Cerise, with Bob Hayes piano, Kareem Sanjaghi drums

Summertime – Cape Cod – every Thursday, 6-9pm there’s a Jazz Jam at Colombo’s Cafe & Pastries 544 Main St. Hyannis.  It’s a great venue for our kind of music!

The final week, September 13th,  featured Cerise (vocals), Mike Persico (trombone), Bob Hayes (piano),  John Gagliardi trumpet, and Kareem Sanjaghi (drums).  Many local or visiting musicians stopped in to Jam:  “Cajun” Bob Wilson guitar, Larry Chaplin violin, Lee Donais piano, Scott Livermore ukulele, Bob Noyes tenor sax.

Unfortunately, Tom Ferrante tenor sax, who usually plays here in the summer, went back to his winter quarters in Lexington, so we missed him.

The ‘rhythm boys’ are Kareem Sanjaghi on drums, and his Grandfather Bob Hayes on keyboard.

Kareem Sanjaghi and Bob Hayes

When You’re Smiling, Found a New Baby Kareem must have picked up an affinity for our songs from Bob, who has been playing in Cape Cod for many years.  He had a band with Lou Colombo, who died in a car accident in Florida not long ago.

At 85, Bob Hayes is still a master at his craft, and there’s definitely a Dave McKenna influence in that left hand.

Bob Hayes

Mike Persico was interlocutor, and front line trombone extraordinaire.

He was always in the right place, leading, backing, comping.   He was on several vocals including Jeepers Creepers.

Girl From Ipanema, Struttin’ With Some Barbecue….

John Gagliardi, fine muted trumpet on All of Me.

Larry Chaplin, Kareem and Lee Donais

Larry Chaplin, violin, usually performs with Boston Pops, Lee Donais keyboard has performed at the White House and in the Army Corps, backed by Kareem, All The Things You Are was lovely, with an especially spectacular violin solo.

Here at the Cafe, sometimes the ‘regulars’ get into the act.

Barbara Nye belted out a marvelous Birth of the Blues.  Barbara sometimes sits in at the other Colombo’s, at The Roadhouse on Monday evenings.

Nancy and Dave had a fine duet on You Belong To Me and This Could Be The Start of Something Big, Undecided ending in shooby-doo-wop.

“Cajun” Bob Wilson took over vocals with a tune that few people knew Hank Williams wrote, Jambalaya, then Hey Good Lookin’, Nearness of You.  Cerise joined him.

Bob Noyes

Scott Livermore

Bob Noyes marvelous tenor sax, featured on Rosetta.  Scott Livermore, ukulele and vocal on Stars Fell on Alabama.  When was the last time you heard a ukulele?

One of the Cape’s newest talents, Cerise is a charming entertainer and immediately captured the audience singing and lithely moving up and down the aisle between the tables. The Nearness Of You, Perfidia (sung in Spanish).  Basin Street (my kind of music)  Johnny Be Good backed by violin.

She is is an electrifying experience!  Remember that name.

Trumpet, tenor sax, trombone, violin, ukulele, drums, Lee prodding sounds out of that keyboard, Back Home Again In Indiana was WILD, followed by a lively All That Jazz – piano conversing with violin.

Cerise returned with a scorching Avalon, and  For Sentimental Reasons, I Get a Kick Out of You. It’s obvious that she loves what she’s doing!

Satin Doll was an instrumental, with an especially poignant trumpet solo.  Sweet Georgia Brown, Lee back on piano with dazzling violin by Larry Chaplin, cornet and ukulele comping. “Cajun” Bob on guitar and Bob Hayes piano threw in some boogie-woogie on one tune that I couldn’t name.

They ended with an exhilarating rendition of The Saints, with Cerise parading, weaving up and down the aisle, mesmerizing the audience.  This was a perfect conclusion to this summer’s Thursday Jazz Jam at Colombo’s Cafe and Pasties. Don’t let the name fool you – Clam chowder was delicious!

This is a fun venue, and the music is timeless.  Watch for it next summer.