Next one: October 12-13, 2013  with special Friday Night Event (on the 11th) featuring:  Daniel Barda, trombone and Alain Marquet, clarinet from France!!
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videos by Eric Devine  CineDevine

Athens Abell’s Home Grown Highways

April 20-21, 2013   It was an absolute BLAST!!

Fifteen great New England, New York, New Jersey and Florida musicians assembled by the genius of Jeff Barnhart  presented a kaleidoscope of marvelous, toe-tapping Traditional Jazz and Swing (and some of Your Father’s Mustache, some Country and Rock) at the historic Schiavone home in Guilford, Connecticut.

Featured  on trumpet – Lew Green & Gordon Au; reeds – Noel Kaletsky & Joe Midiri;  trombone – Craig Grant & Paul Midiri; piano – Jeff Barnhart & Ian Frenkel; banjo/guitar – Bob Price, John Gill, & Joel Schiavone; bass/tuba – Brian Nalepka & Frank Tate; drums – Tom Palinko, Kevin Dorn, and John Gill; vibes – Paul Midiri.

This House Party started Saturday noon with non-stop music for four hours, continued Saturday evening and again Sunday.  JazzMen were on the move constantly – in through one room, out through the other. (Move it! – one way only!)

This was better than any Festival!!  Joel and Donna opened their historic 1804 home, removed the furniture, and added padded chairs to two ‘parlors’.  The Green Room was in the kitchenette – but the musicians mingled with the crowd.

Jeff Barnhart hand-picked the musicians, named a leader, and said “Play!”

The leaders gathered their troops for a strategic conference on tunes; some of them had never even met before.

Oh how they played!! It was MAGIC from beginning to end!

They enjoyed challenging each other and new associates with the wit and freedom that only comes from jazz improvisations.

They came in all sizes, every one a star! They were having fun, and it was infectious.

Buffet was delicious, thanks to Carol and Glen Ott! Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch all included.   Dinner included tortellini carboniera, chicken marsala, whole wheat pasta & vegetables, eggplant parmesan, baked ziti, chicken & broccoli. Salads: baby spinach & mushrooms, spring mix with cranberry & pita bread. Caesar dressing, raspberry vinaigrette, and balsamic.  Many desserts, pies, cheesecake.

On to the fabulous music!!

Lew Green led his group on Winin’ Boy Blues,  Jeff Barnhart vocal, Noel Kaletsky clarinet, Paul Midiri trombone, Brian Napelka tuba, John Gill drums.

We finally had the opportunity to see and hear the multi-talented John Gill.

Joel interviewed John Gill for Your Father’s Mustache when he was 17.  In the 70’s, he moved to San Francisco and played drums, banjo and soprano saxophone with Turk Murphy.

Here he played guitar, drums, trombone and a rare 8-string banjo.

A Bing-Crosby type Crooner, he also entertained us with  Wise Guys, Pennies From Heaven, Found a Million Dollar Baby. 

He was on guitar for a Country set honoring Johnny Cash, Folsom Prison (twice, by request.)  The only tune that was repeated in these marvelous twelve hours.

Harking back to the 50’s and 60’s he was accompanied by Jeff on piano, Brian on string bass, Kevin drums on Blueberry Hill. The fans were merrily singing along; Blue Suede Shoes, Jerry Lee Lewis’s Great Balls of Fire. 

Jeff Barnhart led a Bix group, with Lew cornet, Craig trombone, Bob Price banjo, Joe Midiri clarinet, Palinko drums, Nalepka on tuba – Singing The Blues.

He turned the ‘stage’ over to the Bass players –  Brian Nalepka, bass and leader, supported by Joe, Bob, and Tom.  Price’s banjo took the intro to  Keep Your Sunny Side Up, with Brian on vocal.

Brian, founding member of the Manhattan Rhythm Kings, is a busy New York free lance musician.  He was recovering from a broken leg.

He played a fantastic slap bass on Margie!

Jeff begins with the verse on Always, with Noel, Gordon, Craig, Bob on banjo, Frank string bass, and Tom drums.

