Issue XVI May 2020

Farewell to Gabby by Cay Simpson Allen Beeson, and Steve Douglas were able to listen to and of finalists. In this manner, the three judges, Rebecca Barry, a grateful “Thank You” to our sponsors and JETS (Jazz Educationjudge the contestants Team Supporters) using physical contributors. distancing. Congratulations We extend to all our winners. High School Instrumental 1st Place: Jon-Grayson Kerr - trombone

2nd Place: Fairhope High School - $400 3rd Place: JesseJoshua Keenan Mullikin - piano - tenor sax HomeschoolBooker T. Washington - $100 High School - $200

Jazz Vocal Carole “Gabby” Barrett 1st Place: Jane Chakraborty Carol Barrett, longtime member of Jazz Pensacola, passed 2nd Place: Selena Neal away from COVID-19 on April 16, 2020. She leaves behind a Pensacola High School - $400 large family, numerous friends, and her Delta Airlines family. She was affectionately known by most of us as ”Gabby” CollegeUniversity Instrumental of West Florida - $200 with her gift of chatting up. This gift was so obvious during 1st Place: Jensen Cadenhead - vibraphone our annual April Jazz Fest where she always volunteered to sell any and all things Jazz Pensacola. If in town, she also 2nd Place: was sure to join friends for a night of jazz or blues. Gabby University of West Florida - $500 3rd Place: ChristopherMaximilian LevesqueCannon - piano- bass larger-than-life personality. University of West Florida - $300 always I vividly made recall a grand a recent entrance evening in where her stylish she sashayed outfits with into herthe 4th Place: District Lounge as the Platinum Premier Band announced Northwest Florida State College - $150 her arrival with “Leaving on a Jet Plane…”. 4th Place: NoemiDuncan Ruiz Miller - trumpet - alto sax University of West Florida - $100 As a flight attendant for over 40 years, Gabby was equally her Delta family gave her a grand send off on May 13th with University of West Florida - $100 loved and respected by the Delta family. So, it was fitting that JazzNote: Pensacola Tie for 4th endeavors Place to engage student instrumentalists and vocalists as a part of our mission to further jazz an Farewell, Honor Guard dear ceremonyGabby. You at will Atlanta be sorely airport missed before by her all offinal us performance and education and to pass the jazz tradition whoseflight to lives her werefamily touched in Wichita. by you. on to the younger generation. Now in its tenth year, the Jazz Pensacola Student Competition Student Competition has allowed Jazz Pensacola to donate Improvises by Carolyn Tokson overWho $25,000 has been in cash doing awards to what student during musicians. stay-at- Roger Villines, Leader of the Student Competition and past- home? president of Jazz Pensacola, had to be creative to conduct the by Carolyn Tokson competition during the corona virus stay-at-home. At the The corona virus has altered our lives considerably. No last minute, Jazz Pensacola, in compliance with COVID-19 Jazz Jam, no Jazz Gumbo, no JazzFest! (It has been tentatively guidelines, cancelled the “live” performance scheduled for March 16 at Phineas Phoggs in Seville Quarter. Roger are some of the responses I received. rescheduled!) From Craig Chapman: What have “Carolyn, our members I’ve been been throwing doing? pottery Here hadimprovised, already asdone good for jazz the musicians earlier part do, ofand the requested competition that allin whichfinalists applicants send in another had submitted two mp3 two or mp4 tunes recordings for the selection as they and finishing my studio. We’ve been doing a lot of yard work and gave my wife (Val) a rose garden“Stay-at-Home” for Mother’s Continued.... Day. We’ve 1 made a big difference in our yard with all the flowers we’re “Stay-at-Home” Continued.... Rosario and Roman Street. She walks in Admiral Mason and listened to a lot of Diana Krall and other jazz artists. Park and laments the loss of restaurant meals, live jazz Nowplanting that and you potting. can check I’ve out played library my books tenor again, sax a we’refew times also events and going out every evening. Ralph Knowles called to say that he and Patricia have been areading big way. more. I may We havehad a had great the Mother’s virus, but Day am celebration feeling much with Center there has tested all residents in both the Assisted betterour daughters after two and bad grandsons. weeks. I We’vedidn’t missedwant to Jazz be Gumbocaught in Livingvery pleased and Skilled with theirNursing life areas.at Azalea No Trace.resident The has Wellness tested positive for COVID-19. They have been eating well and have enjoyed the closed circuit television programs as well as a hospital where it could have been worse. We had one the regular TV news and programs. They have had great nephew From Steve in Seattle Douglas: with “I confirmed moved to COVID-19,Navarre from but Sedona, he has entertainment and have been able to visit with