith is a and Caribbean Cuisine Richard DeRosa, a member of constant joy to hear. Whitfield (Inside the Best Western the Jazz Studies faculty at North showed why he has been a Morristown Inn) Texas University. They have major presence on jazz guitar 270 South Street created the musical landscape for several decades. Renzi is a Morristown, NJ 07960 for the production developed bass player who makes you sit Reservations suggested and directed by John Doyle, who up and take notice when he 973-359-0200 had lent his talent to unique solos, and is a steady rhythmic BYOB www.fullersounds.com interpretations of several other presence. Penn keeps great Sondheim shows.

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A Bed and a Chair traces the romantic “Rainbows,” written for the currently under delivering informative commentary to relationships of four New Yorkers, two production film version of Into the Woods, enhance the flow of this kind of thematic millennials and two from the age group were uncovered and included. Also show. Her supporting musicians, pianist/ generally referred to as baby boomers. This interesting is that Sondheim’s most musical director Jon Weber, and bassist is done without any dialogue, relying on the performed song, “Send in the Clowns,” is Steve Doyle provided a perfect musical bed flow of the lyrics to paint the picture of their performed here as a dance number, leaving for Oberlin’s vocalizing. interconnectedness. The dancers serve as the observers to hear the familiar lyrics in She opened the show with a rarely heard shadow selves of the principals, giving more their minds. tune from an obscure 1936 film musical, explicit depictions of the actions implied in While A Bed and a Chair may not satisfy all Stage Struck, “Fancy Meeting You,” an early the story told by the lyrics. As a backdrop Sondheim purists, it definitely seemed to Arlen/Harburg creation. After addressing for the action, there is a huge framed video strike a strongly positive chord with those another Arlen/Harburg tune, “It’s Only a screen that captures images of New York who attended the performance on Saturday Paper Moon,” this one with Billy Rose City intended to enhance the evolving story, afternoon. It certainly deserves to have a life credited as a co-writer, Oberlin gave a few sometimes setting a mood, and in other beyond this brief run, at a minimum as a examples of the work that Arlen and instances offering direct visual references to recording, and hopefully in a more Harburg did with other collaborators. Arlen the content of the lyrics. extended live production. and Ted Koehler created “I’ve Got the Each of the performers sings impressively. World on a String,” while Harburg and Jay Aimée, coming from a jazz background, KAREN OBERLIN Gorney created a song deeply associated best relates directly to the jazzy with the Great Depression, “Brother, Can arrangements. Despite not having a musical THE WIZARDS OF OZ: You Spare a Dime?” Oberlin gave a breezy, theater background, Aimée effectively The Songs of mid-tempo reading to “World on a String,” captured the character she played. Peters Arlen and Harburg while her take on “Brother” was intense is a performer who dominates whatever Café Carlyle, NYC | Nov/ 14 and passionate. character she is engaged to play. She is not a Both Harold Arlen continued on page 46 jazz singer, but her effervescent performance and E. Y. “Yip” of her first number, “Broadway Baby,” lets Harburg had several you know that she can interface effectively songwriting partners, with the jazz backing. While “The Ladies but their work Who Lunch” has been indelibly stamped together stretched, with the landmark performance of it by on and off, from Elaine Stritch in the original cast of their earliest works Company, Peters gives it a reading that was together in the early equally memorable in its own way. Jordan 1930s to the 1960s. and Lewis have strong voices, and sing They had a natural their selections with fine feeling for the empathy that came lyrics, but they are strictly Broadway in through in their their performances. perfect blending of The orchestra is a marvel. These are words and music. musicians used to playing as a unit, The magical and they are absolutely on top of the creations of this scintillating arrangements. There are not special combination Tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin goes over the drill at a sound check for the solo opportunities that they usually find were brought to “Tenor Madness,” produced by pianist at the Da Capo Theater in NYC on in their concert performances, but the joy of vibrant life by February 5, 2009. Listening intently are bassist Martin Wind and drummer Tim Horner. playing this music and these charts seemed Karen Oberlin at enough to propel them to match their the Café Carlyle on Fran Kaufman photographs the world of jazz normal high standards. November 14. —on stage and behind the scenes.

Doyle did a fine job of pulling the disparate Oberlin is possessed See what’s happening—with a new photo every day— elements together into an effective whole. of a fine voice, great on the WBGO Photoblog. Most impressive was the way that the songs, sensitivity for lyrics, taken from 12 different shows and films, and a nice swing Check out where Fran’s hanging, were performed in sequences that flowed feeling when the and see what she sees, at seamlessly from one to the next. Especially arrangement www.wbgo.org/photoblog noteworthy is the way that songs like “That suggests it. She is also Old Piano Roll,” cut from Follies, and adept at creating and

