JazzErie notes The Monthly Newsletter of JazzErie April 2010 Vol. 16, Issue. 4 16 Years Serving the Jazz Community ASK THE COMPOSER A Program of Original Music by Area Musicians. Saturday, May 1 • 8:00 – 10:00 PM • Station Dinner Theater, 4940 Peach St. Dinner special available before the performance. Musicians, in addition to Singer and for Contemporary Composition (1980), Tickets for the Show: Grey, will include many of the area’s a composition commission by Gannon JazzErie members..........$15 elite: Joe Dorris – drums, Tony Stefanelli University for the Erie Bicentennial Non-members................$20 – fretless electric bass, Phil Papotnik (1995) and recognition as a finalist in the Students........................$5 – reeds, Jeff Gibbens – trumpet; Stan John Lennon Song writing Contest, World Bialomizy – reeds. Music Category (1999.) Call the Station Dinner Theater for dinner reservations and special * * * * * * Recorded compositions include prices: 864-2022. The two featured composers/ “Generations” (1995), a product of the Gannon commission, “Unity and The program will include five original performers both have well-demonstrated compositional chops. Diversity,” One World Tribe’s debut compositions by area guitarist Frank CD which earned him the Lennon Singer and international star six-string Multi-instrumentalist Frank Singer, recognition, and many of the originals bassist Tony Grey, newly settled in Girard. well known in the Erie area, earned and arrangements recorded by Cats A Sheet music will be handed out and there a Composition Degree from Berklee Bear, One World Tribe, J.D. and the Sons will be question/answer period during the College of Music in 1980. Compositional of Rhythm, James Lignons, and more performance. The ensemble may play honors include the Richard Levy Award in recently J.D. Jazz. additional numbers if time permits. Recognition of Outstanding Musicianship continued on pg. 2... For More Information: www.jazzerie.com Jazz EriE Composers from pg 1... NEWS NOTES Tony Grey is a recent newcomer to the JazzErie is a com- area, but brings with him an international munity of music lovers and PUBLICATION musicians and, a member- reputation. He is also a Berklee alum, ship organization dedicated where he won the Outstanding Performer SCHEDULE to sharing with children, Award (20101). Tony’s writing skills adults and one another are manifest on his recent CD “Chasing an awareness and love of Shadows,” which features virtuoso REVISED music, particularly jazz. JazzErie brings pianist Hiromi, with whom he worked for Starting next month, News Notes together people who want to listen to jazz, five years, will be published more of less every learn about it, play it and just live it. along other month. Generally, when we have Check out our website at with a a concert scheduled we’ll publish; when www.jazzerie.com for complete panoply we don’t, we won’t. You will note that information on current and of this issue comes a little late and covers upcoming events. talented both April and May activities. Our next musicians. issue will be in mid-June, in preparation 2009-2010 Board of Directors An earlier for the Jazz Walk. There’ll be an issue in Grey August to support the Erie Art Museum President................................. Ed Goebel album, “…moving,” includes evidence Blues & Jazz Fest, announce JazzErie’s Vice President ............................. Ted Ely of his respectful excursions into pop, and 2010-11 concert schedule, and support Treasurer ..............................Liz Scarpelli Eastern (Chinese, Indian and Arabic) our membership drive. Directors music. Why? The impact of the continuing Robb Hoff Charles Lute More as a performer, Tony also Al Lubiejewski John Marzalek recession has hit JazzErie. Both state and appears on John McLaughlin’s recent Carl Hultman Allen Zurcher local grants have been sharply reduced Mary Watson Dick Thompson CD “Industrial Zen.” (McLaughlin is (though we’re grateful to be getting the John Kytic Paul Bates a mentoring uncle.) Grey has toured reduced amounts. Some haven’t been so J. Carter Rowland Shamus Flynn internationally in recent years and is an fortunate.) We’re actively exploring new Rich Giardina Charles Joy established performer at New York’s Blue funding ideas, cooperative projects with Marilyn Renkes Patricia Tellers Note, appearing with a number of bands: other organizations, and hoping to expand Bliss, Hiromi, John McLaughlin, Grey’s membership. But in the meantime, we Past Presidents own band and others. He is also the David F. Van Amburg 1994-1995 have to cut back. author of a bass method book. (Founding President) The good news is we have no paid Atty. Al Lubiejewski 1995-1997 staff so nobody gets laid off. The bad Virginia M. Pelkowski 1997-1999 news: we have to cut back on some R. Patrick Rodgers 1999-2002 ANOTHER WEB activities. Steve Eidell 2002-2003 Hopefully our website will be Tom McLaren 