This has been a busy Spring! I’ll be 80 years young next month; there’s no way I can keep up with all the wonderful Jazz we’ve had in this area since the last newsletter April 15th. But I do try.
Neville Dickie
Highlight of this month (so far) was the annual visit of Neville Dickie on May 12th at the Bella Costa Restaurant in Framingham, MA.
This year Neville was joined by Stan McDonald soprano sax, Jeff Hughes trumpet, and Steve Taddeo drums.
Neville Dickie Quartet,
The Quartet rotated with a duet of Neville and Steve, with the irrepressible Dickie pushing Taddeo to the max!
Neville challenges Steve to keep up with him – he did!
They ended the evening as always with four-handed piano when Neville is joined by our own stride master, Ross Petot. They obviously enjoy this duet!
Neville pauses as Ross goes into full stride.
Neville Dickie will return next year, for his 15th Annual sojourn to New England. He always begins here with Stan McDonald, before performing all over the country. Then he’ll return to Surrey, England.
April 16th Wolverine Jazz Band at Primavera Ristorante, 20 Pleasant St. Millis MA
Wolverine Jazz Band
Dave Didriksen drums, Dan Gabel trombone,Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Jeff Hughes trumpet, Rick MacWilliams tuba, John Clark leader/clarinet/bari sax, Herb Gardner keyboard.
With their intricate New Orleans Polyphony and glorious horn solos, the Wolves are one of the most popular Dixieland Jazz Bands in this area and at Festivals. They are now celebrating their 20th Anniversary, and played many tunes from their upcoming CD, their 13th, that should be issued sometime next month. Don’t miss them!!
Dan Gabel subbed for regular trombonist Tom Boates. Tom is the Music Department Chair at Guilford CT High School, and accompanied the Guilford High School Chorus at Disney World. (He’s forgiven for not being here!)
Tuesday, MAY 19, 7-9:30pm, The Wolves will be at the Sheraton/Needham. $10 cover – They will hopefully have their new CD ready to go for that day! They aren’t taking reservations, so just show up anyway! Sheraton Needham, 100 Cabot St, Needham, MA 02494 Phone:(781) 444-1110 .
April 24th High Society Jazz Band at Primavera Ristorante
High Society Jazz Orchestra with Elise Roth
Elise Roth
Richard Garcia
April 30th Eli and The Hot Six celebrated International Jazz Day at Primavera Ristorante. Click on photos to enlarge.
Eli and The Hot Six
Bob Winter keyboard, Jim Mazzy banjo/vocals, Eli Newberger tuba, Jeff Guthery drums, Herb Gardner trombone, Bo Winiker trumpet/flugelhorn, Ted Casher clarinet and tenor sax
April 30th was International Jazz Day, spectacularly celebrated by Eli and The Hot Six at Primavera Ristorante. They began with The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise, featuring tunes form many countries. Eartha Kitt’s C’est çi Bon, Irish Black Bottom, (which is really authentic American Jazz), Hindustan, Ted Casher sang Bei Mir Bis Du Schoen in Yiddish, playing authentic Klezmer clarinet.
Bo sings Louis’s Wonderful World
Bo put heart and soul into Louis’s Wonderful World.
Jeff Guthery recalled the 20’s and 30’s drumming, tapping on graduated temple blocks befitting that early jazz. You’ve never heard Oh By Jingo played like Bob Winter, with blazing runs up and down the keyboard! Thanks to Kathy Wittman, we have a video of it back at the Sherborn Inn. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvWIIwCU-jg
Eli and The Hot Six will be joined by renowned pianist Butch Thompson at Sculler’s Jazz Club on May 21st for their CD release of Eli & The Hot Six LIVE, Contemporary Classic Jazz.
May 3rd Wolverine Jazz Band started a new monthly series at Ken’s Steak House, Rt. 9 Framingham, MA. We had Tom Boates back from Disney World! Please read the fine REVIEW by Myron Idelson! It was a great success!
Wolverine Jazz Band at Ken’s Steak House, on a Sunday afternoon
Tom Boates trombone (he’s back!) Dave Didriksen drums, Jeff Hughes trumpet, Rick MacWilliams tuba, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Ross Petot piano, John Clark clarinet/bari sax.
May 7th Blue Horizon Jazz Band played the first Thursday of the month at Primavera Ristorante
Blue Horizon Jazz Band
Steve Taddeo drums, John Kefalas trombone, Gerry Gagnon tuba, Jeff Hughes trumpet, Dave MacMillan guitar, Stan McDonald soprano leader/sax/vocals.
This is fine Traditional Jazz! Jeff’s trumpet took the melodic lead, with Stan flitting around the melody with embellishments, and John’s trombone filling in the “holes” with extensive use of the slide. The solos were filled with exemplary improvisations, Gerry Gagnon is one of the finest tuba players in this area; he coordinated with Steve on his 1938 Slingerland Drums, tapping on a tiny Grecko cymbal attached to the bass drum, keeping perfect time. It was great to have Dave MacMillan back on rhythm guitar after a long recovery from an accident. Welcome back, Dave!!
May 9th Seacoast Stompers Quartet at ACT III in Littleton, MA
ACT IV in Lowell ran into another bureaucratic headache and could not open.
Thank you Gwenn and Josely for your immeasurable patience!! Seacoast Stompers had to trim down to a Quartet to play in ACT III in Littleton.
Frank Stadler piano, Jeff Hughes trumpet, Jim Mazzy banjo/vocals, Al Bernard tuba.
Seacoast Stompers Quartet
Jeff Hughes has many faces, Bix Beiderbecke, Bunny Berigan, Joe ‘King’ Oliver, Buddy Bolden, with his lyrical style and melody-based improvisations. He and Jimmy Mazzy are brothers at heart, having played together since the 1980’s, especially with Ray Smith’s Paramount Jazz Band. Frank Stadler’s piano set them free to exchange riffs, play intricate melodies and counterpoint, and Albie Bernard provided the perfect bass lines. It was a memorable afternoon!!
Act III is a small venue, but has a bar and serves a fine assortment of Mediterranean cuisine. When Act IV in Lowell is finally allowed to open, the full 7-piece band will play on the 2nd Saturday of the month from 2-5pm. We hope!
In the meantime, we are all extremely grateful to these wonderful musicians for making this a great life for ALL ages!!
Marce