January 2014 ______45 ­­JerseyReviewsJazz caught in the act Especially impressive was pianist Dean anywhere, both having received World Schneider. Premier recordongs on the first volume of continued from page 45 All of this was greeted with enthusiasm by the Dutch Jazz Orchestra Strayhorn albums, the sold-out crowd who gave Lippia and his Portrait of a Silk Thread. “Pentonsilic” is From this point on, the program was band a standing ovation at the conclusion of mini-suite that some believe to have been a devoted strictly to the Arlen/Harburg the concert. precursor to Black, Brown and Beige, one catalog. Her selections showed the wide of the most famous of the extended pieces stylistic scope of their work together. The performed by the Duke Ellington Orchestra. tunes included “Fun to Be Fooled,” “Last MICHAEL HASHIM It starts out with a peaceful interlude, but Night When We Were Young,” “Down and the BILLY STRAYHORN the tempo increases as the piece progresses, with Love,” “If I Only Had a Brain,” ORCHESTRA building to a dynamic conclusion. “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead,” “Lydia Strayhorn in the Foreground “Cashmere Cutie” is a selection that has a the Tattooed Lady,” “Happiness Is Just a Miller Theater, Columbia University, NYC | Nov, 21 Latin feeling, with a rich unison chart that Thing Called Joe,” “Napoleon,” “Silent builds in intensity. Spring,’” “Over the Rainbow” and “Right Under the auspices of the Center for Jazz “Swing Dance” was a number that As the Rain.” Studies at Columbia University, Michael Hashim led The Billy Strayhorn Orchestra, Strayhorn wrote for the Harlem-based Oberlin provided a superb overview of the a 15-piece all-star ensemble, through an dance group the Copasetics, and it brought impressive output of these two giants of the impressive program of compositions by a couple in the front of the audience to their Great American Songbook, and did so in an Billy Strayhorn. Commentary was feet for some hot stepping. A favorite entertaining and often emotional manner. provided by David Hajdu, a professor Strayhorn piece with jazz musicians is “The of Journalism at Columbia University, Intimacy of the Blues.” Here is provided STEVE LIPPIA and the author of an acclaimed biography solo opportunities for several players. Simply Sinatra of Strayhorn, Lush Life. Strayhorn’s arranging talents were Allentown Community Concert Association Hashim, who has had a long affinity for occasionally applied to popular standards. Parkland High School Performing Arts Center, Strayhorn’s music, was a perfect choice to To illustrate this aspect of Strayhorn’s Allentown PA | Nov. 15 lead this program. He selected an eclectic artistry, the band played his charts on “I’ll Steve Lippia made the one and one-half program of compositions from the Buy That Dream” and “Moon River.” hour drive to Allentown worth the effort Strayhorn catalog, ranging from the The concert concluded with two of with a dynamic couple of sets devoted to familiar to the obscure. Many of the Strayhorn’s more familiar compositions, music performed by Frank Sinatra. selections featured the original “Passion Flower” with some beautiful alto Backed by a 10-piece band under the arrangements of Strayhorn, recreated from work by Hashim, and “Raincheck” featuring direction of Musical Director/trombonist Strayhorn’s manuscripts thanks to the some fine piano from Mike LeDonne, and Steve Sigmund, Lippia captured the spirit diligent work of Walter Van de Leur, a Tad Shull’s tenor mastery. and sound of Sinatra, but never made it Dutch researcher and educator who did much of this work in connection with a The band was simply superb, and Hashim seem like he was trying to be a Sinatra clone. was obviously having a grand time leading His natural voice is close to the sound of series of albums of Strayhorn’s music by the Dutch Jazz Orchestra. such an impressive aggregation. In addition Sinatra’s, but he does not adopt Sinatra’s to the players mentioned above, there were mannerisms, rather comes across as a Hashim chose to open the concert with a Seneca Black, Marty Bound and Freddie genuine cat who digs the music, has nice medium swing tune titled “Midriff.” Hendrix on trumpets; Art Baron, David absorbed the Sinatra influence, but has Following the more familiar “Chelsea Gibson and Clarence Banks on trombones; allowed his own personality to come with Bridge” and “U.M.M.G,” they played an Ed Pazant, Scott Robinson and Lauren him onto the stage. early 1940s piece announced as “Lament Sevian in the reed section; Kelly Friesen on for an Orchid,” apparently one of several Among the songs that Lippia performed bass; and Kenny Washington on drums. titles that this lovely ballad enjoyed. were familiar, selections like “I’ve Got You Each player was given solo opportunities, Under My Skin,” “For Once in My Life,” Two memorable selections were “All Day and all showed that they were right at home “I’ve Got the World on a String,” “Fly Me Long,” a peppy number featuring some in the spotlight. to the Moon,” “Come Fly with Me,” “My fine trumpet work by Jordan Sandke, and This was a memorable tribute to one of Way” and, of course, “Theme from New the haunting “Bloodcount,” Strayhorn’s the giants of jazz composition, Billy York, New York.” last composition, with the lead played Strayhorn. His music continues to attract The band was first-rate, sounding like a beautifully by Hashim on alto sax. the attention of a wide range of jazz larger group than it was. They were tight in Two of the pieces were given their first players, and will do so as long as this their ensemble playing, and took good performances in New York City, and these music is alive. It certainly was exactly advantage of the limited solo opportunities. might have been the first live performances that on this occasion. JJ

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Celebrating Laurie Frink | Maria Schneider At The Jazz Standard By Schaen Fox

n Tuesday November 26 the Maria never just put herself on automatic. She also Thanks to a serious train delay, we arrived OSchneider Orchestra returned to the overcame enormous physical difficulties to at the club almost an hour later than Jazz Standard for its annual Thanksgiving keep her playing in top form. I think almost intended. By then, there were few seating week engagement. This is always a sold-out no one knew the mountains she climbed. She choices remaining. The young man showing week for the club as fans come in from definitely put into practice all that she taught us in advised we take a table by the wall near literally all over the world just for this gig. against recoveries from surgeries and many the stage. I was dubious, but he assured us One year we sat next to a family from things to keep herself in top form. I know that, while our view was partially blocked, Sweden on one side and a couple from that privately, she endured a hell, but to the sound would be very good. He was right California on the other. This time we were everyone around her, she would always be a and I now suspect that, with the probable next to a couple from Harlem, but they had buoy. I loved the humor she could bring to exception of the lavatories, there isn’t a poor waited to enter along with a man from bad situations. She helped me a lot in that listening location in the club. Japan. The band was scheduled to perform regard. She was hard-working and serious, but also a sensitive, generous, expressive, in his country within a few weeks, but he The orchestra is an 18-musician ensemble artistic and kind human being. She was may have wanted to see them on what has of four trumpets, four trombones, five amazing…really. become virtually their “home court.” saxophones, piano, bass, drums, guitar and This year had one sad difference from the “She was a magnificent potter, and for that accordion. (Maria fits that last instrument past engagements. Several months ago, reason my piece is called ‘A Potter’s Song.’ so beautifully into her arrangements that I trumpeter and teacher Laurie Frink, a It’s not dour. I tried to make something wonder why more orchestras do not use it. member of the orchestra from its beginning, beautiful, filled with lightness. I basically just No, I’m not joking. Gary Versace is just that died after a long struggle with cancer. (Her wrote what came to me and didn’t overthink talented, and Maria uses his skills to great obituary ran in the September 2013 issue of how it was ‘Laurie.’ Hopefully it just is effect.) Every composition the band Jersey Jazz.) The outpouring of love and because of the spirit it was written with.” performed was written by Maria and three admiration from her fellow musicians in the To further honor her departed friend, — “Last Season,” Lembranca” and “Home” days after her passing left no doubt as to Maria dedicated the week-long e — are yet to be recorded. “Home,” she said, what she meant to them. Maria also put her ngagement to her and premiered the was commissioned by a fan through the grief into the form of a new work dedicated work that night. Unfortunately for us, ArtistShare website. (This site allows an to her lost friend. we attended the first set. Because Laurie’s artist to share their creative process with partner was attending the second set, she their public as well as gain financing for Maria e-mailed this to Jersey Jazz about held the debut of that special piece back new works.) The musicians were inspired, Laurie and the new piece: for him. She has also put access to a the music was wonderful and the time flew “Laurie firstly was just a stellar musician, free 16-minute long video about the by. Maria Schneider is an artist who creates always quietly just playing her parts flawlessly development of “A Potter’s Song” on her masterpieces of sound. Her performances and with a sense of line and beauty. She website. (Visit mariaschneider.com to view.) always leave us exhilarated. JJ

Vocalist Giacomo Gates performing at a well-attended NJJS Jazz Social at Shanghai Jazz in Madison on November 17. Why not join us for the next Social when pianist Conal Fowkes returns to Shanghai on January 21 at 3 pm?