friends with AZrecovered. last July….I We hopejoined you Jazz and Pensacola yours are doingright offwell. and Cheers.” made physical distancing. Now that they are able to go out a day the August jam session. Thanks to Matt McCarty and or so a week, they feel they have no need to do so. Patricia has been rereading some of her old cookbooks and enjoying Since March, I’ve been doing my civic/community duty them and novels as well. Michael Walker who hooked me up with gigs right away. Brenda and Tom Bell had their son, Tommy and his girlfriend from New Orleans with them for a month at the by not going anywhere until last week. I created a 400 sq. offt. back vegetable yard enhancement garden, planted phases. lots I ofget flowers to spend and more shrubs, time repairs on an apartment he is getting ready for a new rental. withcleared my a wife,lot of stayold debrismore inand touch am planning with my theArizona next couplemusic Brendabeginning has of been the cleaning quarantine. closets Tom and has tackling been busyher “to doing do” list. stay up a lot later than usual. My 3 dogs have never seen this friends, practice plenty of jazz and pop, exercise more and April when the Pensacola Jazz Fest was scheduled, then My work in remodeling has come to a halt, all gigs are sadly, From postponed, Tom and we Karen sat outside Stanmore: in our “The backyard first weekend and played in onmuch hold of andme andwe’ll our see squirrels if the venues know survivethem by this sight downturn. now….. all the CD’s we had purchased at previous Pensacola Jazz I suspect most things will slowly come back but to what competition and looking forward to doing more of that. I weFestivals made overthe best the ofyears. the situation.” We had our picnic lunch, glass of extent, who knows ?.. Just finished judging the student jazz wine, Unfortunately and good wejazz have music. had Itdeaths wasn’t within exactly our the membership same, but playing bass, I’m going into withdrawal….Everyone…stay safemiss and playing healthy.” with others so much….after 50 plus years of Villines on the death of his father and to the family of Steve From Shirley Burge: “I stay home with a “Color Yourself circle. We extend condolences to both the family of Roger to Mindfulness” coloring book, “Color Me Stress Free” book, mother. See the article by Cay Simpson in regard to the yard activities and highlight of the day - a drive to the beach deathFerry, ofwho our now long lives time in member Austin, Texas,and friend, on the Carol death “Gabby” of his for daily walk around the perimeter of empty parking lot. Barrett. My son takes me and he does all shopping. Bob helped me Chip Shelton releases ninth CD in set up Zoom appointment with my doctor and heard him caution me that I am a part of the vulnerable group and go conjunction with his book with the program for 2 to 3 months, so I am. Sherri stopped by F. Norman Vickers by Mothers’ Day. (My great-grandchild could color better than I.)” down to wait until there is a vaccine available or people will seriously From Knox follow and Hollythe guidelines Parker: “The about Parkers wearing have masks hunkered and social distancing, venturing out for groceries and medical visits as needed and otherwise immersed in hobbies and emailing friends and family.” Holly has been using up yarn scraps on granny blocks for another afghan; also reading. Both are working jigsaw puzzles. Holly’s glad the thrift stores have re-opened! They are fetching, their son, Claude Chip Shelton’s new CD: Plan Be Dream Music cover. longer. for his June visit so they’ll stay in quarantine for a while Jazz Pensacola members are likely familiar with New York to clear out some of her “junk” (rather unsuccessfully). She has Peg very Sheridan much reportsenjoyed that the shevirtual was performancesdoing taxes and of trying Gino appearances here. He is younger brother to our own jazz dental specialist/flautist Chip Shelton from his several guest 2 activist, Ron Shelton. Chip has been guest artist for some and young, black and white, lower and upper classes. In appreciation for his work, Grundhoefer was inducted recent visit was last fall when he appeared at a Jazz Jam. into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1980. Chipof our and programs Ron had including just returned Jazz Extravaganza from a jazz cruiseand his where most If the name “Grundhoefer” sounds familiar, you may be Chip was a performing artist. thinking of Jerry’s son Danny Grundhoefer, a well-known The current CD, number nine released under Chip’s Pensacola architect and something of a music impresario leadership, is entitled, Plan Be Dream Music. That CD like his father. features Pensacola pianist Gino Rosaria and several Chip’s New York musical collaborators. Most of the compositions are Chip’s originals with one by Gino and a few by his other performers namely Tom Charlap (bass) and Roy Meriwether (piano).

