Volume 45 • Issue 7 July/August 2017 Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society Dedicated to the performance, promotion and preservation of jazz. Ella Fitzgerald publicity portrait early 1950s. Photo: CTS Images. Celebrating Ella At 100 lla Jane Fitzgerald was born on April 25, 1917 in Newport News, her last concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1991. She died EVirginia. Her mother, Tempi, worked as a domestic and she due to complications from diabetes in her Beverly Hills home never knew her father, William. She went on to become the on June 15, 1996. During this year’s centennial anniversary of her world’s most celebrated woman jazz singer. Her long and birth hundreds of tributes in her honor are taking place worldwide, illustrious musical career included 13 Grammys, numerous including a two-day “cELLAbration” at the Rutgers Institute of DownBeat Awards, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Jazz Studies in Newark on May 24–25. Jersey Jazz contributor Medal of Freedom, the National Medal of the Arts and many other Jim Gerard talked to several of the distinguished participants and honors — and more than 40 million albums sold. Ella performed his report on the IJS symposium and more begins 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 Prez sez Change of Address/Support NJJS/ Volunteer/Join NJJs . 49 By Mike Katz President, NJJS Crow’s Nest . 50 New/Renewed Members . 56 t our May Jazz Social at Shanghai Jazz, we presented with Dan Levinson’s Midsummer Night’s Jazz Party on storIes a band mad ae up of the winners of our 2017 New Monday, July 10 . It’s the third year Dan has put together Celebrating Ella at 100 . cover A Jersey Jazz Society college scholarships, all jazz studies an all-star band for the concert, and this year it includes Big Band in the Sky . 8 Jazz in July . 10 majors selected by the faculties of their respective Molly Ryan, Mike Davis, Harvey Tibbs, Mark Shane, Rob Anderon’s Songbook Summit . .. 12 universities . They included Justin Jones from William Adkins, and Kevin Dorn . Then on Thursday, July 20, the Cleveland Jazz Party . 12 Paterson University on alto sax (Jack Stine scholarship), Full Count Jazz Band will salute the great singers who REJS Entertainment . 14 Pat Higgins of Rowan University on baritone sax (Bill played regularly in Las Vegas, from Frank Sinatra and Talking Jazz: Bill Charlap . .. 16 Walters scholarship), Dhalil Sadiq on trumpet and Galo Bobby Darin to Tony Bennett and Louis Prima . It’s going International Womens Jazz Festival . 26 Inga on piano, both from Montclair State University (Board to be a fun show . Schaen Fox Reviews . 32 of Directors scholarships), and bassist Ian Heisler and NJJS May Jazz Social . 33 The Bickford is presenting Bria Skonberg and her band on Michael Yaw on drums, both representing New Jersey Noteworthy . 34 July 24 . Bria will be playing a lot of music from her new City University (Don Robertson scholarship) . They were WBGO Gallery Reception . 35 CD, With a Twist (reviewed by Joe Lang in last month’s Dan’s Den . 36 joined by vocalist Emily Zapata, herself a graduate of issue), as well as some previous Skonberg favorites . Rhythm & Rhyme . 38 Montclair State . Despite never having played together The Bickford Summer Jazzfest concludes on Thursday, Bethany Baptish Jazz Vespers . 52 before, these young musicians put together two excellent August 3 with the exciting young singer/sax player Danny reVIews sets that were very much enjoyed by an appreciative Bacher, who will be joined by some terrific musicians for Caught in the Act . 40 audience that included parents and friends of the a concert which draws on the Great American Songbook . Other Views . 43 musicians as well as NJJS Board members and other Coltrane Film Review . 46 Each concert will have a few food trucks to picnic Social regulars . Each musician received a cash stipend for Book Review/KC Womens Jazz Fest . 47 beforehand . Ordering information is in the Bickford’s ad use in defraying their college costs, as well as a one year eVeNts elsewhere in this issue . All programs start at 7:30 PM . membership in the New Jersey Jazz Society . We hope ’Round Jersey: Morris, Ocean, Mercer . 48 Institute of Jazz Studies . 51 they will continue as members for a long time to come as n On Saturday August 19, the Morristown Jazz & Blues Somewhere There’s Music . 54 well as for success in their future careers . This year we Festival returns to the Green for this popular annual The Name Dropper . 55 added Montclair State as a scholarship program, which event . The free all-day festival starts at noon with Vince AdVertIsers was made possible due to donations made for the Giordano and The Nighthawks, so bring your lawn chairs Amani . 