Photo by Mitchell Seidel

January 2014 ______47 New JerseyJazzSociety

From the Crow’s Nest By Bill Crow

n In 1955, Howard to eventually join the Ellington band, asked him: “Is that a cornet?” He answered: and Warne Marsh but it never came to pass. Ellington’s health “Yes, it was my great uncle’s.” Ron asked, recorded an experiment was failing, and he passed away before they “Who’s your uncle?” and the kid said, “Nat with time displacement, came to an agreement. During their Adderley!” Then, to Ron’s delight, he played playing the last chorus conversation when they met at Duke’s home, “Work Song” by his great uncle. of the bebop standard “Donna Lee” starting Ellington said to Howard, “Tell me what’s n I found this one on the Internet: Pablo one beat early and keeping it there while the nice here.” Howard pointed to Duke’s grand Casals was asked why, at the age of 90, he still rhythm section stayed with the original piano and said, “That’s nice.” “Describe it,” practiced the cello. He replied, “Because I placement. This is how Kenny Berger tells the prompted Duke. “Well, it has white keys and think I’m making progress.” story, which appeared on Facebook: “Around black keys…” “And,” said Ellington, “don’t 1976, Lee Konitz tried to get all six horns in the white keys and the black keys make n Peter Rubie told Bill Wurtzel that Jack his Nonet to play ‘Donna Lee’ starting on beat beautiful music together?” Wilkins once stuffed a towel in his guitar to cut down the feedback. Jack called it the two rather than the customary beat three. n Dick Rose, an old friend of mine from high Towel Farlow model. After several train wrecks, Burt Collins cried school in Kirkland, Washington, told me out ‘Okay, who’s the idiot who keeps playing about a band he once played with in the n Brian Nalepka was playing an Oktoberfest it right?’ At the end of the same rehearsal Northwest whose leader’s command of the gig on tuba. The band, wearing lederhosen, John Eckert said to Lee, ‘After all these years English language wasn’t too good. A dance was in a barn, playing “Tavern in the Town” thinking you were years ahead of your time, team was on the bill with them, and liked to or something like that. A gentleman stepped it turns out you were only one beat ahead!’” be introduced with the descriptive phrase, up and asked to make a request. He wanted to (By the way, some readers may not know that “Poetry In Motion.” Unfortunately, the hear “The Folks Who Live On The Hill,” a Miles Davis wrote “Donna Lee.” The tune is bandleader transformed “poetry” into beautiful Jerome Kern song. The leader often misattributed to Charlie Parker. It was “poultry.” The band had a hard time keeping thought for a second and said “How about actually Miles’ first recorded composition, their embouchures while laughing. ‘Blueberry Hill’?” The man looked dejected written in 1947.) and said “No, thanks,” and walked away. JJ n On Facebook, Dave Edwards posted: A n Back in his busiest days, Joe Shepley was at local killer saxophonist… hired a sideman home one morning practicing some slow to play a gig up in Lake Tahoe. When asked figures from the Arban book to strengthen his for directions to the gig, the leader said, “You chops. dropped by, and after drive up the hill, and when you see greeting him, Joe went back to his practicing. the sun, you make a left.” violinist vocalist Ruby listened for a bit and then asked why he E was doing it. Joe said, “Well, you know, when n Scott Robinson was playing in Philadelphia I go into the studio, I never know what I’m a while ago with Ryan Keberle’s quartet. At the DianeLook for her Perry going to have to play. I have to be ready.” sound check, Ryan passed out the parts to a highly anticipated debut CD After a few more pages in the Arban book, new piece of music, on which he wanted an Joe went upstairs to make a phone call, and intro that was floaty and “A minor-ish.” On Out Of before long he heard Ruby playing his horn, the part, he had written the symbol for My Dreams trying out the Arban exercises. But within A-minor (Am) followed by the suffix “ish.” four measures of it, Joe said Ruby began Bassist Jorge Roeder looked up from his part featuring songs by improvising little runs and decorations. It with a perplexed expression and asked, HOAGY CARMICHAEL JIMMY VAN HEUSEN was impossible for Ruby to not play jazz. “What’s Amish jazz?” Scott told him that he had to start by unplugging his amplifier. IRVING BERLIN n Howard Hirsch’s reputation as a JOHNNY MANDEL n Ron McClure told me about a nice moment RODGERS & percussionist had reached Duke Ellington, and HAMMERSTEIN in the early 1970s Duke called Howard and in jazz education. He said a kid came into ANTHONY NEWLEY asked him to drop by. This was an overture for NYU jazz auditions carrying a horn case. Ron and DIANE PERRY

Available Bill Crow is a freelance musician and writer. His articles and reviews have appeared in Down Beat, The Jazz SOON! Review, and Gene Lee’s Jazzletter. His books include Jazz Anecdotes, From Birdland to Broadway and Jazz Anecdotes: Second Time Around. The preceding stories are excerpted, with permission, from Bill’s column, DianePerryJazz.com The Band Room in Allegro, the monthly newsletter of A.F. of M. Local 802.