Of the thirteen selections, well over an hour of excellent music, Chip exhibits his melodic virtuosity on a variety of vocalsinstruments—saxophone and various percussion. family includesChip even tenor, sings alto, on soprano several and sopranino; bass clarinet; flute, bass flute and piccolo; numbers. In all, a very pleasant listening experience. For Danny Grundhoefer on piano. composition,me, it was an Gino’sinteresting Groove, exercise was a delightfulin listening piece to determine featuring exactly which instrument Chip was performing on. Gino’s Danny plays keyboards, sings, and leads Infusion, a The CD was prepared to be released in conjunction with pop-jazz band based in Pensacola. Until the coronavirus his piano artistry and Chip accompanied on flute. crisis interrupted everything, Grundhoefer and Infusion performed at least once a month at Five Sisters Blues Café. possibilityChip’s book of entitled, having a Excel two-career in Two life. Careers…Plan I had opportunity Be Your Every Christmas, the band offers a holiday concert at the toDream. review The an bookearly iscopy an explanationwhere Chip gaveand explorationdetails about of how the Unitarian Universalist Church of Pensacola and periodically his career as a dental specialist and musician could be plays private parties. Like his dad, Danny loves music so much he almost considered it for a career. He dropped out of architecture frommutually Pensacola beneficial of people and rewarding,who have both with musical each facilitating and other school at Auburn for a year to tour with Menagerie, a rock professionalthe other. Interestingly, careers. Chip Chip informs gives some me that similar the examples book is band that developed a following for party and dance music undergoing some minor revisions and will be available soon. in the Deep South in the ‘70s. For further information and ordering the book, CD or But Danny knew that making a living as a musician has both, see www.chipshelton.com and click the shop category. always been risky. The older Grundhoefer knew that too. A

Grundy’s music room he opened Grundy’s only after most of his eleven children top manager for a food equipment company in Birmingham, by Thom Botsford had moved away for jobs and college. He told a Birmingham magazine his intention was never to Perhaps Pensacola needs a version of Grundy’s Music Room. as a business. He discovered a community of jazz lovers in This downtown Birmingham venue, founded by clarinetist Birmingham,make a lot of money,but they just were to cover not the expenses kind of andfolks stay who healthy spend and pianist Jerry Grundhoefer, devoted itself to live jazz and much time or money on live music or the other arts. deserving local musicians from 1978 through the mid1980s. Also complicating business was the stinginess of the jazz Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson were among the pros audience. Some would nurse one beer for the whole night, who performed at Grundy’s, which was just the right size as folks are known to do in Pensacola. for an intimate performance, seating up to 200 people. Born in 1930, the older Grundhoefer grew up on the big Other nationally known artists to appear included Gary bands and popular jazz of the day. Benny Goodman and Burton, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Buddy DeFranco, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Herb Ellis, Urbie Green, the Heath Brothers, Milt Jackson, and Clark Terry, aWoody clarinet Herman in his hands.were influences. He took up the saxophone later, when jazz audiences no longer expected a leader with night club in the city or state provided such a service to “I couldn’t keep up with him!” musicians An oasis and for jazzserious lovers, fans. Grundy’s And, uncharacteristically was unique. No other for “As a self-taught pianist, he excelled,” Danny remembers.

