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Volume 42 • Issue 7 July/August 2014 Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society Dedicated to the performance, promotion and preservation of jazz. The Gotham SophistiCats — Molly Ryan, Dan Levinson, Bria Skonberg, Matt Musselman and Joel Forbes — let loose at the 2nd Annual New York Hot Jazz Festival on May 18. Photo by Lynn Redmile. All-Star, All Day 2nd Annual NYC Hot Jazz Festival Sizzles New York’s burgeoning trad jazz scene, with its enclaves of young players in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side, came together for a second annual 12-hour, star-studded jazz jamboree on May 18 at The Player’s Club, the New York Hot Jazz Festival’s elegant new venue in Gramercy Park. SEE STORY ON PAGE 28 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 Crow’s Nest. 50 Prez Sez New Patron Level Benefits ...........51 Change of Address/Support NJJS/ By Mike Katz President, NJJS Volunteer/Join NJJS. 51 NJJS/Pee Wee T-shirts. 52 nce again, I’ve invited our Executive V.P. Stew Saturday night to dance to the bands of Duke New/Renewed Members ............53 OSchiffer to write this Month’s “Prez Sez” Ellington, Glenn Miller, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny storIes Goodman, Sammy Kaye, Gene Krupa. Frank 2nd NYC Hot Jazz Festival. .........cover column and Stew graciously agreed. Since the Big Band in the Sky ..................8 summer is upon us, I want to wish everyone a Sinatra was a regular at the Meadowbrook with Newark Museum Jazz in Garden ......10 wonderful, safe, and fun-filled summer. I’ll be back Tommy Dorsey and the Pied Pipers. It’s been said Talking Jazz: Todd Barkan ............12 writing this column in September with lots of new that Count Basie got his start there as well. Much OSPAC 2014 Jazz Season ............20 and interesting news and views. of the music was broadcast live to listeners across Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival ......22 the country. NJPAC Jazz Line-Up. 24 Thanks Mike. So the last time I wrote this column First U.S. Gay Jazz Festival in Philly ....26 I suggested (tongue in cheek) we start a petition Big bands usually have between 13 to 18 NJJS Jazz Socials Resume in Fall ......26 musicians playing from arrangements that have Noteworthy .......................32 to re-name the “Garden State” the “Jazz State.” each instrument playing in harmony and concert Dan’s Den ........................34 Didn’t get a single person to sign up, so I’m with every other instrument in the group. reVIews re-thinking that we change it to the “Swing State.” Other Views. 37 Soloists are often featured, but it’s the tightness, Why, you ask? Because big band swing is alive On the Road: Perez/DeVos at Luna ....40 togetherness and drive of the whole ensemble that and well and flourishing here in New Jersey. As a Caught in the Act ..................42 makes big bands special. musician playing with big bands, I can attest to eVeNts Although limited by money and space, thankfully ’Round Jersey: Morris, Ocean .........48 the many talented musicians and singers that are Institute of Jazz Studies/ actively playing the songs and charts that made you can still find this music being played today in Jazz from Archives ...............49 up the popular music of the 1930s and ’40s. New Jersey restaurants, jazz clubs, schools, Somewhere There’s Music. 54 township parks, churches, libraries, concert halls, The Name Dropper .................55 Big band swing has a long history here in New VFW halls, union halls, fraternity halls, etc. AdVertIsers Jersey. Cities like Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Sometimes it’s a gig open to the public, other Jim Eigo Jazz Promo .................4 Passaic and townships throughout the state times it’s a “rehearsal band” made up of John Bianculli/Italian Bistro ............4 hosted clubs and dance halls featuring big bands. musicians playing for the sheer enjoyment of Arbors Records .....................5 WBGO ............................7 There was Gulliver’s, The Riviera, Sandy’s, Clifton playing. They come from all walks of life and Shanghai Jazz ......................9 Tap Room, Rustic Cabin, Terrace Room, Club some have played with the bands of Benny State Theatre. 