Category Archives: Performances

Dan Gabel Hot Jazz at Primavera Ristorante, April 12, 2018

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African-American 16 yr old pianist, his 19 yr old brother bass, and Dan Gabel (29?) drum and trumpet

Dan Gabel’s Hot Jazz Trio

Dan Gabel trumpet/drums, Conway Campbell Jr. bass, Cameron Campbell piano

Dan Gabel said his Hot Jazz would present something different – he was right. Fresh from directing a successful play of Cinderella with a 30- piece orchestra, Dan continued with this amazing Trio.  He introduced two of his students from Holy Name High School, Worcester MA.

The Campbell brothers (16 and 18) may be young, but are already playing like Pro’s, “improvising songs of the 30’s and 40’s in a modern vein, but always coming back to the melody”   said expert Jerry Wadness).

19 yr old African-American on double bass

Conway Campbell Jr.

 

 

They started with Honeysuckle Rose and Softly As In The Morning Sunrise, with marvelous solos by bassist Conway.  Not only is he a fabulous bassist, but he did the arrangements for Night and Day, and also Jimmy Van Heusen’s It Could Happen To You. He took the vocal on a tune from Annie Get Your Gun, Love is  Wonderful, and played slap bass on All Of Me.

 

 

 

16 yr old African American on keyboard

Cameron Campbell

 

They slowed it down for a special tune,  Benny Goodman’s 1937 Body and Soul, with younger brother Cameron on piano.  He can sing too, taking vocal on Georgia On My Mind.

 

 

 

Cameron plays melodies with a level of musical sophistication way beyond his years!  Here he is on Duke Ellington’s Cottontail.

Dan Gabel gave us some Millis history with the 1921 At Sundown.   Cliquot Club Soda employed many people from Millis and local towns at the time.

The Trio then played a special feature. “I’m in the Mood For Love” is a 1932 by Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh. In 1949, saxophonist James Moody recorded the tune in Sweden, and it became known as “Moody’s Mood for Love.” In 1952, Eddie Jefferson added lyrics to the solo, making it a #1 R & B hit for King Pleasure.

We’ve known Dan Gabel as a trombone player – especially lately, spreading Vaughn Monroe’s legacy.  Here he enjoyed playing trumpet and drums at the same time.  He said “It was fun”.  Here’s Dinah:

Other tunes played by the Trio:
East of The Sun
Tangerine
All of You
A Lovely Night (from Cinderella)
Work Song (Nate Adderly)

They closed with a fantastic A Train, in triple-time, with Conway taking the role of leader.

The enthusiastic audience applauded throughout the whole evening.  We all hope they will return so we can hear them again!!

(My apologies for the quality of the videos – the brothers should have had more light, and microphones should have been louder.   Next time!  Marce)

Eli & The Hot Six at Primavera Ristorante, March 15, 2018

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7 pc trad jazz - swing band

Eli and The Hot Six

Bo Winiker & Phil Person (trumpet), Ted Casher (clarinet/tenor & soprano sax), Herb Gardner (trombone), Bob Winter (piano), Jimmy Mazzy (banjo/vocals),  Eli Newberger (leader/tuba), Bob Tamagni (drums) & Elaine Woo (vocals)  .

After enduring three Nor’easters in three weeks, with loss of electricity, cancelled gigs, these musicians were raring to go!!  They hit it hot and fiery with That’s a Plenty that brought everyone to attention and sitting up on the edge of their seats.

Ted playing tenor sax

Ted Casher on smokin’tenor sax

 

 

 

Then Ted took out his tenor sax for a moody, smoldering Blue and Sentimental that turned our insides to jelly!

 

 

 

 

smiling and singing

Elaine Woo

Eli called on Elaine Woo, who had prepared a list of songs for spring, including the verses – many of were melancholy:  Spring is Here (why doesn’t my heart go dancing?)  Michel LeGrand’s You Must Believe In Spring.
She moved to something more cheerful – a Broadway tune that persuades flowers to bloom.  It begins as a shy prayer and ends up a classic Broadway Belt: Hurry! It’s Lovely Up Here.

