Volume 36 • Issue 8 September 2008 Journal of the New Jersey Jazz Society Dedicated to the performance, promotion and preservation of jazz. NEW YORK STATE OF JAZZ Jersey Jazz’s Mitchell Seidel travels to Rochester and Saratoga to report on the vibrant state of festival jazz Story and photos begin on page 26. in the Empire State. Trumpeter Chris Botti shows a modern version of walking the bar as he strolls through the audience, performing at the 31st Annual Freihofer’s Jazz Festival at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY June 28, 2008. Photo by Mitchell Seidel. New JerseyJazzSociety in this issue: NEW JERSEY JAZZ SOCIETY Pres Sez . 2 SURVEY/NJJS Calendar/Bulletin Board . 3 The Mail Bag/Jazz Trivia . 4 Editor’s Pick/Deadlines/NJJS Info. 6 Prez Sez Music Committee. 8 Win This CD/New Members . 46 By Andrea Tyson President, NJJS About NJJS/Membership Info . 47 ARTICLES Classic Stine . 9 hope you enjoyed the summer in a leisurely Director Sherry Cronin is to be commended for a Crow’s Nest . 9 way with friends and family and, of course, job well done! And thanks to our volunteers who Dan’s Den: Jazz in Israel . 10 jazz. Elliot and I were very busy with many walked around talking with people and introducing Big Band in the Sky . 12 I Talking Jazz: Howard Alden. 18 days and nights spent listening to jazz from coast them to NJJS, led by Westfield resident and NJJS Rochester Jazz Festival . 26 to coast. We went to Connecticut for the Great member Dan Guttman. Freihofer’s Saratoga Festival . 28 Connecticut Jazz Festival and to California for the Governor’s Island Jazz Age Picnic . 30 I As part of our organization’s future planning, Noteworthy . 32 Costa Mesa Jazz Festival in August (after this we’ve put together a small survey regarding Jazz U: College Jazz . 34 column went to the editors). In Connecticut we Jazzfest at www.njjs.org. I hope you’ll look for the Cape May . 37 hosted our annual wine and cheese party and had survey and give us some feedback as we undertake REVIEWS a very good time with our guest musicians and Compact Views . 38 long-range planning for the organization. For Other Views . 39 NJJS members alike. Check out the GCJF Website those who might prefer to mail us a completed Newark Museum Jazz in Garden. 42 for details of this wonderful weekend at Gettysburg . 45 survey we also offer a printed version on page 3 May Member Meeting . 46 www.ctjazz.org. of this issue. EVENTS Closer to home, I went to Skipper’s in Newark ’Round Jersey: Morris, Ocean, Bridgewater . 48 nd now that summer is just about over, don’t Institute of Jazz Studies/ (www.skippersplanestreetpub.com) to hear Pam Afret — the jazz is still sizzlin’ around our fair Jazz from Archives . 49 Purvis and the Blue Skies Band — with some state. Here are just a few of the offerings: Somewhere There’s Music . 50 audience participation from the likes of Madame The Name Dropper . 51 Pat Tandy to get us all cookin’.What a fun hangout, JazzFeast in Princeton on Saturday, ADVERTISERS September 20 is a terrific way to spend an after- Shanghai Jazz . 5 with good food, reasonable prices and great music. Trumpets. 7 Please check out their Website and, if you visit, noon with friends — while listening to groups led Novitá . 13 by Alan Dale, Daryl Sherman, Harry Allen and Ed please tell owners Greg and Norm that I sent you. Lana’s . 15 Polcer. Arrive early to get a good seat! The CTS Images. 16 I parked right in front, but there’s a parking facility Salt Creek Grille . 17 Princeton University Jazztet will also perform nearby and the restaurant stamps your receipt for a Jazzdagen Tours . 19 under the able leadership of Professor Anthony State Theatre . 21 deep discount. The club is just across from Essex * Branker. Visit www.palmersquare.com on the Web Bob Ackerman Progressive Winds . 31 County College on University Avenue. Watchung Arts Center . 31 for directions. If you would like some personal Jazz at Chautauqua . 33 Also, visited Westfield during July for their free service, our Record Bin Manager,a Jackzz Sinkway, Pam Purvis at Cecil’s . 34 j Arbors Records . 35 jazz festival, a unique and ambitious idea of four could bring you CDs from our extensive Margie Notte at Libretti’s . 36 outdoor venues every Tuesday evening in the collection. If interested, please contact him at Improvisational Promotions. 37 PA Jazz Society. 37 summer. They’ve been doing it for several years [email protected]. Peruse the list of Cape May Jazz November Jazz Fest . 38 and it was crowded every evening when I was there. Record Bin CDs on our Website. Could save you Shelly Productions/Glen Rock Inn . 