videos by Eric Devine
Dan Levinson – Reeds, Andy Schumm – Cornet, Matt Musselman – Trombone, Gordon Webster – Piano, Molly Ryan – Guitar and Vocals, Rob Adkins – Bass, Kevin Dorn – Drums
Early Jazz from the 20’s and 30’s appears to be fading away with us, the generation that was raised on it. Trad and Dixieland Festivals that have been thriving for 25-30 years are either closing completely, or incorporating other genres to fill the seats. Fortunately for us, Dan Levinson has devoted his life into finding and teaching our kind of music to some of the younger, upcoming musicians, so that it doesn’t just disappear.
He’s brought hundreds of them to the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival, for all but one year of its existence. This year, he really picked some All Stars who have built names of their own, some even have their own bands – playing Our Kind Of Music. Hence The New Millennium All Stars.
It’s obvious that they enjoy it!
Clarinet Marmalade, Baby Won’t You Please Come Home, Fidgety Feet.
Check out Rob Adkins on the string bass:
New Millenium ensembles are superb, and Dan gives each a chance to STAR! Milenberg Joys
Molly now also plays guitar. Darkness on the Delta
Smoldering interchange between the front liners, especially Dan on tenor and Matt Musselman on trombone.
With Dan on tenor sax, she continued with I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
She recently kickstarted a fund for a new Swing CD which has already reached it’s goal. We’re looking forward to it!
Dan took off on clarinet for There’ll Be Some Changes Madeand the New Millenium pursued him, even letting drummer Kevin Dorn take some licks.
Kevin has been one of the busiest drummers of this genre all over the country. Settling in New York, he started his own band, The Traditional Jazz Collective – now known as The Big 72.
We look forward to hearing him every year!
Andy Schumm prefers to work as a ’20s musician than a modern player – that started after he heard a Victor recording of Bix Beiderbecke.
Andy plays with many bands, including Jon Erik Kelso’s EarRegulars, Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, and The West End Band.
He, like Dan, is an advocate for teaching young students good music.
Matt “Grandpa” Musselman assimilated a group of of Manhattan School of Music graduates and started a band in 2006 called Grandpa Musselman and His Syncopaters, playing classic New Orleans Music.
Rob Adkins is new to us. He has a relentless pulse on the string bass. (See his solo on The Original Dixieland One Step again.)
He plays with many classic NY bands, including Gordon Webster, and regularly with Gordon Au’s Grand St. Stompers.
Every year, Dan Levinson brings in another group of young musicians. Thank you, Dan. We’re grateful to you for preserving our kind of music, and looking forward to who and what you will feature next year!