2003-2005 RESOURCE… back up by the time you receive this Carl Hultman 2005-2008 newsletter. It will become a more and Eric Niemeier is a fine jazz vibist, more important means of communicating JazzEriE NotEs is published monthly theorist, prolific composer, educator with our members and others. In the by JazzErie which is a subsidiary and astoundingly productive writer organization of the Erie Art Museum, meantime, we hope you will stick with a nonprofit organization. and editor, with seemingly unlimited us. Ideas welcome. energy. He is the editor and primary JazzErie Notes writer for the magazine JAZZ IMPROV, Editor - Dick Thompson and in recent years also a web magazine This project was supported by the Pennsylvania published by Council on the Arts, a state The Erie Art Museum for JazzErie publisher. Among the great wealth of agency, through its regional printed by constantly growing jazz performance and arts funding partnership, PIP Printing West information resources on the web, this is Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA). State funding 2827 West 26th St. • Erie, PA 16506 another one you might want to check out. for the arts depends upon an Deadline is the 15th of each month. Lots of free downloads, reviews, events annual appropriation by the Send articles to: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania calendars, articles about a huge array of and support from the National [email protected] performers. Titled Jazz Inside, the free Endowment for the Arts, a federal or Box 8833, Erie, PA 16505 site is: jazzinsidemagazine.com. agency. PPA is administered in this region by the Arts Council Page 2 JazzErie Notes HARRY MILLER: A REVIEW: LABELLA RESTAURANT MCCOY TYNER AT MCG by cr joy 802 WEST 18TH ST. Armstrong played there. Most of the (FORMERLY HECTOR’S) customers were white. Anyway, I learned It’s over. Having waited for months a lot about music and musicians from after scoring almost the last two tickets LIVE JAZZ EVERY THURS. Eunice.” to the 7 PM show, we’re back in Erie, left 6:30 – 9:30 PM with a handful of notes and a smoldering After school, Miller found his way memory available for access as long as into the restaurant business. He was there is memory to smolder. banquet manager at the Bel Aire for seven years, working in all areas, listening to the A fellow Pennsylvanian by birth, Marty O’Conner Trio with Phil Papotnik although now truly a citizen of the world, and Dave Blaetz. “I could listen to what McCoy Tyner, 71, closed after 70 minutes they were playing and know what they’d with a gravelly anecdote, how everybody play nest,” he recalls. His first venture thinks that anywhere in Pennsylvania is into restaurant ownership was Labella right close to Philadelphia. Bistro, on 4th and Cherry, which did And that was it. No encore, the stage well during the seven years he ran it. He left as empty as when we had walked also initiated Lettuce Entice You at the in, crowded with a massive black piano “I like to do something a little Renaissance Center in 1993, which he facing a relatively modest drum set, unusual,” says restaurateur Harry Miller. later sold but is still in operation. He although big for jazz, and between them a “I enjoy visiting restaurants in New began to expand into coffeehouses – at stand-up bass, rested on its side, and two York. I always had the feeling that good the Blasco Library, Aromas Coffeehouse saxophones, on the floor. food didn’t have to be served in a stuffy at 8th and Pittsburgh and Tapas at 9th and Gary Bartz had played those atmosphere.” Part of the mix for Miller State – and ultimately overextended. saxophones. Gary Bartz! Having is providing a platform for live jazz. Miller’s return to the restaurant wondered, will there be a saxophone? “My own musical tastes range, but there management began last summer with who will voice the horn? my are a lot of high quality jazz musicians Ceviche on the Bay, at the Erie Port expectations were exceeded. Wearing here, and in the restaurant business I Authority’s Yacht Club facility. Jazz, a dark suit and tie and a gray dutch- always feel safer booking jazz musicians along with an creative, menu, and a boy haircut, Gary Bartz was a great because the standards are higher, more great view of the lake was enjoyed there supporting legend, smiling a lot. professional.” by many JazzErie fans. Miller began The identification of the rhythm The venue reflects Miller’s tastes, searching for a more permanent year- section was hard to hear but they may be including the elegant, turn-of-the century round venue, hence Labella’s, at the site the same two as on a recent McCoy Tyner main dining room with a high sculpted tin of the old Hector’s Restaurant. After Music release Quartet Live. The bassist, ceiling and tile floor, and now enlivened significant renovation, Labellas opened also in a dark suit and tie, as was McCoy, by a Miller-designed, warmly colored, seven weeks ago.