 

clarinet, two trumpets, trombone

Front line: Ted Casher, Bo Winiker, Phil Person, Herb Gardner

Musicians were soaring!  But there’s no doubt who is in charge here, with Eli pointing to each one, each picked up spontaneously, improvising straight from the heart!

Winter at keyboard

Bob Winter

 

 

 

Bob Winter swung with expressive joy on Carioca, from a 1933 film Flying Down to Rio.

 

 

 

 

 

Phil with hair in long white pony tail, plays trumpet

Phil Person

 

 

 

Phil Person was featured with Duke’s soulful, sensitive Satin Doll.

 

 

 

 

 

smiling, holding trumpet and handkerchief

No one does Louis better than Bo!

 

 

 

Bo Winicker instinctively plays Louis’s Hello Dolly;

 

 

 

 

playing trombone up front

Herb Gardner

 

 

 

Herb Gardner played mellow trombone and sang Richard Whiting’s She’s Funny That Way.

 

 

 

 

hitting snare with one stick and top hat stand with the other

Bob Tamagni

 

 

 

Bob Tamagni’s sound generates dynamism and perfect propulsive thrust, driving the band.

 

 

 

 

Eli introduced a young student of Bob Winter’s, Rui (pronounced Ray) Zhong who plays both piano and Euphonium. With Jimmy, Rui and Eli took a turbo charged duet on Summertime.

euphonium, banjo, tuba

Rui , Jimmy Mazzy, Eli Newberger

Until a couple of years ago, Elaine was an Internal Medicine Specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, and she only knew two songs. She reprised them for us, with all lyrics memorized:  I Got Rhythm, and Embraceable You.  Now retired and singing full-time, Elaine has become a seasoned professional vocalist, and belts them out with fervor.

Elaine singing with the whole band

Elaine Woo belts out a song!

Eli and The Hot Six closed with a march around the room on a flaming Tiger Rag.

That left us in a much better mood than when we arrived!

Eli and The Hot Six are here at Primavera on the 3rd Thursday of every month – next one is April 19th.  Come join in the fun!!

Wolverine Jazz Band at Primavera Ristorante February 22, 2018

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7 pc. trad Jazz Band

Wolverine Jazz
Band

Jeff Hughes cornet, John Clark, Leader, clarinet/bass sax, Tom Boates trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Ross Petot piano, Rick MacWilliams tuba, Dave Didriksen drums

An energetic, rambunctious Wolverine Jazz Band raised the temperature on this very cold February evening with uplifting, toe-tapping Traditional Jazz at Primavera Ristorante.   Just a week+ after Mardi Gras, this was an evening of tunes from the essential spirit of early New Orleans up to the 1950s in preparation for their umpteenth CD – and all of us were pleased to be a part of it!

Jimmy Mazzy kicked it off with banjo intro on Maybe, a song written in 1926 by George and Ira Gershwin, then Brown Bottom Bess, by Johnny Dodds.

Jimmy took banjo intro and vocal on Take Your Tomorrows and Give Me Today.

This front line lights up the room!  Trombone, cornet and clarinet against a four-piece rhythm section.

trombone, cornet, clarinet with

Tom Boates, Jeff Hughes, John Clark in Front Line

Clark playing bass sax set on seat of chair

John Clark on bass saxophone

The rhythm section had “strength up the middle.”  They laid back on ballads, but on a hot tune…look out!

Jelly Roll Morton’s Frog-I-More Rag was a killer with John Clark’s powerful bass saxophone! He reaches deep down and creates beautiful music.

John sang The Preacher, with the band in close harmony, and the 1934 Baby Brown, by Alex Hill with livewire ensemble band opening – marvelous.  Ross Petot was in full stride.

 

 

 

Ross looking up and smiling (this is rare - he never smiles when he's playing.)