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NJJS Offers Patron Level Benefits he New Jersey Jazz Society is a non-profit organization with a number of About NJJS Mission Statement: The mission of the New Jersey Jazz Society is to promote and T ambitious programs and a finite level of resources. Event ticket sales and preserve the great American musical art form known as Jazz through live jazz member dues cover only a fraction of our expenses, making it necessary to find performances and educational outreach initiatives and scholarships. sponsors and partners to help us make ends meet. Your donations in excess of To accomplish our Mission, we produce a monthly magazine, JERSEY JAZZ, sponsor basic member dues are a great way of partnering with us, and very much needed. live jazz events, and provide scholarships to New Jersey college students studying jazz. Through our outreach program, “Generations of Jazz,” we go into schools to In an effort to encourage higher-level memberships, New Jersey Jazz Society has teach students about the history of jazz while engaging them in an entertaining and defined several new categories of benefits for such donors. ______interactive presentation. Founded in 1972, the Society is run by a board of directors who meet monthly to Fan ($75 – 99): acknowledgement in Jersey Jazz conduct the business of staging our music festivals, awarding scholarships to New Jersey college jazz students, conducting Generations of Jazz programs in local Jazzer ($100 – 249): acknowledgement in Jersey Jazz, 1 Pee Wee Stomp ticket school systems, and inducting pioneers and legends of jazz into the American Jazz plus preferred, reserved seating Hall of Fame, among other things. The membership is comprised of jazz devotees from all parts of the state, the country and the world. Sideman ($250 – 499): acknowledgement in Jersey Jazz, 2 Pee Wee Stomp The New Jersey Jazz Society is a qualified organization of the New Jersey Cultural tickets, 1 Jazzfest ticket, plus preferred, reserved seating at both events Trust. Visit www.njjs.org, e-mail [email protected], or call the HOTLINE 1-800-303-NJJS Bandleader ($500+): acknowledgement in Jersey Jazz, 2 Pee Wee Stomp for more information on any of our programs and services: Generations of Jazz (our Jazz in the Schools Program) tickets, 4 Jazzfest tickets, plus preferred, reserved seating at both events Jazzfest (summer jazz festival) Please consider making an extra donation in one of these amounts, or an amount Pee Wee Russell Memorial Stomp e-mail updates of your choosing. Donations are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. For ’Round Jersey (Regional Jazz Concert Series): Ocean County College Bickford Theatre/Morris more information, contact Caryl Anne McBride at [email protected] or call 973-366-8818. To make a donation right away, send a check to NJJS, c/o Student scholarships American Jazz Hall of Fame JJ Larissa Rozenfeld, PO Box 232, Madison, NJ 07940. Member Benefits What do you get for your dues? n Jersey Jazz Journal — a monthly journal considered one of the best jazz society publications in the country, packed with feature articles, photos, jazz calendars, upcoming events and news about the NJ Jazz Society. | n FREE Jazz Socials — See www.njjs.org and Jersey Jazz for updates. CTSIMAGES The Face of Jazz n FREE Film Series — See www.njjs.org and Jersey Jazz for updates. Licensing • Research • Appraisals n Musical Events — NJJS sponsors and co-produces a number of jazz events each year, ranging from intimate concerts to large dance parties and picnics. Members receive discounts on ticket prices for the Pee Wee Russell Memorial Stomp and Jazzfest. Plus there’s a free concert at the Annual Meeting in December and occasionally other free concerts. Ticket discounts (where possible) apply to 2 adults, plus children under 18 years of age. Singles may purchase two tickets at member prices. n The Record Bin — a collection of CDs, not generally found in music stores, available at reduced prices at most NJJS concerts and events and through mail order. Contact [email protected] for a catalog. Join NJJS MEMBERSHIP LEVELS Member benefits are subject to update. n Family $40: See above for details. n Family 3-YEAR $100: See above for details. n Youth $20: For people under 25 years of age. Be sure to give the year of your birth on the application where noted. n Give-a-Gift $20: NEW! Members in good standing may purchase one or more gift memberships at any time for only $20 each. Please supply the name and address of giftee. Good for new memberships only. n Fan ($75 – $99/family) Members at Patron Level and above n Jazzer ($100 – $249/family) receive special benefits. These n Sideman ($250 – $499/family) change periodically, so please } contact Membership for details. n Bandleader $500+/family)

© Ray Avery/CTSIMAGES.COM n Corporate Membership ($100) Photo Archives include vintage Jazz, Pop, Blues, R&B, Rock, Country/Western, To receive a membership application, Radio Personalities, Big Bands, Vocalists, Hollywood and more. for more information or to join: • Photograph Research • Licensing for commercial use Contact Caryl Anne McBride Vice President, Membership • Fine Art Limited Edition Prints • Gallery Exhibitions at 973-366-8818 or [email protected] • Record & Photograph Appraisals OR visit www.njjs.org or simply send a check payable to “NJJS” to: WWW.CTSIMAGES.COM e-mail: [email protected] NJJS, c/o Larissa Rozenfeld, PO Box 232, Madison, NJ 07940.

January 2014 ______49 JerseyEventsJazz ’Round Jersey watching the dancers! Robbie knows how to Then march into March with Paul Midiri and Matt Morris Jazz entertain! Hoffman in “Vibes-A-Poppin!” the Mark Shane  The Bickford Theater Show, Dan Levinson and the Bix Birthday Bash, Just when the cold really starts to get to your at the Morris Museum the Anderson Twins, plus a special surprise bones and you start waiting for the groundhog’s Morristown, NJ 07960 program. All in March! — Ray Richards Tickets/Information: 973-971-3706 forecast for an early spring we bring back As we make our way through history, events Jazz For Shore occasionally occur which become Midweek Jazz at the Arts defining moments in our lives. Sure & Community Center at some are bad, but many times we Ocean County College create memories that we cherish and Toms River, NJ 08753 talk about for many years to come. Tickets/Information: One such event occurred last 732-255-0500 summer in Morristown during the January 16, 1938…for jazz “Jazz on the Green” program. The aficionados, that date is akin to a weather, the setting, sound system, national holiday, as Benny and the price were all perfect. The Goodman roared into Carnegie performances by all the musicians Hall, bringing along other legends that day really made the day for the ride, including , extraordinary! There was one in Lionel Hampton, , particular that was just jaw dropping Bucky Pizzarelli and Ed Laub Harry James, Ziggy Elman, Jess — the “Guitar Summit” with Bucky Stacy and special guest stars Pizzarelli, Ed Laub, , Lester Young, Count Basie, Johnny and Gene Bertoncini. This was not everybody’s favorite Herb Gardner and his Hodges, Cootie Williams and Buck Clayton among something to be once and done. Just too darn Annual Groundhog Day Celebration on Monday, others. In recent years, two different books have good! If you were there, I am sure you would love February 3. Casting their shadows upon the been published about that single night of music, to witness it again and if you missed it you need Bickford stage with Herb will be Randy Reinhart, while the recording of concert seemingly get not have regrets. On Wednesday January 8, the Joe Licari, , Mike Weatherly, reissued every couple of years. Bickford Jazz Showcase is proud to be able to Robbie Scott, and Abbie Gardner. celebrate the 87th birthday of the one and only MidWeek Jazz at Ocean County College has always Bucky Pizzarelli in Bucky’s Birthday Guitar In the dead of winter we hope to bring warmth to treated Goodman’s Carnegie Hall concert date as Summit! Join us in recreating that memorable fans’ hearts on February 12 with Kevin Dorn’s a cause for celebration, with some of the nation’s summer afternoon and be part of the recording Valentine’s Day Party! Drummer Kevin Dorn finest clarinetists flocking to Toms River to pay that will be made for a future CD release. Same brings his friends Dan Levinson, Mark Shane, tribute to the King of Swing’s finest hour, including incredible quartet with the new addition of drums Brian Nalepka, and Matt Hoffman in to stir up a in recent years, Dan Levinson and Peter and Will for the finale “Sing, Sing, Sing!” If you have never little romance and hopefully get everybody close Anderson. been on a CD before, this is your big chance! together on this special occasion for a little Special prices for this event will be $25 at the door dancing. Don’t be shy. We will keep the lights low. On January 15, Toms River-favorites Joe and Paul and $20 in advance. Caution — there Midiri will be once again bringing are only 300 seats available, so don’t a Goodman tribute to Ocean wait to make a reservation! County College. But when I asked Robbie Scott them if they could tie it into Big Bands are back! Actually they Carnegie Hall again, Joe Midiri never went away and drummer responded that they’d be bringing Robbie Scott brings his New Deal a small group and would rather Orchestra to the Showcase on make it a “Tribute to the Benny Monday January 20 for an evening of Goodman Sextet.” That was fine great sounds for toe tapping, dancing, by me, as there’s something and big smiles. Robbie plays it all from about celebrating Goodman in the ‘30s through the ‘90s including January that just feels right. swing, classic and traditional rock, R & B, Disco, and Latin. Dancing is But then the light bulb went off encouraged in the pit and the 10-piece and I remembered something: on band will leave room for you dancers December 24, 1939, Goodman who want to get up on stage and do returned to Carnegie Hall to take your thing! Come on out and have a part in one of John Hammond’s great evening either dancing or famed “From Spirituals to Swing