11 Lido, Club Miami and The Meadowbrook in Goodman, Stan Kenton, Les Brown, Artie Shaw, NJPAC ...........................13 Cedar Grove, to name just a few. Jazz historians Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, the Dorseys and Ocean County College ..............19 Diane Perry .......................20 often refer to the Meadowbrook as one of the other major bands. They may be a little older Cadence Magazine .................21 most important dance ballrooms in the nation. now, but they are just as passionate about the Midday Jazz St. Peter’s ..............22 It packed in over 1500 people every Friday and music as ever. Marlene VerPlanck .................22 Jazzfest at Sea ....................23 Swingadelic .......................24 Morristown Jazz & Blues ............25 Stay tuned to www.njjs.org for updates and details. Riverboat Swing ...................27 SOPAC ...........................31 Jazz House Kids Montclair Jazz Fest ...33 NJJS Bulletin Board William Paterson University ..........35 Sandy Sasso ......................36 Member discount Claim your member privilege! Get free admission to NJJS socials, Jane Stuart .......................38 discounts to music events, discounts from partners! LauRio Jazz .......................39 Algonquin Arts Theatre. .39 NJJs Members discounts Hibiscus offers NJJS members a discount of 10% off their Jazzdagen ........................41 check. The Berrie Center at Ramapo College offers NJJS members 5% off event tickets. Morris Libraries Jazz in July ..........45 $5 ticket discount for monthly Salem Roadhouse Cafe jazz nights. Centenary Stage ...................47 CTS Images .......................51 Free Jazz socials…ongoing. Join us for music and mingling. Free for members, WBGO Photo Blog. .52 $10 non-members (applicable to membership) with just a $10 venue minimum. Watch calendar 92nd Street Y .....................53 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 _________________________________ July/August 2014 New JerseyJazzSociety With just 11 members, Swingadelic is New Jersey’s little big band that could. They’re riding a string of innovative CDs on the ZOHO label, including last year’s critically acclaimed Toussaintville. What’s especially Somers Dream Orchestra, Doris Day (Les Brown). For those that encouraging is Monday Blues Jazz might not know, Doris is still around and to see so Orchestra — and many recently celebrated her 90th birthday. many younger groups performing under Today’s big band singers are carrying on performers, some the name of their leader, that tradition adding so much to the just out of college, like Glenn Franke, Dick enjoyment of the music. re-discovering Meldonian, Frank Basile, And thanks to all of you jazz fans who and loving this Steve Badalamenti, James L. regularly come out to hear this music. music, as well as the resurgence of swing Dean, Rick Visone, Frank Gertz, Linsy Whether it’s a big band, small band or dancing. Several New Jersey universities Farris, David Aaron, Diane Moser, George anything in between, the most important with jazz studies programs have student Newell and Jack Vartan, and that’s just New thing is to support live jazz whenever big bands playing both contemporary and Jersey based bands. There are many more and wherever it may be…and especially traditional swing music. The music has “across the river” including NJJS favorites here in New Jersey. come full circle, and if you enjoy hearing like Dan Levinson, George Gee, Sherrie live big band swing it won’t be that difficult Maricle and her Diva Big Band and Vince There you are, I’ve added my two cents and to find. Giordano and his Nighthawks. Whatever now look forward to the next edition of the names, they’re making great music and Jersey Jazz when our President Mike Katz Some New Jersey venues that regularly re-calling for us the memories and sounds returns to write this column. JJ feature live big bands are Trumpets of the Swing Era. (Montclair), Highland Place (Maplewood), Pavinci’s (Lake Hopatcong), Solari’s And let’s not leave out the singers who (Hackensack), Bickford Theater accompany these bands. After all, so many Like this issue of the great songs, often referred to as (Morristown), Whiskey Café (Lyndhurst) Standards or the Great American Songbook, of Jersey Jazz? — and that’s just off the top of my head. Have it delivered right to Sometimes it’s monthly, sometimes were popularized by big band singers like weekly, so it’s best to call beforehand. Frank Sinatra and Jo Stafford (Tommy your mailbox 11 times a year. Dorsey), Peggy Lee (Benny Goodman), Joe Simply join NJJS to get The bands include the Jazz Lobsters, Silver Williams (Count Basie), Ella Fitzgerald Starlite Band, Skyliners, Moonlighters, (Chick Webb), Sarah Vaughn (Billy your subscription. Full Count Band, Swingtime, Swingtones, Eckstine), June Christy (Stan Kenton), See page 51 for details Swingadelic, Cornucopia, One More Once, Helen O’Connell (Jimmy Dorsey), and or visit www.njjs.org. Stay tuned to www.njjs.org for updates and details. Saturday August 16 Friday September 12 Sunday September 14 MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL CENTRAL JERSEY JAZZ FESTIVAL JAZZFEAST Featuring Trio Da Paz, Featuring the Bernie Worrell Alan Dale and the New Legacy Bucky Pizzarelli’s Guitar Summit, Orchestra, with appearances by Jazz Band, Warren Chiasson Winard Harper & Jeli Posse Warren Vaché and Harry Allen, Quartet, The Fins, Cynthia Sayer On the Morristown Green Emily Asher’s Garden Party & Sparks Fly, Vince Giordano and Noon – 10 PM and Winard Harper the Nighthawks Plamer Square, FREE Main Street, Flemington, 6 – 10 PM Princeton NJJS Calendar FREE Noon – 6 PM.