Ross Petot, teacher and stride pianist

 

We were all happy to see Ross Petot back with the band.  He’s usually unavailable – teaching on Thursday nights.  Fortunately for us, school was out this week. His stride piano is inimitable!!

Check it out on the video of Honky Tonk Towne!

 

 

 

 

tom on open bell trombone

Tom Boates

 

Tom Boates requested I’m Gonna Charleston back to Charleston  –  love that growling trombone! He was featured on Stars Fell on Alabama.  (It refers to a spectacular occurrence of the Leonid meteor shower observed in Alabama in November 1833.)

Tom drove 125 miles from Connecticut to get here, putting heart and soul in a New Orleans tune recorded in 1940 by Sidney Bechet and Louis Armstrong
– Down in Honky Tonk Town.

video by Marce (sorry about shrinkage!  Listen to the music.)

Tell Me Why – sweet intro to Jimmy vocal with Jeff backup.  John actually played melody on that monstrous bass sax, with Tom on  trombone doing harmony.  Lovely!
Jimmy’s banjo opened on a sweet ballad, How Deep is The Ocean, with Jeff backing him on cornet.  (Jeff has been playing harmony for Jimmy ever since they were together in Ray Smith’s Paramount Jazz Band.)

Jimmy singing, Jeff playing cornet

Jimmy Mazzy and Jeff Hughes

Jeff and John  remembered playing In Our Cottage of Love with the Paramount Jazz Band.

Jeff Hughes is the Bix Beiderbecke in this Wolverine Jazz Band. His technique  encompasses a fabulous variety of moods and timbres, especially in a 1928 song Bix did with the Paul Whitman orchestra, Lonely Melody.

Let’s Have Another Cup of Coffee is a song by Irving Berlin in the musical comedy Face the Music, which opened in 1932. The song is sung by a group of once-wealthy citizens who were awaiting better times, as mirrored in the song’s opening lyrics: Just around the corner, there’s a rainbow in the sky.

Banjo played verse on a sweet ballad recorded by Mildred Bailey and Her Orchestra in 1937 If You Ever Should Leave / Heaven Help This Heart of Mine.  Harold Arlen’s Kicking The Gong Around had Jimmy scat-singing, with the band alternating fast and slow tempos..

Dave Didriksen

 

Hot toe-tapping Dixieland tune,   Sensation Rag, is also on another  one of their CDs, with drummer Dave Didriksen tapping on woodblock.

The buoyant rhythm section sparked by drums provided solid support.

Dip Your Brush In The Sunshine 1931 by Ted Lewis –  Jimmy singing backed by clarinet.

 

Rick looking up, playing tiba

Rick MacWilliams

 

 

 

Band in ensemble took the intro to I Ain’t Gonna Tell Nobody with nice tuba solo. Rick’s tuba gives the music support and richness and pushes the beat without racing the time.

 

 

 

These musicians get absolute rapture in making music and delectable hot jazz!!

The Wolverine Jazz Band has been invited to several festivals. They won’t be back here at Primavera until April 26th!   Mark your calendars! Don’t miss this amazing Jazz band!

You can purchase any of their fine CD’s at www.wolverinejazzband.com.

Eli and The Hot Six at Primavera Ristorante February 15th 2018

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8 pc band

Eli and The Hot Six (Seven)

Bo Winiker and Phil Person trumpet, Ted Casher clarinet/tenor saxophone, Kenny Wenzel trombone, Bob Winter piano, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Eli Newberger leader/tuba, Bob Tomagni drums, Elaine Woo vocals.

Eli and The Hot Six celebrated the Day After Valentine’s Day with romantic songs to a full house of appreciative fans at Primavera Ristorante.  Elaine Woo collected suggestions from fans last month, and the requests  were presented tonight in various musical styles and tempos.

This Band honors the New Orleans tradition of ensemble improvising while featuring the solo brilliance of its distinctive, contemporary musical personalities:

Bob on keyboard and laughing

Bob Winter

 

 

Berklee’s Bob Winter played a soaring melody with  a song written by Wright & Forest in 1944 for an operetta called Song of Norway – Strange Music.  

