At the Sherborn Inn, April 2, 2013

The Trio, with Ted Casher on reeds, Jim Mazzy banjo/vocals, Eli Newberger tuba/piano, have been joined by a fine drummer, Jeff Guthery drums, for some really Hot Jazz.

The biggest surprise this evening was Rebecca Sullivan,  a grad student at the New England Conservatory in jazz voice and contemporary improvisation.  Eli is one of the NEC board members who’s participated in the mentoring program since its inception in the mid-1990’s.  She and Eli were “assigned” there to one another in the Fall as “mentor” and “mentee.”

Although Eli had heard that Rebecca was great, he had no idea how great.  “Did she ever bless us with her swinging and moving interpretations of this familiar material?” Eli. 

She certainly did.  She’s a natural, charming entertainer, with passion for the music.

She began with Gershwin’s Our Love is Here to Stay, and Sunny Side of the Street.

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Somewhere Over The Rainbow with her own unique version of the  verse.

She instantly captivated the audience with her phrasing and tempo, drawn out pearly notes.

My Old Flame

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Baby

The Tubers pulled out an old war horse, That’s A Plenty. They deeply listen to each other and to the music itself, making it energetic and exciting.

The inexhaustible Ted Casher began Bei Mir Bis Du Schoen mixing klezmer clarinet and swing, with Eli backing on tuba and Jeff wild on drums.  He introduced Just Squeeze Me (But Don’t Tease Me) on tenor sax, with Rebecca enjoying some  high spirited scatting with Ted.

         

In complete control of the band, Ted is master on clarinet, tenor sax, soprano sax and even  a dynamic vocal of  Charlie on the MTA.

Now you citizens of Boston,
Don’t you think it’s a scandal
That the people have to pay and pay
Vote for Tom Menino
Fight the fare increase!
Get poor Charlie off the MTA.

You will hear him playing all over the six New England States, thanks to his most avid supporter, his wife Vel. (Thank you, Vel!)

We’ve been listening to Jimmy Mazzy since the early 70’s when he was playing with the New Cabaret Jazz Band at Billy Mitchell’s Postime in Nantasket Beach.  He hasn’t changed a bit, and we’re still just as fascinated with his banjo and vocals: an exuberant Big Bad Bill (Is Sweet William Now), Just a Gigolo sounding like a soft love song, Jeff backing him on drums with  nice soft brushes. Put it Right Here (Or keep it out there) Eli playing barely detectable low notes on tuba.

Jeff Guthery first played here last January with the Jazz Tuber Trio.  Jeff is enrolled in Berklee College of Music.

With rhythmic pattern and tempo, and whispering brush strokes and accents, he plays HOT Traditional Jazz as if he were born to it!

Eli has an enormous commitment to two professions, preventing child abuse, and music.  He is world famous for his tuba,  but also gets very emotional playing the piano!

Jimmy Mazzy and Eli have been friends for close to 40 years. Weekend seminars on abuse at Children’s Hospital conducted by Eli and Carolyn Newberger in the early 70’s had intermittent breaks of tuba and banjo demonstrating abuse in the songs of the 20’s and 30’s.

Carolyn Newberger was playing washboard back in the mid-1960’s when she and Eli were Resident Directors at Yale’s International House for foreign students. They started a Friday Night Café, where musicians could Jam, and she played washboard.

Eli and Carolyn, who is an artist (see drawings below), child psychologist, and musician, have succeeded in sharing both their personal and professional lives, working together on several projects and often sharing the stage.

On their 50th anniversary,  Eli pulled the washboard out of the attic, and Carolyn is back to being an enthusiastic player.  With Carolyn on washboard, Ted on soprano sax, Jimmy banjo and scatting, all backed by tuba, we heard a vibrant  rendition of Coney Island Washboard Roundelay.

This evening was filled with fast moving, energetic hot jazz. It was also  an intimate, informal musical experience with friendship and camaraderie between the musicians and their followers and supporters.  We’ll all be back.

The Jazz Tuber Trio, with Rebecca Sullivan and Jeff Guthery, will return to the Sherborn Inn on August 6, October 1, November 12, and December 3rd.  Mark your calendars!

And remember the name – Rebecca Sullivan. You’ll be hearing more from her!  http://www.rebeccasullivanjazz.com