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The MIdiri Brothers Sextet

Concert.” Not only that, he brought brothers will be backed by the his Sextet instead of his Orchestra! popular lyrical cornetist, Dan Tobias And though December 24 is a long and a rhythm section of Pat way from January 15, the year 2014 Mercuri, guitar, Jack Heygi, bass is 75 years after this return to and Jim Lawlor, drums. Carnegie Hall. This all might sound rather convoluted, but hey, let’s The Midiri’s will be sure to heat up celebrate the Goodman Sextet’s the Jersey Shore in January, but 1939 Carnegie Hall performance we’re not taking any chances in in addition to the more famous February, doubling down with two 1938 one! great shows to ensure that more hot sounds will be emanating from the Of course, there might be some who Arts and Community Center at show up and don’t even know much Ocean County College this winter. about Benny Goodman in the first First up, on February 5, Dorian place, which is fine since being a Parreott’s Jazz Ensemble will be historian is not a prerequisite for presenting an evening titled “All enjoying an evening of swinging That Jazz.” In addition to leader jazz anyhow. And with the Midiri Parreott’s work on drums, Brothers doing their thing on stage, saxophone and vocals, the quartet I can assure that those in the will feature Mark Cohn on audience will be very happy keyboards, Mark Chernoff on tenor appreciating live, topnotch music on saxophone and Vinnie Corrao on a chilly night in January, rather than guitar. Then, three weeks later, on sitting home lamenting the faded February 13, young sensation Geoff music of past heroes. Nope, this music is alive and well and the Midiri Gallante — now officially a Brothers prove each time out. teenager!—will be coming back home to Toms River, leading a Joe Midiri will be handling the role of quartet of his own. Benny Goodman with his fiery, swinging clarinet playing, but don’t I’ll have more about Dorian and surprised if he plays the saxophone Geoff in my next column, but first, at some point in the performance. it’s time to ring in 2014 with the And brother Paul Midiri is sure to Midiri Brothers on January 15. It’s surprise — and amaze — as he safe to say that with acts on the bill bounces between vibraphone, like this, MidWeek Jazz’s New Year’s trombone and even a little resolution for 2014 will be to swing, drumming. On January 15, the swing, swing! — Ricky Riccari

’Round Jersey concerts are produced in conjunction with the New Jersey Jazz Society. Photos by Bruce Gast.

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What’s New? Members new and renewed We welcome these friends of jazz who recently joined NJJS or renewed their memberships. We’ll eventually see everyone’s name here as they renew at their particular renewal months. (Members with an asterisk have taken advantage of our three-years-for-$100 membership, and new members with a † received a gift membership. Members who have joined at a patron level appear in bold.)

Renewed Members William Hrushesky and Patricia A. Eood, Ms. Daryl Sherman, New York, NY Mr. & Mrs. Douglas G. Baird, Wayne, NJ West Orange, NJ Dr. & Mrs. Robert Siegel, Lafayette, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Maureen and Raymond Bednar, Mr. Sandy Ingham & Nadine Lawson, Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Speranza, Garwood, NJ * Morganville, NJ Chatham, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Dixon Stearns, Hackettstown, NJ The Jersey City Public Library, Jersey City, NJ Mr. & Mrs. John Bell, Gettysburg, PA Mr. & Mrs. Tom Stemmle, Piscataway, NJ Jane Kalfus, Fair Lawn, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Boardman, Mahwah, NJ Mr. & Mrs. B.& H. Strauss, Bay Harbor, FL Mr. & Mrs. Kent Lindquist, Portage, IN Jeffrey J. Brown, Roselle Park, NJ * Mr. Jerry Swanberg, New Brighton, MN Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Lucas, Trenton, NJ Mr. & Mrs. C. Graham Burton, Ridgefield, CT Howard Tavin, Fort Lee, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Frank McCann, Somerset, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Diane Casper, Somerset, NJ * Mrs. Margaret Thompson, Mountainside, NJ Mr. James J. McLaughlin, Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ Rick Crane, Verona, NJ Marlene Ver Planck, Clifton, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. Miller, New York, NY Sandra Evans, Wilmington, NC Mr. & Mrs. William Weisberg, Fort Lee, NJ Mr. & Mrs. John Mintz, Rockaway, NJ Mr. Tony Feil, Whitehouse Station, NJ Mr. Robert A. Wissow, South Plainfield, NJ Robert Filippone, Livingston, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Nathaniel H. Morison, III, Middleburg, VA Mr. & Mrs. Franklin Wortman, Easton, PA Mr. Bruce M. Gast, Watchung, NJ * The New York Public Library, New York, NY * Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Griggs, Westfield, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Orleman, Brick, NJ New Members Mr. Stephen Gruber, Millington, NJ * Mr. David A. Orthmann, Newfoundland, NJ James Cicenia, Roseland, NJ Mr. Larry Peterson, Wyckoff, NJ Anat Cohen, Brooklyn, NY Mr. C. Douglas Phillips, Lynne Cresitello, Whippany, NJ Kenilworth, NJ Steven Davis, Parsippany, NJ Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Leon De Vose, East Orange, NJ * Pierson, Mendham, NJ Ed DeChant, Fort Lauderdale, FL Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Johnson, Landing, NJ Joseph M. Pizzano, Boonton Township, NJ Michael Kuehn, Sciota, PA Mr. William S. Dan Morgenstern, Jersey City, NJ Robertson III, Suzanne W. Newmann, Livingston, NJ Green Pond, NJ Barbara Rosene, New York, NY Barbara Roth, Karen Schwarz, Neptune, NJ Somerset, NJ Holley A. Simmons, Toms River, NJ Mr. & Mrs. C. Gary and Ellen Tureck, Madison, NJ James Schaefer, Short Hills, NJ Michael Vertucci, Parsippany, NJ