 

 

 

Bo Winiker with handkerchief hanging down near trumpet

Bo Winiker

 

 

Bo Winiker evoked Louis Armstrong, singing and playing Hello Dolly.

(Double click photos to enlarge.)

 

Ted on tenor sax

Ted Casher

 

 

 

Ted Casher played fluent and eloquent tenor sax with  At The Jazz Band Ball:  never get enough of his tenor sax!!

 

 

 

 

Elaine Woo

 

Ellaine brought her list of love songs depicting songs from beginning of love through it’s final result:  So Many Stars, Love Is a Simple Thing.
She even sang Jimmy Enright’s favorite Sleepy Lagoon, asking the band to play it in different dance styles.  Even though they were unfamiliar with the tune, they did it tastefully in 3/4 time waltz, fox trot, and Hot Swing.

 

 

Phil on muted trumpet

Phil Person

 

 

Berklee’s Phil Person played a range of toning and shading on a mellow Mood Indigo.  Beautiful!

 

 

 

 

 

‘Regulars’ Bill and Despina had requested the Gershwins’ They Can’t Take That Away From Me.  With Elaine spellbinding the audience, the love songs continued – Ted’s tenor sax  backed her on I’ve Got a Crush On You  and  Dave Frishberg’s Our Love Goes On.

Elaine in front of band

Elaine Woo and the Band

Bob Tomagni

 

 

The instrumental on South Rampart St. Parade was a BARNBURNER, with Berklee’s Bob Tomagni showing off his craftsmanship.  It doesn’t get any better than this!!

You can’t go wrong with this front line:

all playing

Ted Casher, Bo Winiker, Phil Person, Kenny Wenzel

Berklee’s Kenny Wenzel and Eli Newberger were featured in a fabulous Limehouse Blues.  (Kenny plays every Tuesday at Martini’s in Plymouth.)

Eli and Kenny duet

Eli Newberger and Kenny Wenzel play Limehouse Blues

Ted was asked to sing a love song in his ‘native language’.  He sang a popular Yiddish song composed by Jacob Jacobs and Sholom Secunda in 1932, made famous by the Andrew Sisters – Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen “To Me You’re Beautiful”.

Jimmy singing and playing banjo with Bob Winter left and Eli on right, behind him

Jimmy Mazzy

 

 

The inimitable Jimmy Mazzy sang a song Eubie Blake wrote for his wife, Goodnight Angeline.

 

 

In closing, Nat Coolidge joined Elaine in singing Some Enchanted Evening, followed by an uptempo Lady Be Good.

We’ll be good, waiting patiently until next month, when Eli and The Hot Six return on March 15th, maybe with another Full House!!Room filled with people sitting at tables.

 

(Our thanks to brother Bill Winiker for posting it on line in Milis.)

Scott Hamilton and Gray Sargent Trio at Chan’s Jazz & Blues Club, Woonsocket RI  26 November 2017

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Scott Hamilton returned to celebrate Thanksgiving weekend at Chan’s Jazz & Blues Club with the Gray Sargent Trio featuring 2 members of Tony Bennett’s band: the amazing Gray Sargent on guitar, the incredible Marshall Wood on bass and Boston Pop’s Jim Gwinn on drums.Scott on tenor sax, all others as noted

                        Scott Hamilton with Gray Sargent, Marshall Wood and Jim Gwynn                                           With Guest Vocalist Donna Byrne
                                  November 26, 2017 at Chan’s in Woonsocket, RI

By Bill Falk
pictures by Eric Falk

This was a match made in heaven! The incomparable Scott Hamilton on tenor sax, Gray Sargent on guitar, Marshall Wood on bass and Jim Gwynn on drums.

This is one of the finest groups I’ve ever seen or heard. They blended perfectly to produce marvelous swinging jazz that kept the sellout crowd enthralled all night. Everything they played was a hit from the time they opened with Chinatown My Chinatown.

