REMEMBERING He Empire State Building
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Volume 37 • Issue 9 October 2009 Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society Dedicated to the performance, promotion and preservation of jazz. Les Paul at the control board of his home recording studio in Mahwah, N.J. July, 1990. Photo by Mitchell Seidel. REMEMBERING he Empire State Building. generation of listeners in what were supposed Rockefeller Center. Central Park. to be his sunset years. The Wisconsin-born “TThe Statue of Liberty. Les Paul.” New Jersey resident died August 13 at 94. The Jeopardy Answer: “Name five well-known Before he started his long-running series on New York City landmarks.” Monday nights in the early 1980s, Paul had all but retired from the music scene for some Les For more than a quarter century, the famous 20 years, content to stay a living legend in guitarist who redesigned the music business his rustic Mahwah home. Interestingly, in a was as much of a stop on a sightseer’s 1990 interview at 75 years old, he said it was baedeker as any of those more physically concern for his health that prompted him to substantial landmarks named. Holding court get active again in 1984. Monday nights at Fat Tuesday’s and later at Paul1915 – 2009 the Iridium, the guitarist charmed a new “I felt in 1965 that I was overdue to hang it Story and photos by Mitchell Seidel continued on page 30 New JerseyJazzSociety in this issue: NEW JERSEY JAZZ SOCIETY Pres Sez/Bulletin Board . 2 NJJS Calendar . 3 The Mail Bag . 5 Jazz Trivia . 5 Editor’s Pick/Deadlines/NJJS Info. 6 Music Committee . 8 Prez Sez Crow’s Nest . 53 New Members . 54 By Andrea Tyson President, NJJS Board Nominations . 54 Change of Address/Support NJJS/ Volunteer/JOIN NJJS. 55 ne of the pleasures of being the NJJS President is minutes away at Charley’s Ocean Grill in Long Branch. ARTICLES going around to many different venues where I We’re not usually day-trippers down the shore but this Classic Stine . 9 Oalways meet friendly people who love our was outstanding and worth the trip. Big Band in the Sky . 10 magazine, love what our organization is doing and think October 25 might be cool outside but will be one hot Dan’s Den: Goodman and Beyond . 14 More About Les . 16 that we’re on the right track of keeping the music alive. night at APAC with Dick Hyman and Art Topilow. Noteworthy . 22 One such evening was at Shanghai Jazz in Madison Check it out at www.axelrodartscenter.com Talking Jazz: John Pizzarelli . 24 where I went to hear Nicki Parrott, Warren Vaché and ■ We’re very pleased to tell you that Jack Kleinsinger is WPU Jazz Room Series . 20 Tardo Hammer. The group enjoys playing together and providing us some raffle tickets for his Highlights in Cape May Jazz Festival . 36 College Jazz . 38 they have many off-microphone asides for the audience Jazz shows in October (Thursday, October 8 at 8 PM NJPAC Latin Jazz Festival. 40 to hear as well. The intimate dining room is perfect for “Hot Jazz from New Orleans to Israel” featuring Evan REVIEWS that. www.shanghaijazz.com Christopher, Duke Heitger, Anat Cohen, Ehud Asherie with George Masso, Jackie Williams, Johnny Varro and Riverboat Swing. 41 I agree…our Society is on the right track. We now Seidel on Newport . 42 Joe Ascione); November (Thursday, November 12, partner with about 20 venues in NJ where we are very Compact Views . 44 “Living Jazz Legends” featuring Buddy DeFranco with fortunate to be offered lobby tables during their jazz Other Views. 46 Jay Leonhart, Joe Cohn, Ron Odrich, and Ed Metz, Jr., Ingham on Newport . 48 concerts to disseminate our information. Sometimes we Bucky Pizzarelli with John Pizzarelli, Martin Pizzarelli, Satchmo Summerfest . 50 need NJJS members to sit at the tables when board and Mickey Roker) and December (Thursday, December Caught in the Act: members can’t make it. If interested, contact Member- D. Frishberg/R. Kilgore . 52 10 “Celebrating the Swing Masters” Ken Peplowski recalls ship Chair Caryl Anne McBride ([email protected]); Benny Goodman; Terry Gibbs recalls Lionel Hampton; EVENTS she’ll get in touch and tell you more about it. We also get ’Round Jersey: Morris, Ocean . 56 Freddie Bryant recalls Charlie Christian with Derek Institute of Jazz Studies/ some free tickets to these many events to raffle off at our Smith, Nicki Parrott, and Alvin Atkinson). See their Jazz from Archives . 57 Jazz Socials (so please attend!). We also arrange for website for more ticket information. TRIBECA Perform- Somewhere There’s Music . 58 member discounts at their box offices when it’s feasible. The Name Dropper . 