Jazz trivia Answers questions on page 4

1. Kenny Clarke 5. Ziggy Elman 2. Gordon “Tex” Beneke 6. Billy Eckstine 3. Bob Haggart 7. Leroy “Slam” Stewart 4. Bobby Plater 8. Eddie Sauter 

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Great Gift Idea! Jazz Up Your Wardrobe

The Institute of Jazz Studies at – Newark is the largest and most comprehensive library and archive of jazz and jazz-related materials in the sanofi-aventis world! — a valuable resource for jazz researchers, students, musicians and fans. sanofi-aventis The archives are open to the public from 9 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday, fest fest but please call and make an appointment. Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers, The State University of NJ John Cotton Dana Library, 185 University Avenue, Newark, NJ 07102 Web site: newarkwww.rutgers.edu/IJS 973-353-5595 fest fescalendar:t free fest roundtables fest Jazz Research RoundTables There’s a new crop of NJJS A series of lectures and discussions. Programs are free and open to the public and take place on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 9:00 pm in the Dana Room, andfest Pee Wee Stomp t-shirts! 4th floor, John Cotton Dana Library, Rutgers University, 185 University Ave., Newark, NJ. fest Refreshments are served. Information: 973-353-5595. Financial support for the At $15, they make great gifts for yourself and Roundtable is provided by the Rosalind & Alfred Berger Foundation. FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC yourfe friends.st You can buy them in person at some of our events, and we can bring themfe tost n Watch for upcoming announcements. Jazz Socials on request. But if you don’t want to wait, order via mail and get your shirt within days! Shirts are 100% cotton, crew-neck, CONCERTS/PERFORMANCE free short-sleeved shirts; they may run slightly snug. Newark Jazz Legacy Concert Series, concerts Cost is $15 per shirt + $4 shipping fee. Dana Room, Dana Library, 2-4 PM Rutgers-Newark (free admission) 973-353-5595 This series is designed to bring to campus leading jazz soloists in duo and trio settings. Each concert will include an Styles — choose from: interview/Q&A segment. IJS will again partner with local schools to give students an opportunity­ to meet and white shirt with red NJJS logo interact with these noted artists. Funded by a grant from the Rutgers-Newark Cultural Programming Committee. black shirt with red NJJS logo n March 11, 2014, 2:00 – 4:00 PM Warren Vaché Quartet: Trumpeter Warren Vaché, Jr. was born in Rahway, NJ. His white shirt with red+black father was bassist Warren Vache, Sr. and his brother Allan plays clarinet. Vaché started Pee Wee art out playing piano then switched to trumpet in the 4th grade. He studied with Swing era trumpeter Pee Wee Erwin. Vaché has spent years playing with such greats as Rosemary Sizes — choose: Clooney, Benny Goodman, Hank Jones, Gerry Mulligan, Woody Herman, Bobby Short, and Benny Carter. He has been a prolific recording artist since the 1970s and has also unisex S, M, L, XL, or XXL performed at Condon’s, Michael’s Pub, the Blue Note and other nightclubs and venues ladies’ S, M, L throughout the world. Vaché has played at major jazz festivals such as the Newport Jazz Festival, the JVC Jazz Festival, the Playboy Jazz Festival, and in the Nice, Marciac and (slightly more open neckline, Bayonne Festivals in France, the North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland; the Pori Festival in smaller sleeve cut, slightly Finland, Perugia, Rome and Milan Festivals in Italy, as well as in most European countries, tapered body) Japan, Australia and Hong Kong. Make check payable to NJJS. Mail to NJJS, c/o Larissa Rozenfeld, PO Box 232, Madison, NJ 07940. BE SURE to specify style and size, and Jazz from the Archives on Broadcast hosted by IJS Director, 2007 NEA Jazz Master Dan Morgenstern, WBGO radio give us clear mailing instructions. Please also every Sunday at 11:00 pm on WBGO Radio (88.3 FM). www.wbgo.org. provide your telephone number and email address in case we have questions about your n Watch for upcoming announcements. order. Do YOU have questions? contact Linda Lobdell at 201-306-2769 or [email protected].