Scott on tenor sax

Scott Hamilton

 

 Scott was at his best – which means he was phenomenal. My late wife Grace always said that he was the only one who could produce such an unbelievable sound. He smiled all night – meaning he enjoyed working with the trio behind him. I believe he is the greatest jazz tenor sax man ever whether he is soloing, blending in with the group or backing up a singer.

 

 

 

Gray Sargent on guitar soloed excellently. Plus, he coordinated with Marshall Wood on bass beautifully. I like it when Gray blasts away on his guitar. Marshall Wood

is a treat on bass. His facial expressions are priceless. He makes the bass sing. Jim Gwynn on drums set a terrific beat for the group. He took some breaks and soloed great later in the program.

All the players were smiling and enjoying themselves all night. Their happiness made the music sound even better. The crowed clapped and clapped as the group ripped through song after song.

If this group ever gets together again, and if you can get to see them, I guarantee you’ll love their music and upbeat mood.

Scott called Donna Byrne up from the audience for several entertaining song renditions. She, too, was a hit. Donna captured the spirit of the evening and performed very well.

Some of the songs played were Laura, Russian Lullaby, East of the Sun and West of the Moon, The Best Things in Life Are Free and Emily. There were many others, but I was unable to remember them.

Bill Falk

 

Sarah Spencer International Jazz Band at Bemis Hall  October 11, 2017

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9 pc Real Trad Jazz Band - two reeds

Sarah Spencer International Jazz Band

Sarah and Minnie Mouse

Sarah and Minnie Mouse

 

Sarah Spencer returned from her home in England; stopped by at Disneyworld to catch up with friends, then settled in Connecticut, playing at Bill’s Seafood.  We were fortunate to have her with us in Lincoln, MA, with her International All Stars.  Our local musicians were thrilled to have Sarah here – that was obvious!

 

Jeff Hughes cornet, John Clark clarinet/soprano sax, Gerry Gagnon trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Herb Gardner piano, Justin Meyer  bass, Bill Doyle guitar, Steve Taddeo drums, Sarah Spencer tenor sax/vocals/clarinet/alto sax.

They opened with Jimmy singing Exactly Like You.  Sarah and The All Stars  played New Orleans Traditional Jazz – it was refreshing to hear it again!  She explained where the tunes came from, and what bands played them, like The Sam Morgan band, Papa Celestin,  Billy & Dede Pierce, Kid Thomas, Ma Rainey’s Tiajuana Man.

Clark on soprano, Sarah on tenor sax

John Clark and Sarah duet

 

 

John Clark took up soprano sax for Sweet Jenny Lee, a  Cab Callaway tune.

 

 

 

 

Steve Taddeo has been studying Baby Dodds – surprising the members of the band on Traditional Jazz – his passion is playing drums!
Sweet Jenny Lee

Sarah sang several songs, including Love, by Jabbo Smith.

Sarah singing. Taddeo reveling on drums, Jeff Hughes trumpet

Sarah sings Jabbo Smith’s Love

both singing on same mic

Sarah and Gerry sing

 

 

The band reveled in playing unusual pairings of musicians.  Sarah played clarinet on Savoy Blues, persuaded by John Clark.  Jerry Gagnon sang a duet with Sarah – that was a surprise!

Jimmy playing banjo and singing, head lowered

Jimmy sings with Justin Meyer behind him

 

 

 

Jimmy Mazzy sang Sweetheart of TKO, from “Papa” Celastin’s Original Tuxedo Orchestra.
Closer Walk With Thee had both Sarah and John playing clarinet, backed by the rhythm section. Justin Meyer was behind Jimmy with fluid intonation and flawless timing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herb Gardner learned and played many new songs this evening.

 

 

 

Herb Gardner enjoyed playing  on Bemis’s antique grand piano showing his astonishing improvisational skills – he had never heard some of these Traditional Jazz tunes!