39 Jim Eigo Jazz Promo. 40 Downtown Westfield Corporation’s Executive time looking through all the boxes. Also, we’ll have Allegheny Jazz Society. 41 Marcia Steinberg . 46 Laura Hull . 52 Weichert Realtors. 52 Got Inspiration for education? We are looking for a person to act as a liaison to work within our Education Committee. The Society has an educational outreach program, GENERATIONS OF Wish List JAZZ (GOJ). It is a one-hour live performance (Pam Purvis is the Musical Director) NJJS seeks a volunteer Jersey that gets booked mostly into schools, but sometimes libraries, hospitals, etc. to Jazz Ad Manager. Duties include foster knowledge and interest in jazz, the only truly American musical art form. being the central contact for For an hour or so, six musicians bring the audience through a series of jazz advertisers, tracking who’s in ‘generations’ from field shouts to bebep and each discusses the unique relationship of the instruments to each other each issue, following up, and specifically in a jazz band. Usually, Board Member Stan Myers, jazz historian, is the emcee of each performance. maybe even down the road developing new advertisers... The position comes along with detailed training — from President Andrea Tyson, present committee member, Elliott Please contact [email protected] if Tyson, and Pam. It entails contacting schools, getting bookings, sending out confirmation letters, etc. There is more you can take over this vital involved, but I don’t want to take up too much space. If you want to hear more about joining our education committee, function. check out our website and click on Generations of Jazz. 2 _________________________________ September 2008 New JerseyJazzSociety Tell them you saw it in Jersey Jazz! Please clip or photocopy and send back to us by mail or fax (see page 6). Survey: NJJS Jazzfest 2008 Available also on-line. All responses are confidential. The New Jersey Jazz Society has produced Jazzfest for over 30 years. Attach more sheets if needed. We ask your help to evaluate the June 6-8, 2008 Jazzfest on the Drew University campus, and encourage your ideas for future Jack Stine’s book for sale and he’ll be there to sign it. It’s a compila- Jazzfest programs. Please complete the following questions. tion of all his Jersey Jazz Stine Songs columns — forever. Get this 1. Did you attend Jazzfest 2008? If not, please skip to questions 3 and 7. collector’s item while there are still some left. J Yes J No I The State Theatre/New Brunswick is once again presenting their 2. If you attended Jazzfest 2008, which days did you attend? Backstage Jazz & Blues Festival. See their ad in this issue and check J Friday night J Saturday J Sunday out their Website for this exciting event www.statetheatrenj.org. 3. Are you an NJJS member? J Yes J No I We’ve put together some interesting programs for our fall Member Meetings at Trumpets in Montclair. Reservations may be in order if 4. Your overall impression of Jazzfest 2008. J Exceptional J Very Good J Average J Fair you want to have brunch prior to the 2 PM programs. 5. Please check your favorite Jazzfest 2008 performers. Sunday, September 28: We’re so happy to present An Intimate Please try to limit the choices to 3. Portrait of Daryl Sherman. J Jerry Vezza Trio with J Carrie Jackson and Her Jazzin' Frank Noviello All-Stars Sunday, October 26: Vocal Jazz: Styles & Stylists, moderated by J Parrott, Sportiello/Pizzarelli Trio J Eric Comstock Trio music committee member and vocalist Laura Hull, with special J Cynthia Sayer and Sparks Fly J Joe Temperley Quintet guest vocalists Pam Purvis and Carrie Jackson. J Tony DeSare J Earl May Tribute Band Sunday, November 23: We’re honored and thrilled to welcome J The Bob Crosby Bob Cats J Swingadelic Janice Friedman to our meeting for her Intimate Portrait featuring J James L. Dean Big Band J Jazz Lobsters Big Band her piano playing and vocals. 6. We would appreciate any comments you have regarding your e’re always looking for more board members and committee experience at Jazzfest 2008. Wvolunteers. If you want more information, please contact me at [email protected] and let me know your thoughts. I’m very open to suggestions and assure you we can use your help. JJ NJJS Bulletin Board See Win this CD page 46 7. Non-Attendees: Please list your reason(s) for not attending and tell us how we could attract your presence at Jazzfest 2009 Got E-mail? Some special offers for NJJS members are late-breaking — (Program/cost/location/food/facilities). so please send your E-mail address to [email protected]. FREE Member Meetings have been scheduled for September and October.