4 purpose by friends and family of Don Robertson, a and picnic early . Following Vince at 2 PM, Bucky Pizzarelli Marlene Ver Planck . 4 longtime NJJS board member who passed away last year . returns with a quintet that includes Ed Laub on guitar, Shanghai Jazz . 5 Martin Pizzarelli on bass, sax and clarinet player Linus WBGO . 7 n Here are some coming events in Morristown for the Wyrsch and pianist Ken Levinsky . They’re foowed at 4 PM William Paterson University . 9 summer jazz season, courtesy of our good friend, Don by Louis Prima Jr . and the Witnesses, who really surprised Diane Perry . 10 Jay Smith . We’re happy to be part of the new Bickford the crowd with their very entertaining set last year . After Ocean County College . 11 Summer Jazzfest which kicks off at the Bickford Theater Morristown Jazz & BLues Festival . .. 13 Jazzfest at Sea . 15 Morris Museum . 17 CTS Images . 18 Stay tuned to www.njjs.org for updates and details. Arbors Records . 20 NJJS Bulletin Board Deer Head Inn . 21 1867 Sanctuary at Ewing . 22 Jazzdagen . 23 Member Discount Claim your member privilege! Get free admission to NJJS socials, discounts Cleveland Jazz Party . 25 to music events, discounts from partners! Jim Eigo . 34 WBGO Photo Bog . 37 NJJs members discounts Hibiscus Restaurant, Morristown and The Crossroads, Garwood Centerary College . 37 offer NJJS members a discount of 10% off their check . The Berrie Center at Ramapo College offers NJJS Deer Head Inn . 38 Jazz Arts Project . 39 members 5% off event tickets . $5 ticket discount for monthly Salem Roadhouse Cafe jazz nights . Swingadelic . 43 Free Jazz socials…ongoing . Join us for music and mingling . Free for members, $10 non-members Sandy Sasso . 44 (applicable to membership) with just a $10 venue minimum . Watch calendar page 3 for upcoming dates Leonicke Scheuble . .. 50 Cadence . 53 and details . Beyond the schmooze, there are some serious musical prizes raffled off at our socials!! Princeton Record Exchange . 56 2 _________________________________ July/August 2017 New JerseyJazzSociety It’s been a while since Vince Giordano brought the mighty Nighthawks to New Jersey for a performance, but the band returns this summer to open the Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival at noon on Aug. 19. Photo by Charlie Gross. Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Buddy Rich . Music Director Dick Lowenthal always puts Like this issue together an entertaining of Jersey Jazz? program and this year has Have it delivered invited several guest soloists including Jon Faddis and right to your mailbox Cyrille Aimee . The music 11 times a year . starts at 6 . FREE! . Simply join NJJS to get that the festival turns to the blues at six with a Also mark your calendars for your subscription . couple of big name headliners . First guitarist Ana the following Sunday, September 17, for the annual Popovich, the only woman guitarist invited to be Princeton JazzFeast, presented by the Palmer See page 49 for details part of a tour dedicated to the late Jimi Hendrix . Square Management and co-sponsored by NJJS, or visit www .njjs .org . The full day of music will conclude with The Walter which takes place in Palmer Square, beginning at Trout Band led by the multiple award winning noon and continuing through the afternoon . guitarist who was raised in Ocean City, NJ . The New Jersey Jazz Society is very proud to again be In its 26th year, JazzFeast is an open air jazz one of the sponsors of this festival, and I look festival that swings with the joy of great music and forward to seeing all of you there! food . The band lineup was not available at press time, so watch our website for updates . JazzFeast A New Jersey Jazz Society n Since Jersey Jazz will not be published in August, goes on rain or shine and admission is free . As here’s a heads-up on a couple of events in usual, NJJS will have a wide selection of jazz CDs membership makes September . Save Friday, September 15, for the and vinyl records available for sale . a great birthday gift! fifth annual New Jersey City University Alumni Jazz Big Band Concert on the J . Owen Grundy Pier at There will be lots of other jazz concerts and Plus, if you are already festivals in New Jersey this summer, details of Exchange Place in Jersey City . Every year this a member, a gift membership concert is one of the most spectacular events of many of which will be available through advertising the summer, with the New York skyline and the in this issue of Jersey Jazz as well as on our costs just $25! Statue of Liberty as the backdrop for some website and email blasts .