JazzErie notes The Monthly Newsletter of JazzErie July 2011 Vol. 17, Issue. 1 17 Years Serving the Jazz Community THE JAZZ JAZZ & BLUES WALK ROAD TRIP By Gary Finney, Jazz SATURDAY, JULY 9 @ 7:00 P.M. Erie Board Member and WQLN Jazz host This year’s popular Jazz and Blues Walk begins at 7PM with refreshments and the Allen Zurcher Quartet providing the entertainment at the attractive new annex to the Four road trips in thirteen days, phew! Erie Art Museum (E. 5th off State, downtown Erie). (Picture of art museum annex Three were within 100 miles, but it is the in middle of text) Three new venues expand and enhance this year’s walk: Under the fourth one that merits special recognition. Clock in the former Boston Store, Vermont Tavern (formerly Nelsons) at 1033 State When the rarity of a performance is this Street, Señior Coyote…which also means more bands! Here is the night’s rundown: exceptional, the lure of being there, even if entailing fourteen total hours of travel, 8 to 11PM make it all worthwhile. Lydia Marks & Jazz Inc..................Under the Clock (old Boston Store) And so it was when Drew Gress took the JD Jazz and Blues ...........................Matthews Trattoria bandstand at Manhattan’s Jazz Standard Eric Brewer and Friends .................Scotty’s with Tim Berne, Craig Taborn, Ralph Alessi and Tom Rainey; the 7 Black Butterflies band. With a recording session 9 to 12PM only five days away, this gig provided Dave Callaghan and Uptime ...........Señior Coyote’s some final adjustments to a plethora of Charles Ventrello Quintet ...............Pufferbelly exhilarating, new material and a grateful featuring Barbara Jean audience was more than happy to share the Steve Trohoske ...............................Bay Breeze experience. Sheet music overflowed the music 10 PM to 1AM stands for both sets as the quintet delved Mary Alice Brown ..........................1201 State into Gress’ adventurous compositions. His 25 or 64 ...........................................Brewerie (the old train station) charts are so intelligently conceived, with Duke Sherman ................................Plymouth improvisational sections seamlessly woven BluesBeaters ...................................Vermont into the composed sections, that only watching a soloist’s eyes betrayed when he You can purchase your buttons now for $10 at Romolos and the Erie Art Museum. was reading, versus taking flight. Each of The night of the Walk buttons can be bought on State Street in front of the Art Museum the new pieces played was labyrinthine in or outside the Art Museum Annex, or at the venues. Each venue will have buttons design and serpentine in execution, much available for about an hour after the beginning of their scheduled performance. Price like the snake that swallowed its tail and $10. Think of it! Ten places to enjoy Jazz (or Blues) for Ten Bucks! If you buy your thus ate itself. button the night of the Walk you will also receive a map of all the locations. Plus, Gress was the unassuming anchor in the the trolley (s) will be there beginning at 8PM (at the Art Museum) to take you to the band, his woody, resonant bass unselfishly different locations and from venue to venue throughout the night. throbbing life into the music, akin to Dr. Join JazzErie Saturday, July 9, for a great night of Jazz and Blues. … beginning at the Frankenstein with his creature. His fingers Art Museum Annex at 7PM ferociously plucked and coaxed the strings as he led the unfolding development Road Trip (cont. on pg 3) For More Information: www.jazzerie.com Jazz EriE JAZZ ERIE MOURNS THE LOSS OF JazzErie is a com- munity of music lovers and A GIANT OF JAZZ, GENE LEONE musicians and, a member- ship organization dedicated On Tuesday, May 3, Gene Leone passed away at his residence. He started playing to sharing with children, in Erie clubs at the age of thirteen. He began with the Bud Palmer orchestra, played adults and one another an awareness and love of at the Calabrese Club, then spent years playing at the Spa Club. That evolved into the music, particularly jazz. JazzErie brings Spa Quintet that brought in the New Year for 60 years! He contributed to JazzErie’s together people who want to listen to jazz, mission to bring jazz to our community. He will be sadly missed by all of the Jazz learn about it, play it and just live it. community who were enriched by his music and his winsome personality. The following and final “farewell” was written and delivered by Stan Bialomizy at Gene’s Check out our website at funeral mass at St. George’s church. www.jazzerie.com for complete information on current and upcoming events. 2011-2012 Board of Directors President................................................... Vice President ............................. Ted Ely Treasurer ........................... Rich Giardina Recording Secretary ............ Liz Scarpelli Directors Paul Bates Charles Lute John Marzalek Ed Goebel Scott Meier Rob Hoff “This is a tribute to a musician who was so important to our Jazz Erie Community. Charles Joy Patricia Tellers He made a difference in the lives of so many who knew this very special and Al Lubiejewski Mary E. Watson extraordinary guy named Gene Leone. His notes are now silent. Michael Leal Allen Zurcher It’s not easy to briefly summarize a successful, ambitious Gene who did so much. Brian Duke David Eichelsdorfer He built homes, he sold real estate, was a business man, taught piano. Most of all it Gary Finney Joe Dorris was his family he always held in high esteem. The family home was always busy with John Vanco (ex officio) the phone ringing, or someone in the family or friend coming to be in the company Past Presidents of Virginia and Gene. Whether you wanted it or not you were given a cup of coffee, David F. Van Amburg 1994-1995 freshly made. Without a doubt he was dedicated to his family, friends, and his music. (Founding President) He was a giving and loving person to everybody. He was a kind of joker who made Atty. Al Lubiejewski 1995-1997 people laugh. Virginia M. Pelkowski 1997-1999 Gene, a crossover from classical to jazz, had a deep respect for his fellow musicians R. Patrick Rodgers 1999-2002 Steve Eidell 2002-2003 …whether leader or accompanist. After working a gig we would always go for a late Tom McLaren 2003-2005 night snack that featured Gene sharing a lifetime of behind-the-scenes stories of his Carl Hultman 2005-2008 childhood, navy musician days and Erie life. There were times I had to leave the table Ed Goebel 2008-2010 before collapsing from laughter. When he sang, the story telling lyrics were sung with Dick Thompson 2010-2011 a unique interpretation that only Gene could do. When playing a room …as soon as he began singing, the room would become silent. His voice was warm, resonant, and JazzEriE NotEs is published in jazz performance months by JazzErie which is commanding. Who will ever forget his version of “Delilah” or “Here’s That Rainy a subsidiary organization of the Erie Art Day?” I loved the way he would “comp” and how harmonically interesting he laid Museum, a nonprofit organization. down the changes. All that made for a swinging, relaxed, happy time. A club owner JazzErie Notes once said, “Gene, don’t play and sing like that. Nobody’s drinking.” Gene was the ultimate musician. Editor - Tom McLaren published by I guess Heaven was hooked by a piano player with an infectious voice and charming The Erie Art Museum for JazzErie smile. He decided to take him. I’m sure there is a long line of musicians waiting printed by to sit in and play in Gene’s heavenly band. I’ll have to roll up my sleeves and start Copyright Printing & Graphics practicing for that day! 2827 West 26th St. • Erie, PA 16506 Finally, on behalf of Gene’s family and many friends, THANK YOU for your Deadline is the 15th of each month. amazing friendship and love and for performing at an all-time high for us. Enjoy being Send articles to: in heaven with Virginia. May the Lord bless and keep you ‘til we meet again. [email protected] A friend or Box 8833, Erie, PA 16505 Stan Bialomizy Page 2 JazzErie Notes “More ‘n Road Trip (cont. from pg. 1) JAZZERIE DISCUSSION GROUP Four” ,Allen’s is “Victory”. of each of these heady compositions. Calling his drive merely relentless Listen up. diminishes his ardor. “The Co-conspirator in propelling the band Original was drummer Tom Rainey. A master of Mambo dynamic subtlety and obtusely pulsating torrents, his perpetual thousand-yard- Kings” is a stare led you to believe that he is the one collection of member of the band that has memorized Afro-Cuban all of this new music. He was definitely orchestras “in the zone.” Rainey’s kick drum was demonstrating noticeably hyperactive, pounding home a range of the urgent tempo sections like a single by Charles Ventrello rhythms, tempos and forms. Some piston steam engine. Tim Berne and Ralph Alessi shared of the artists represented include the front line, on alto and trumpet, Machito, Chico O’ Farrill, Charlie Most jazz flutists have been respectively. While being a staple of Parker and Flip Phillips. We listen to the avant-garde contingent of New York saxophonists who double on flute the exciting, five movement “Afro- musicians for thirty plus years, Berne because of necessity, novelty, or Cuban Jazz Suite”. One hot album. eschews the overblown multiphonics of aesthetics. Some have become very Mucho caliente. Thanks to Jim many other associated saxophonists. His good on the instruments: James alto, no matter how dense the lines being Metzler.