59 ing Arts Center, Borough of Manhattan Community So, if you’re not a member, please join at www.njjs.org College, 199 Chambers Street. TRIBECA Box Office at ADVERTISERS and get in on the great deals we offer. You’ll also get this (212) 220-1460 www.tribecapac.org/music.htm. We State Theatre . 4 fine magazine and support our very worthwhile 35+ year Shanghai Jazz . 7 thank Jack very much for his generosity. Terry A Big Band Sound . 8 house that Jack built – Jack Stine that is (with a little ■ We are blessed by such accommodating jazz venues Judith Kramer . 9 help from his friends. OK, Jack, a lot of help!). and we thank them for their generosity. Also tune into WBGO . 11 ■ One new partner is the Axelrod Performing Arts Community Theatre . 13 radio station WBGO and listen for NJJS because we’re bergenPAC . 15 Center (APAC) in Deal Park that I mentioned last partnering with them, too. NJJSers will be on hand to Folk Project/NJJS Swing Dance month. We were at their August 30 performance of the assist WBGO in their fund drives three times a year Benefit. 17 Topilow Brothers, and what a show it was! Art is a long- starting in 2010 and to spread the word of both jazz Jazzdagen. 19 time member of NJJS and a fine pianist. As an extra radio and NJJS. Bring your friends to our events, give Cape May Jazz Festival November . 20 Billy VerPlanck Memorial Show . 21 added attraction, we had a delicious dinner not 15 them gift memberships to NJJS (half-price), go to our Jazz in Bridgewater . 23 Berrie Center Ramapo College . 25 Shelly Productions . 27 Newark Jazz Elders . 29 NJJS Bulletin Board Hibiscus . 33 Arbors Records . 35 BE A STAR for NJJS! We always need help with our efforts. Volunteering is fun and has its perks. See page 55. Skipper’s. 36 WPU Jazz Room . 37 FREE Jazz Socials Our season of Jazz Socials (formerly called Member Meetings) continues October 18, around Madison Public Library Benefit . 39 at Shanghai Jazz. These Socials offer a great opportunity to meet other jazz lovers, while being entertained and informed. 7th Wave Recording. 40 Free for members, but open to the public for just $10, so invite somebody! We often have great items to raffle at these Arbors Records Party. 45 meetings — tickets to shows, concerts from our partner organizations. Watch for details at www.njjs.org or via E-mail. Pio Costa/Circa 27 . 49 Jim Fryer & The Unusual Suspects . 51 FREE Film Series Next Film: Wednesday October 28 in Chatham. Details on page 8 and watch for E-blasts. Music at United . 52 PA Jazz Society. 53 Got E-mail? Friends got E-mail? Get on board for raffles, freebies, discounts! Jim Eigo Jazz Promo. 53 Some special offers for NJJS members are late-breaking — so please send your E-mail address to [email protected]. CTS Images. 54 For example, some of our partners have recently made discounts and free tickets available to us. We are only able to pass WBGO PhotoBlog . 60 those deals on via our E-mail list. Weichert Realtors. 60 2 __________________________________ October 2009 New JerseyJazzSociety NJJS Record Bin Tell them you saw Featured $10 titles: Bob Barnard/John Sheridan — Thanks A Million (Sackville/SKCD2-3067) it in Jersey Jazz! Ted Shafer-Jelly Roll J.B. — Toe Tapping Dixieland Jazz (Merry Makers/MMRC-CD-14) Complete list at www.njjs.org, or write J. Sinkway, 43 Windham Place, Glen Rock, NJ 07452. website, www.njjs.org and check out what’s hours of the morning and I stayed for it all! Our ■ For those of you who frequented The happening, encourage others to do the same. Be wine and cheese was a hit with the musicians and Cornerstone (Novita) in Metuchen over the years, our ambassadors of good will. And the word is a couple of NJJSers who tore themselves away you’ll remember our beautiful Kawai grand piano getting out. More and more people have heard of from the music for a little while to rub elbows and which was a gift to NJJS from former Board the NJ Jazz Society and that is the good news. break bread with the Midiri Brothers Band. I hope member Frank Nissel. Well, it’s been very carefully ■ At present we are looking for a few members for to keep up this tradition next year so come on up moved to Hibiscus in Morristown. Laura Hull our Board of Directors to help in many ways. It’s and join us. was instrumental (no pun intended) in working worth the time to be on the board and work ■ Speaking of the Midiri Brothers…they joined out the details with both venues and it sounds toward a common goal and see jazz holding its Ed Polcer’s group on Sunday August 23 for the great in its new home.