When Grundy’s moved to a bigger“Grundy’s” space—its Continued.... second the time or place, the audiences were diverse: a mix of old 3 location—Danny was starting his architecture career Upcoming Events UWF’s jazz combo keeps on making music by Dr. Joseph Spaniola

June 10, 2020 Annual Members Meeting I am sending you this gift of music to bring a little light Zoom Online Video Meeting music through the mandatory social distancing without into the darkness. The UWF Jazz Combo continues to make 5:30pm-6:30pm concerts,physically at coming Jazz Pensacola’s together toJazzFest play. Weor Jazz were Pensacola’s unable to [email protected] with the perform for you at our regularly scheduled UWF campus RSVP Required. Please email Collegiate Band Jazz Gumbo, but we wanted to let you know subject “Annual Meeting RSVP”. we are still thinking of you.

you are interested in how we accomplished this video, then read Please on. Iflisten not, tosimply this 3’48”enjoy performance the music. Our of Inchstudents Worm. and If “Grundy’s” Continued.... instructors are making the most of time together despite in Birmingham, so he was glad to serve as a bartender from time to time. His preferences, however, were for the together, and this situation will pass. In the meantime music commercial music of the late ‘70s, the kind of music he had certainlyour physical continues distance to brightenfrom one our another. lives. ShineWe are brightly! all in this played in Menagerie. “I didn’t sit in [at Grundy’s] much but, of course, enjoyed https://youtu.be/zKlTcFAdu6Q the music.” Later, in the last years of Jerry’s life, the two did play “The Details” and felt more comfortable,” Danny said. together Jerry Grundhoefermore. “We started was no listening jazz Nazi. to eachHe enjoyed other’s Grover music “This is a final project created by the University of West perhaps not as much as Miles, Monk, Trane, and the like. wayFlorida we Jazz would Combo. if we The were process meeting took face-to-face. approximately As 2a weeksgroup DannyWashington thinks Jerry and would other like easy-listening much of what artists, his own though band, to accomplish. We approached it as closely as possible to the Infusion, plays today. approach it stylistically; who would solo and the order in Infusion began as a strictly instrumental group about a whichwe selected they wouldthe piece. occur; We what also determined:type of gestures how to we use would and decade ago playing the “crossover” music that made its debut in the 1970s. This style became what we call “smooth the piece face-to-face or virtually. I created a click track jazz” today. length of the introduction and ending. We never rehearsed all of the players. Using only a lead sheet (which contains theusing melody the specifications of the tune with the groupchord definedsymbols and = the emailed form) itand to About five years ago, Infusion added singer Resia Williams the road map the group devised for navigating the form and expanded the repertoire. The playlist still includes Brubeck, but the main fare is pop and R&B classics from the (other than the melody no one had a part containing notes music from Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, and Dave or rhythms), each member of the group recorded a track of their part. Other than recording their parts separately, ‘70s and ‘80s made famous by Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, others. this is the normal way we work on pieces in the combo. The Chicago, Carol King, Average White Band, Steely Dan and Personnel can vary, but current members include Jim other big difference is that the players could not hear what their bandmates were playing--they could not respond to or play off of each other. Armstrong (guitar), Thom Botsford (sax), Walt Kattner (drums). Everyone emailed me their track. Because not everyone (bass), Tony Noles (percussion), and Jack Wolverton jazz. He agrees with what Jerry told Birmingham magazine Again, like his dad, Danny enjoys mixing pop music and back in 1978: balancedcould record whole. quality I then video,added still we onlyphotographs used audio. of the After group I “I’ve played my share of pop and whatever else the paying fromsynced our the February tracks (no concert easy task), as well I mixed as a themfew screenshots to create a customers wanted to hear, but even if you’re not playing your of our google meets sessions. Everyone in the group was favorite tune…you’ve got to play it like the only song that was musicians!” become jazz. Everybody knows that jazz is improvisation, amazed at the final result. Congratulations to our student butever people written. don’t When really you understandstart putting what yourself improvisation into it, it can is. That’s when a musician makes a tune its own.” Jerry Grundhoefer passed away in 1997, at age 66.

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