January 2014 ______53 JerseyEventsJazz You can find jazz all over the state Somewhere There’s Music in venues large and small. Here are just some of them. Listings alphabetical by town. We continually update entries. Please contact [email protected] if you know of other venues that ought to be here. Asbury Park Cape May Fairfield Hopatcong Madison Montclair Hotel Tides vfw post 386 Bruschetta Restaurant Pavinci Restaurant Shanghai Jazz DLV Lounge 408 Seventh Ave. 419 Congress St. 292 Passaic Avenue 453 River Styx Road 24 Main St. 300 Bloomfield Ave. 732-897-7744 609-884-7961 973-227-6164 973-770-4300 973-822-2899 973-783-6988 Cape May Trad Jazz Society Live piano bar every night 3rd Tuesday of the Month Wednesday/Thursday 7 pm Open Jam Tuesdays Langosta Restaurant Some Sundays 2 pm (Big Band) Friday/Saturday 6:30 pm 100 Ocean Ave. First Congregational live Dixieland Calandra’s Sunday 6 pm Church 732-455-3275 Mediterranean Grille No cover Mad Batter 118 US Highway 46 Hope 40 South Fullerton Ave. tim Mcloone’s 19 Jackson St. 973-575-6500 973-744-6560 supper club The Inn at Millrace Road 609-884-5970 Piano – Friday & Saturday 313 Hope Johnsonburg Rd. Palazzo Restaurant 1200 Ocean Ave. Jazz at the Batter Mahwah 732-744-1400 07844 11 South Fullerton Ave. Wednesdays 7:30–10:30 pm Calandra’s Cucina Berrie Center/ 216-234 Route 46 908-459-4884 Ramapo College Friday/Saturday 7:00 pm Moonstruck Boiler Room, 973-575-7720 505 Ramapo Valley Road Trumpets 517 Lake Ave. Congress Hall 201-684-7844 732-988-0123 251 Beach Ave/888-944-1816 Jersey City 6 Depot Square Blues and Latin Jazz Saturdays Garwood Casa Dante Restaurante 973-744-2600 The Saint July 18 – Sept. 19 737 Newark Ave. Tuesday/Thursday/Sunday 7:30 601 Main St. Crossroads Manalapan 8:30 pm – 12:30 am 78 North Ave. 201-795-2750 pm, Friday/Saturday 8:30 pm 732-775-9144 Monmouth County 908-232-5666 Merion Inn Madame Claude Café Library Urban Nest Jam Session Tuesday 8:30 pm 106 Decatur St. 364 Fourth St. 125 Symmes Drive Montgomery 631 Lake Ave. 07712 609-884-8363 732-431-7220 201-876-8800 Tusk Restaurant 732-774-5299 Jazz Piano daily 5:30 – 9:30 pm Free monthly jazz concerts 1736 Route 206 South Glen Rock Moore’s Lounge September – June Glen Rock Inn (Bill & Ruth’s) 908-829-3417 Atlantic City Closter 222 Rock Road 189 Monticello Ave., 07304 Asbury United 201-445-2362 201-332-4309 Morristown Harvest Bistro & Bar Manville Methodist Church Thursday 7 pm Fridays Open Jazz Jam The Bickford Theatre 252 Schraalenburgh Road Rhythms of the Night at the Morris Museum 1213 Pacific Ave. Open to All Musicians, 201-750-9966 729 S. Main Street 5 Normandy Heights Road 908-348-1941 Vocalists, Dancers and Thursdays & Fridays 908-707-8757 973-971-3706 Jazz Vespers 3rd Sunday of Hackensack Spoken Word Artists; Open jam session Some Mondays 8:00 pm the month at 4 pm Solari’s Hosted by Winard Harper Wednesdays 7–10 pm and Rosalind Grant The Community Theatre Convent Station 61 River St. 8:30pm–-midnight 100 South St. The Cozy Cupboard 201-487-1969 Basking Ridge First Sundays 6–10pm Maplewood 973-539-8008 4 Old Turnpike Road 1st Tuesday 8:00 pm Featuring Winard Harper and bamboo grille Burgdorf 973-998-6676 Rick Visone One More Once Special Guests; $10 cover 185 Madisonville Road Cultural Center Hibiscus Restaurant Big Band At Best Western Morristown Inn 908-766-9499 10 Durand St. No cover 270 South St. | 866-497-3638 Cresskill 973-378-2133 Stony Hill Inn Lambertville Tuesday, Friday, Saturday Griffin’s Restaurant Highland Place/Cranes 231 Polifly Road DeAnna’s Restaurant Sunday brunch Belmar 44 East Madison Ave. 5 Highland Place 201-342-4085 54 N. Franklin St. 08530 Nicchio Restaurante 201-541-7575 609-397-8957 (973) 763-3083 Rod’s Steak Friday & Saturday evenings 1000 Main St. Every Tuesday & Wednesday & Seafood Grille 732-280-1132 Parkwood Diner One Convent Road Lincroft 1958 Springfield Ave. (Madison Ave.) Dunellen Haddonfield 973-313-3990 973-539-6666 Brookdale Community Mondays Bernardsville Haddonfield Methodist College Roxy & Dukes Roadhouse Church The Sidebar Bernard’s Inn 765 Newman Springs Road at the Famished Frog 745 Bound Brook Road 29 Warwick Road 27 Mine Brook Road 732-224-2390 18 Washington St. 732-529-4464 Tri-State Jazz Society Matawan 908-766-0002 973-540-9601 usual venue Monday – Saturday 6:30 pm Cafe 34 Bistro Some Sundays 2:00 pm Piano Bar Edison Linden 787 Route 34 732-583-9700 Mount Holly The Coffee House Robin’s Nest 931 Amboy Ave. 08837 Hawthorne Rhythm & Blues THE FIREHOUSE CAFE Boonton 3103 Tremley Point Road 20 Washington Street 732-486-3400 Alex Bistro Maywood Maxfield’s on Main Linden, NJ 07036 609-261-4502 142 Goffle Road session Bistro 713 Main Street 908-275-3043 973-310-3019 245 Maywood Ave. 973-588-3404 Englewood www.robinsnestrhythm Newark andblues.com 201-880-7810 Music Wednesdays through Bergen PAC DinOsAur Bar-B-Que Sundays. Highland Park 30 N. Van Brunt St. Starbucks 224 Market Street 201-227-1030 italian bistro 693 West Edger Road Mendham 862-214-6100 441 Raritan Ave. 908-862-8545 Black Horse Tavern Music 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm Bridgewater Blue Moon Mexican Café 732-640-1959 23 E. Palisade Ave. Mondays 1 West Main St. Thursdays theater of somerset 201-848-4088 973-543-7300 county vo-tech PJ’s Coffee 27 mix Sundays 315 Raritan Ave. Saturday Nights 14 Vogt Dr., 08807 Lyndhurst 27 Halsey Street 908-526-8900 732-828-2323 973-648-9643 Sunday 1–5 pm Somerset Jazz whiskey café Ewing Consortium Open Jam 1050 Wall St. West, Metuchen Bethany Baptist Church Villa Rosa Restaurante 201-939-4889 Hailey’s Harp & Pub 275 Market Street 41 Scotch Road One Sunday/month 400 Main St. 973-623-8161 609-882-6841 Hoboken swing dance + lesson 732-321-0777 Pilsener Haus & ideal lounge Biergarten novita 219 Frelinghuysen Ave. 1422 Grand Street New & Pearl Streets 973-824-9308 201-683-5465 732-549-5306 Live music Thursday, 8–12 pm, No cover no cover charge

Since music offerings frequently change, we recommend you call venue to confirm there is live music at the time you plan to visit.

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Tell them you saw it in Jersey Jazz!

We want to include any locale that offers jazz on a regular, ongoing basis. Also please advise us of any errors you’re aware of in these listings.

