6OLUME s )SSUE December 2013 Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society Dedicated to the performance, promotion and preservation of jazz. Saxophonist Jimmy Heath takes a breather and lets the trio stretch out during the opening night of the TD Bank James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival at Bethany Baptist Church in Newark. Also in the group are bassist David Wong, pianist Jeb Patton and drummer Winard Harper. Photo by Mitchell Seidel. TURN ON THE STARS NJPAC festival lights up Newark with a week of world-class jazz 0HOTO HIGHLIGHTS NJJS Annual Meeting begin page 28. Sunday December 8 featuring Sarah Partridge see details page 2 New JerseyJazzSociety IN THIS ISSUE .%7 *%23%9 *!:: 3/#)%49 Prez Sez. 2 Bulletin Board ...................... 2 NJJS Calendar ...................... 3 Jazz Trivia ......................... 4 Mail Bag ........................... 4 Editor’s Pick/Deadlines/NJJS Info . 6 October Jazz Social: Peter Leitch . 47 Prez Sez Crow’s Nest. 48 New Patron Level Benefits . 49 By Mike Katz President, NJJS Change of Address/Support NJJS/ Volunteer/Join NJJS. 49 appy Holidays to everyone! New/Renewed Members . 52 HI hope to see as many of NJJS/Pee Wee T-shirts . 53 you as possible at our Annual 34/2)%3 Meeting at Shanghai Jazz in NJPAC Moody Festival. cover Big Band in the Sky . 8 Madison on Sunday, December Talking Jazz: Van Alexander . 12 8, starting at 2:00 pm, featuring Dan’s Den ........................ 18 Dan Morgenstern at Birdland . 18 Sarah Partridge and trio. Besides Coleman Hughes Wins Fellowship . 20 great music, we’ll have officers’ Noteworthy ....................... 22 reports and election of directors. DIVA Turns 20 ....................... 24 Giants of Jazz Honors Gary Bartz . 30 All are welcome! As usual, there Luna Stage Jazz Series . 32 is no admission charge for Jazz Nativity in Morristown. 33 members; however, there is a Sharel Cassity at 54 Below . 34 Holiday Special $5 off Event Tickets. 34 $10 food/drink minimum. Photo Show at WBGO . 36 Q Something new for the New Year: 2%6)%73 Give the gift of jazz this holiday Other Views. 38 “HORNS A’PLENTY” HOLIDAY PACKAGE DEAL: Buy tickets to March season! We’re offering a special Jost Project at Somers Point . 44 performances by Warren Vaché (Pee Wee Stomp) and Bria Skonberg Caught in the Act . 46 present for NJJS members only (Mayo PAC) before December 24 and get a discount price. EVENTS — a discount offer for our ’Round Jersey: Morris, Ocean . 50 major upcoming Spring events, trumpeter/vocalist/composer actual tickets for the Stomp plus Institute of Jazz Studies/ Bria Skonberg. Each purchase of a voucher to be exchanged for Jazz from Archives . 53 both taking place in March. It Somewhere There’s Music . 54 is in the form of a combination a combination Stomp (member your tickets at the Mayo box The Name Dropper . 55 ticket for the Pee Wee Russell advance price $25) and Mayo office (you’ll get the best seats !$6%24)3%23 Memorial Stomp (Sunday (regularly $20) ticket will result available following the Rosalind Grant ...................... 4 in a $5 discount. Orders may expiration of this offer). Pay by WBGO ............................ 5 afternoon, March 2, Birchwood Shanghai Jazz ...................... 7 Manor, Whippany), and the be placed by mail, using the check, and include a postpaid William Paterson University . 9 annual New Jersey Jazz coupon on page 34, or by using return envelope with your order NJPAC ........................... 13 Jazzdagen ........................ 17 Society concert (at the Mayo Paypal on the NJJS website, and and there’s no additional fee; $3 Jazz at Rutherfurd Hall . 19 Performing Arts Center in must be received by December surcharge for each ticket combo Stephen Fuller ..................... 20 24 to get the discount. Your paid by credit card or without a Atlanta Jazz Party . 21 Morristown, Sunday Ocean County College . 23 afternoon, March 30) starring combo will arrive by mail: postpaid return envelope. Chicken Fat Ball . 25 North Carolina Jazz Festival . 27 Rutgers Mason Gross School . 31 Sheffield Lab ...................... 35 Stay tuned to www.njjs.org for updates and details. Concert to Honor Bruce Gast . 37 Arbors Records .................... 39 Sandy Sasso ...................... 40 Cadence Magazine . 41 NJJS Bulletin Board Marlene VerPlanck . 42 Jim Eigo Jazz Promo . 43 -EMBER $ISCOUNT Claim your member privilege! Get free admission to NJJS socials, McCarter Theatre Center . 43 Full Count Big Band . 44 discounts to music events, discounts from partners! RVCC ............................ 45 Swingadelic ....................... 47 .**3 -EMBERS $ISCOUNTS Hibiscus offers NJJS members a discount of 10% off their Shelly Productions . 47 check. The Berrie Center at Ramapo College offers NJJS members 5% off event tickets. Diane Perry ....................... 