Eli’s All Stars with Bob Winter, the pianist with the Boston Pops; giant of the Boston jazz scene, Bo Winniker trumpet, Herb Gardner trombone, Ted Casher clarinet/tenor sax, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Eli Newberger leader/tuba, Jeff Guthery drums and Rebecca Sullivan vocals.

Eli has gathered seasoned professionals who have made jazz music their life’s work for over 50 years – it’s their first love.  They came from everywhere, Herb Gardner from the New Jersey Jazz Society gig the day before, Jimmy Mazzy from a week in Florida with the Williams Reunion Jazz Band, Ted Casher from the Crosby Whistle Stop in Charlestown.  Bob Winter – who knows?  Bo Winniker is younger, but he was raised listening to his parent’s Winniker Orchestra.  With friendly competition and improvisational skills they sound more dynamic with each new appearance at the Sherborn Inn
They connected with each other, and they connected with the audience, right from the start – with Ted on clarinet for 1917 Rose Room, and a fiery At The Jazz Band Ball, first played by the Original Dixieland Jass Band in 1917.

Rebecca Sullivan is already a jazz vocalist, songwriter and educator.  She’ll receive her degree this year from the New England Conservatory of Music, and head for Scotland in August.  You can hear Billie Holiday inflections in a lovely Stardust, but her voice is attractive wholly on its own.  She continued with Bo Winniker’s trumpet and Ted Casher’s tenor sax at breakneck speed on ‘Deed I Do.

 

Cheek to Cheek:

Summertime provided marvelous solos:

Somewhere Over The Rainbow with fresh and different solos by piano, trumpet and muted trombone.

 

 

Eli embraces his circa 1909 Holton Del Negro tuba as he offers just the right chords behind soloists.

It’s a gorgeous instrument, with an expressive quality unlike other tubas – and no one better to express it!

 

 

 

Squeeze Me

 

 

Jeff Guthery provides the propulsion so these All-Stars have the freedom to follow their fancies.   New Orleans bands of 20s couldn’t record bass and drums, so they played on wood block and bell.   Jeff’s drum set is very simple, just a snare drum, floor tom, wood block, cow bell, 6” cymbal.  Not even a high-hat.  He added a suspended ride cymbal, just arrived.  Fresh out of the box, he brought the 20” Turk Ride Cymbal in for its first trial.

 

 

 

He took an eight-bar intro to I Got Rhythm, Ted following on tenor, Bo’s amazing trumpet solo with band in stop-time, Rebecca vocal, followed by the whole ensemble making rhythm swing.  The listeners were sitting on the end of their seats.  This enthusiastic audience does listen!

At the request of the front line, Jimmy gave a demo of when D flat comes in on Fidgety Feet.  Jimmy instinctively played the whole thing.  They said:  “ We’ll keep going ‘till we get it right”.   Sure sounded right to us!  Jimmy and Eli had a duet on a song that has many names – we’ll stick to Chicago Breakdown, with Jim scatting.  They make a great team

 

Jimmy sings Till Then

Eli says, “Here is a tender interpretation by Jimmy Mazzy, the banjo virtuoso and singer, of a popular song written by Eddie Seiler, Sol Marcus, and Guy Wood to express a World War II soldiers plea to his sweetheart to await his coming home. Its sweetness and uncertainty — and Jimmy’s profound sense of the poetic and musical meaning — is complemented by Bo Winiker’s gorgeous flugelhorn solo and Bob Winter’s sensitive exploration of the melodic line.”

Ted Casher was featured on Body & Soul, using tenor sax subtones like Coleman Hawkins’ masterpiece that makes women swoon.  Sensational!

 

Eli asked Bob for a fast tune.  Oh By Jingo became a hit in the post-World War I era, 1919.  With prodigious technique, he made this novelty tune sound like a concerto!

Eventually these marvelous videos may end up as a DVD. We hope.

Time for one more tune, an old New Orleans favorite sung by Jimmy, who feels the pain in every word.  No pain in the music, it was so hot and heavy, Eli jumped up to join Bob at the piano for a rocketing chorus of St. James Infirmary Blues.  Amazing ending.

We are so fortunate to have these professional musicians playing here for us at the Sherborn Inn.  Anyone passing through wonders how come they haven’t heard this before?  Because it’s not played on radio or television; you can only hear this fantastic aggregation of musicians right here at the Sherborn Inn.  Join us On May 1^st and the 1st Thursday of every month for more Great Jazz!

By Marce
Videos by Kathy Wittman, BallSquare films,
Sound by Frank Cunningham