NJPAC North Branch Red Bank Spring Lake Trenton suzy que’s 1 Center St. 34 South Valley Road Count Basie Theatre Amici Milano 888-466-5722 Stoney Brook Grille Heights 973-736-7899 1285 State Highway 28 99 Monmouth St. The Mill 600 Chestnut Ave The Priory 908-725-0011 732-842-9000 101 Old Mill Road www.jazztrenton.com 233 West Market St. 732-449-1800 609-396-6300 Westwood 973-242-8012 jazz arts project Various venues Candlelight Lounge Bibiz lounge Friday 7:00 pm Oak Ridge throughout the year…refer to 24 Passaic St 284 Center Ave., 07675 No cover The Grille Room Stanhope 201-722-8600 www.jazzartsproject.org for 609-695-9612 (Bowling Green Golf Course) schedules and details Stanhope House Saturdays 3–7 pm 53 Schoolhouse Rd. 45 Main St. New Brunswick 973-679-8688 Molly Pitcher Inn 973-347-7777 Woodbridge Delta’s 88 Riverside Ave. Blues Union Barron Arts Center 19 Dennis St. 800-221-1372 582 Rahway Ave. 07095 Orange salem roadhouse cafe 732-249-1551 Siam Garden 732-634-0413 Hat City Kitchen (Townley Presbyterian Church) Saturdays 7–11 pm 2 Bridge Ave., 07701 Succasunna 459 Valley St. 829 Salem Road Roxbury Arts Alliance The Hyatt Regency 862-252-9147 732-224-1233 908-686-1028 Wood Ridge New Brunswick Horseshoe Lake Park Complex 2 Albany Street 72 Eyland Ave. Van Gogh’s Ear Café Martini Grill Private Place Lounge 187 Hackensack St. 732-873-1234 29 South Center St. Somers Point 201-745-7718 1017 Stuyvesant Ave. NO COVER 201-939-2000 973-675-6620 Sandi Pointe Coastal 908-810-1844 Friday–Saturday New Brunswick Jazz Bistro Sundays 8 pm Project presents live Jazz 908 Shore Road Teaneck $3 cover Wednesdays, 7:30–10:30 pm Paterson 609-927-2300 The JazzBerry Patch MAKEDA ETHIOPIAN cortina Ristorante at The Classic RESTAURANT 118 Berkshire Ave. Quiche Cafe Watchung For a link to 338 George St. Wednesdays 6:30–10:30, Somerville 330 Queen Anne Rd. Watchung Arts Center 732-545-5115 Joe Licari/Mark Shane Pinoy Restaurant Teaneck, NJ 07666 18 Stirling Road each venue’s NO COVER & Goods 201-692-0150 908-753-0190 New Brunswick Jazz Project 18 Division St. 08876 No cover Friday nights. www.watchungarts.org presents live Jazz Thursdays, Princeton 908-450-9878 check for details website, visit 7:30 – 10:30 pm McCarter Theatre Puffin Cultural Forum 91 University Place 20 East Oakdene Ave. State Theatre Wayne www.njjs. 609-258-2787 South Amboy 201-836-8923 15 Livingston Ave. William Paterson Blue Moon University 732-246-7469 St. Paul’s Lutheran org, click on Mediterra 114 South Broadway 300 Pompton Road 29 Hulfish St. Church Tumulty’s 732-525-0014 973-720-2371 609-252-9680 61 Church St. 361 George St. Jazz jams Sundays, 3–7 p.m. Sundays 4:00 pm “venues,” NO COVER 201-837-3189 732-545-6205 Sundays New Brunswick Jazz Project Salt Creek Grille and scroll presents live Jazz & Jam 1 Rockingham Row, South Orange ultrabar kitchen Westfield Session Tuesdays 8–11 pm Forrestal Village Papilon 25 & cocktails 16 Prospect Wine Bar 609-419-4200 400 Cedar Lane & Bistro down to the 25 Valley St. 16 Prospect St. 07090 201-357-8618 Newfield 973-761-5299 908-232-7320 Jazz on Tue-Wed-Thu | 8 pm desired lake house restaurant WITHERSPOON GRILL South Orange 611 Taylor Pl., 08344 57 Witherspoon Street Performing Arts Tinton Falls Sorrento Restaurante 609-924-6011 Center venue. 856-694-5700 Palumbo’s Tavern 631 Central Ave. Tuesday night jazz One SOPAC Way 908-301-1285 6:30–9:30 pm 973-235-1114 4057 Asbury Ave. New Providence 732-922-6690 Ponte Vecchio Rahway West Orange Ristorante South River Highlawn Pavilion The Rail House Tom’s River At Best Western LaTavola Cucina Eagle Rock Reservation 1449 Irving St. Ocean County College Murray Hill Inn Ristorante 973-731-3463 732-388-1699 Fine Arts Center Fridays 535 Central Ave. 700 Old Bridge Turnpike 908-464-4424 College Drive Union County South River, NJ 08882 Monthly Jazz Nights 3rd 732-255-0400 Luna Stage 732-238-2111 Saturday of each month Performing Arts Some Wednesdays 555 Valley Road Center The New World Order 973-395-5551 6:30–9:30 pm 1601 Irving Street Open Jam Session McCloone’s Boathouse 732-499-0441 Every Thursday 7:30-11 pm 9 Cherry Lane (Northfield Ave) (Call for schedule) North Bergen No cover, half-price drink 862-252-7108 specials Waterside Restaurant Oskar Schindler PAC 7800 B River Road 4 Boland Drive 07052 201-861-7767 973-669-7385

The Name Dropper Recommendations may be sent to [email protected]. Rob Paparozzi at Trumpets Jazz Club, steve turre quartet at “dorthaan’s Nat Adderley Jr. at Hyatt Hotel, Montclair, Jan. 4, sets at 8 pm and 10 pm Place“ Jazz Brunch at NICO Kitchen + Bar, New Brunswick, Jan. 29, 8-11 pm, no cover Joel Zelniky “My Bill Evans — A Personal NJPAC, Newark, Jan. 19, 11 am and 1 pm Chinese New Year at shanghai jazz Conversation,” Manville Public Library Joe Magnarelli Quartet at Makeda, with Russell martin quartet Jan. 9, 7 pm New Brunswick, Jan. 28, 8-11 pm, $5 cover Feb.1, call 973-822-2899 Also visit Andy McDonough’s njjazzlist.com

January 2014 ______55 c/o New Jersey Jazz Society Michael A. Katz Time Value Material PERIODICALS 382 Springfield Ave., Suite 217 Deliver Promptly Postage PAID at Summit NJ 07901 West Caldwell, NJ Send all address changes and additional to the address above mailing offices

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