New York’s Gordon Au, with a 1950’s Selmer Trumpet from Paris similar to the one Louis Armstrong used,  led the  “Swing Six” with Riverboat Shuffle. Fabulous!

Gordon leads a nice rendition of I Wish You Love, marvelous solos.

The future of Traditional Jazz and Swing is in good hands with these two gentlemen from New York.  It will be around for a long time. Thank you!  Gordon Au Grand St. Stompers

Kevin Dorn, TJC, The Big 72

“Wild Man” Gordon shook the rafters …. with the help of Noel & Jeff, John Gill on drums, Bob Price banjo, Brian Nalepka tuba.

Craig Grant takes the lead on trombone for Lover Come Back To Me with Frank Tate on string bass, Palinko on drums.  Kudos to the audience – they listenedd;  there was no talking while the music was playing, we could even hear every note of Frank Tate’s marvelous string bass.

Bob started playing with Your Father’s Mustache when he was only 15. His dexterous fingers flew across the frets on an Eddy Peabody opener, Sweet Sue.

Interlude with two great pianists, Jeff Barnhart reaches back to 1833 for Chopin’s Clair de Lune, starting out seriously Classical, then jumping into Jazz. Ian Frankel chose an intricate,  swinging You Do Something To Me. 

It was  unbridled insanity with the two of them playing wild, four-handed piano on Lady Be Good.    Jeff is tall, but Ian stands  6 foot 8 inches.

It was way past the time for Joel’s Banjo Set.
We are all aware that the primary reason for the House Party is so Joel Schiavone can play his banjo to an appreciative, live audience, and lead his dedicated volunteers in the Sing-Alongs.  Joel loves this; he’s in his Glory reminiscing in Your Father’s Mustache,.

Jeff Barnhart piano and Tom Palinko drums accompanied Joel, John Gill and Bob Price on banjo, along with Craig Grant.  Craig and Joel go way back to 1961 with a Dixieland Band,  The Seven Sons of Harvard.  Craig also played trombone with Your Father’s Mustache.

Volunteers and fans were singing along, just like ‘the good old days’  Glory, Glory Hallelulia, Dixie, Carolina in the Morning, Mammy, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Daisy, And the Band Played On, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, and the grand finale – 1918 The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise (great trombone!)

“If your having as much fun as we are, you’re drunk!” Jeff

This was the first time vibes were introduced at a Jeff and Joel’s House Party, with the inimitable Midiri Brothers, with Paul on vibes, Joe reeds.   Brother Joe challenged Noel Kaletsky to a duel on clarinet.  Spectacular!  Believe it or not, this lively tune is Sleep.

Moonglow, Midiri Brothers set, with Ian Frankel piano, Frank Tate string bass, and Kevin Dorn drums.

Paul Midiri solo on vibes with Irving Berlin’s wistful  What’ll I Do.

John Gill returned to the mic with guitar for American Roots – Rock & Roll.  My Little Runaway, Folsom Prison.  Jeff Barnhart dedicated You Ain’t Nothing But a Hound Dog to Joel Schiavone.  (We aren’t going to touch that one!)

Jeff lead the Fats Set  – with Frank Tate, Gordon, Price, Craig, Palinko, Noel.  Jeff dedicated this one to the Stock Market, I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling; great string bass with Gordon comping on trumpet.   Jeff expressed what everyone else was feeling –  This Joint is Jumping! 

Jeff and Joel’s House Party promotes and preserves Classic Traditional Jazz with twelve hours of toe-tapping Joyful Jazz, with a continuous flow of outstanding musicians playing with passion and intensity.  This is only a small sample – you must experience this yourself.

It has been said that This is better than an invitation to dinner at a fine restaurant and a show, and a lot more fun!

Many thanks to all the Volunteers who made this possible!

We’re looking forward to the next one on October 11, 12 and 13, 2013. Jeff and Joel will present a special Friday night event: from Paris, France, Daniel Barda, trombone, and Alain Marquet, clarinet, members of the Paris Washboard, supported by many more outstanding musicians.  www.pariswashboard.org, Hope to see you there!

That weekend will sell out quickly – only 80 seats available per session.  Get your tickets now!  Registration Form