48 CTS Images ....................... 49 &2%% *AZZ 3OCIALS…ongoing. Join us for music and mingling. Free for members, John Bianculli/Italian Bistro . 51 $10 non-members (applicable to membership) with just a $10 venue minimum. Watch calendar LauRio Jazz ....................... 52 WBGO Photo Blog . 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!! 2 __________________________________ December 2013 New JerseyJazzSociety 4ELL 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! The 2014 Stomp will around the theme of recently at the Bickford Theater in feature bands led by Keith women in jazz, being that Morristown and Ocean County College in Ingham, David Ostwald, March will be Women’s Toms River, and prior to that at the Warren Vaché and Dick History Month. In Somerset County Vo-Tech high school and Voigt. We’ve made the addition to her regular the Watchung Arts Center. Bruce also decision to present NJJS working band of Dalton served on the NJJS Board of Directors, and scholarships, and the group Ridenhour on piano, as its treasurer. NJJS is pleased to join Al performance by jazz studies Sean Cronin on bass and Don in honoring Bruce with this programs scholarship and Darrian Douglas on concert, which will feature Dan Levinson as winners from the various drums, Bria has invited leader and include Bucky Pizzarelli, Derek colleges, at one of our as her special guest alto Smith, Bria Skonberg, Randy Reinhart, the socials at Shanghai Jazz, saxophonist Tia Fuller, Midiri Brothers and other NJJS favorites. instead of at the Stomp. As who may not be as familiar Both events will take place at the Prospect a result, the professional to NJJS members, but who Presbyterian Church in Maplewood. band sets will be somewhat has a distinguished record Ordering information will be in ads in this longer than they formerly Clarinetist Dan Levinson leads an all- of performances and and following issues of Jersey Jazz. were. We are looking awards, including touring star tribute to concert producer Bruce I hope I will see most of you at some or forward to a great event, with Esperanza Spaulding Gast in Maplewood on February 16. all of the events mentioned above, and enlivened as in several Pee and Beyoncé. Further that you all have a joyous and jazzy Wee Stomps of the recent past by the details are available on the Mayo PAC holiday season. JJ presence of many swing dancers. website at www.mayoarts.org. Click on March 30 on the calendar. The Mayo concert on March 30 will as noted feature Bria Skonberg, who needs no QI also want to offer a shout-out this introduction to most of our members as a month to Al Kuehn and Don Greenfield, result of her previous appearances at Jazzfest who in addition to producing next year’s ,IKE THIS ISSUE and the Pee Wee Russell Memorial Stomp, edition of the long-running Chicken Fat of Jersey Jazz? as well as at the recent Princeton Jazzfeast, Ball on Sunday afternoon, January 5, 2014, Have it delivered right to where she wowed a huge crowd, not to will be offering a special tribute concert on mention her frequent performances at the Sunday afternoon, February 16, honoring your mailbox 11 times a year. Bickford Theater. Bria is preparing what Bruce Gast in recognition of his many years Simply join NJJS to get promises to be a most interesting program as a producer and friend of jazz, most your subscription. See page 49 for details Stay tuned to www.njjs.org for updates and details. or visit www.njjs.org. Thursday November 21 Sunday December 8 Sunday January 19 Sunday March 2 Sunday March 30 FREE FILM SERIES — ANNUAL MEETING JAZZ SOCIAL PEE WEE RUSSELL SPRING CONCERT Singers on Jazz Casual - Sarah Partridge Conal Fowkess MEMORIAL STOMP Bria Skonberg with Carmen McRae, Shanghai Jazz Shanghai Jazz Featuring Warren Vache ensemble, special guest Tia Fuller Mel Torme and Jimmy 214 Main St, 214 Main St, Madison; 3–5:30PM David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Mayo Performing Arts Rushing. Madison free admission Eternity Band, remaining bands TBA, Center Library of the Chathams 2PM NJJS members; watch for details. 3:00 PM 214 Main Street, $10 all others; Birchwood Manor, Whippany, NJ Morristown, NJ Chatham, 7PM + $10 min. for all Noon – 5PM www.mayoarts.org Free, open to public Special Member Combo ticket price for Pee Wee Stomp + Spring Concert. See page 34 for details. NJJS Calendar December 2013 __________________________________ 3 New JerseyJazzSociety Jazz Trivia The Mail Bag By O. Howie Ponder &2!$,%9 '!2.%23 !.$ $/. 2/"%243/.3 !24)#,% !"/54 4(%)2 (answers on page 52) TEENAGE BAND [“The ‘Sweet to Swing’ Dick Oliver & His Orchestra,” November Jersey Jazz] paints a picture of a Newark I never knew. But my parents did. We lived in a section east of Penn Station and downtown Newark called “Down Neck” because of the curve in the Passaic River.