 

 

 

 

Bill hidden behind mike, Gerry on muted trombone

Bil Doyle and Gerry Gagnon

 

Gerry Gagnon is amazing on trombone, improvising harmony lines, playing lovely slow glissando.
It was impossible to get a clear picture of Bill Doyle, playing guitar in the rhythm section, making every note count – invaluable to the band.

 

They closed with an astounding Panama.

All agreed that they will do this again next year.  The attentive and enthusiastic  audience applauded wholeheartedly!

The following Wednesday, Sarah Spencer played at a private house party in Concord MA that was well attended by Jimmy Mazzy fans.  She’s been driving from Connecticut to this party for years!

Thursday 26th she drove up to Primavera in Millis, Massachusetts and sat in with Jeff Hughes, Craig Ball, Jimmy Mazzy, Steve Taddeo and Ron L’Herault.  She said it was the most magnificent send-off possible; last few hours of her trip with the very best of friends.  Next morning she headed back home to England.

We look forward to her returning next year!!   We all love you, Sarah!

by Marce
videos by Harold McAleer

 

 

Jeff & Joel’s House Party #8, October 13-15, 2017

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Banu with 13 male musicians

Jeff & Joel’s House Party #8

by Marty Fay
videos Cine Devine

As always, it was a mixture of the familiar and the new. There were musicians and songs that have thrilled previous House Party audiences, as well as new performers and songs that have not visited the House Party before now.

singing into mic

Banu Gibso

Banu Gibson was the new headliner and brought an interesting mix of musical talent (she stuck with vocals for the House Party), charts and humorous stories. She is a consummate performer and was well received from her Friday night spotlight and throughout the whole weekend. She stuck primarily to working with “charts” –  it is difficult to travel and develop a quick rapport with new musicians to back up your vocals – but it all came out very well.

She actually arrived in New York City a few days earlier and spent some time with the NYC crew.

 

Vince on banjo, Banu smiling

Vince Giordano and Banu

 

 

Friday night she was backed by Vince Giordano (on his multitude of instruments), Dan Levinson (on reeds), Tom Palinko (on drums) and Jeff Barnhart (on keyboards). She also featured some vocal duties by Vince and Jeff. The charts gave the show more structure than we usually rely upon.

Jeepers Creepers
Banu Gibson – Vocal
Mike Davis – Trumpet
Dan Levinson – Reeds
Jim Fryer – Trombone
Dalton Ridenhour – Piano
Vince Giordano – Bass
Kevin Dorn – Drums
 
Joel and Banu laughing

Banu and Joel Schiavone

 

 

At the start of her career, Banu  actually worked for Joel Schiavone, so it was a homecoming of sorts for her. Your Father’s Mustache was alive and well in Branford this past weekend!

Vince Giordano – My Blackbirds are Bluebirds Now
For the rest of the weekend most of the structure was Jeff’s freewheeling mix of musicians and styles. He always prepares a list of which musicians are featured for
each song with only a suggestion of style of music and a nominal tune caller. Then he tells the musicians that they are free to ad lib and add others as they go.
On some of these Banu used charts and on others she joined into the loose structure for which we are known.

New for this year was Jeff’s depiction of a NYC crew and suburban crew.

The suburban crew included Jeff, Tom Palinko, Joel, Frank Tate (on bass), Fred Vigorito (on trumpet and cornet), Tom Boates (on trombone) and the inimitable Noel Kaletsky (on reeds).
China Boy

Big Noise From Winnetka featured Tom Palinko drums.

The NYC crew included Vince, Dan, Jim Fryer (on trombone and other brass instruments), Kevin Dorn (on drums), Dalton Ridenhour (on keyboards) and Mike Davis (on trumpet). Dalton and Mike were new to the House Party and performed well beyond their years. Note their names because you will be hearing more about them as time goes on. They were great new additions.

Shake It and Break It

 

Canal Street Blues

 

Jeff & Dalton play 4-handed piano – Everybody Loves My Baby