The Hot Cat Band is playing once a month on Sundays at Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Rd. Madison Ct. 06443. (203) 318-8362
This Sunday was a moment in time!
The HOT CATS never sounded better. Donahue’s was packed to capacity and space on the dance floor was at a premium. The beautiful spring-like weather brought people out of hibernation. Of course, anyone who follows the HOT CATS will come out rain or shine. The age of fans ranged from 40-90 years old and their enthusiasm for the music was exciting!
The HOT CATS have moved on with the times and play to their audience in a way that encourages their return to Donahue’s each month. Their repertoire has gone from strictly Trad Jazz to a wide range of music. They include Dixieland, Big Band, Swing, Beatles, classic Rock from the 50’s to the 80’s and more.
Selections such as….Bourbon Street Parade, Bill Bailey, Jump, Jive and Wail, In the Mood, Brown Eyed Girl, Johnny B. Goode, Soul Man, Pick Up the Pieces, and so many others thrilled the audience. Not only did they play for our listening and dancing pleasure but many of us reminisced and sang along with the band.
I might note that not only are the band members fine musicians who effortlessly play to and for the audience but, also are one of the best bands technically. This combination is what makes them so popular. Thanks to Ross Tucker, their leader, his insight and knowledge of music has brought together one of the best bands in the area.
Donahue’s offers a varied menu of fine cuisine at prices to accommodate everyone and, their bar flows with a variety of libation. Many thanks to the staff who are always helpful. http://donahuesmadisonbeachgrille.com/
If you have not recently heard the HOT CATS, plan to hear them at Donahue’s Sunday, March 30th at 5:30pm and you will see people you know and even make new friends.
The HOT CATS play once-a-month at Donahue’s Madison Beach Grille, 1320 Boston Post Rd, Madison, CT 06443 Phone: (203-318-8362). To get their schedule email: ross@hotcatjazz.com
Seacoast Stompers at the Acton Jazz Café, on a bitter cold January 4th 2014, with Scott Philbrick cornet, Craig Ball clarinet, Lee Prager trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Al Bernard souzaphone, Bobby Reardon drums, Frank Stadler leader/piano. Videos by Harold McAleer.
In spite of the bitterly cold weather, The Acton Jazz Café had few empty seats when The Seacoast Stompers began another year of 1st Saturdays of the month. Many of us were suffering from Trad Jazz withdrawal over the holidays, with the musicians busy playing at private gigs.
Leader Frank Stadler was back with a long list of tunes, offering two at a time, and letting the musicians choose. They are almost all Band Leaders and have minds of their own; sometimes they picked one, sometimes picked totally different tunes. There is much discussion, but it’s all in great fun. Frank is to be commended for patiently managing the divergent personalities that are the Seacoast Stompers.
They started hot and heavy with the Bix version of their theme song, At The Jazz Band Ball, hot solos!
Frank took the intro with bass notes on I Would Do Most Anything For You. Bobby went wild on drums!
Frank Stadler, piano – leader
Take Your Tomorrows and Give Me Today, Swing That Music. Nice tuba solo. The rhythm boys set the dynamic background that gets toes tapping.
Jimmy Mazzy, Al Bernard, Bobby Reardon
Jimmy has his own unique style of playing banjo, and singing. We especially liked his ballad, Sugar, with ecstatic interchange between Philbrick and Prager. They challenge each other. Rose Room got dancers up, with Scott sneaking in Always Chasing Rainbows on cornet.
We all helped celebrate Jack Phelan’s 90th birthday, who was here with his family. Jack is the pianist for the New Liberty Jazz Band and formerly led the Scollay Square Stompers.
Jimmy Mazzy and Jack Phelan
Jack says “The Seacoast Stompers are a great group, and anytime Jimmy Mazzy is with a group it’s even better!”
He said “Frank Stadler is a top notch piano player, with a steady rhythm and steady beat.” “The front line, Craig, Scotty and Lee, are just great! They sound like they rehearsed for weeks, but we know they were improvising, making it up.”
Frank Stadler filled in for Jack with the New Liberty Jazz Band on their 1941 Fire Truck last November 23rd at the Methuen Parade, when it was again cold weather. Jack recommended him.
Jack Phelan has been around Jazz and Jazz Joints for a long time. He was sitting up front and center, where he could hear them discussing what they were going to play next. He said to Scotty, “Since they moved the spittoon from the corner of the saloon, you just can’t spit anymore!” That broke them up!
The band wanted to play the Birthday song for him, instead he requested Ain’t She Sweet and they were happy to oblige.
Frank asked for Fidgety Feet. All agreed, no discussion!
We especially like Jimmy’s ballads, I’ve Got The World on a String.
Bill Flynn and the Missus from New Hampshire found themselves a corner for dancing. He’s a retired Raytheon engineer who writes books for sale on Kindle as a hobby.
Lee Prager
Trombone intro I’ll Take Manhattan, Lee bends over backwards to get those perfect notes. Sweet tune, followed by something peppy – Sunday.
St. Louis Blues is one of the oldest tunes known to the cognoscenti. Tuba intro, imaginative ensemble. They listen to each other and to the music, play mesmerizing blues.
Fantastic ensemble by the front line, Craig Ball, Scott Philbrick, and Lee Prager
Bobby Reardon has two sets of drums with him, he has another job in Stoneham when he leaves the Acton Jazz Cafe. The musicians really appreciate his tasteful, shrewd, drumming.
Bobby Reardon
They closed this set with a romp roaring Sweet Georgia Brown.
Harold McAleer with his video camera.
We are all grateful that Harold McAleer is back. He is dedicated to recording this music for posterity, and spends hours videotaping and editing many videos, especially of the Seacoast Stompers. You can find hundreds of them on You Tube.
There was much more great jazz in store. (see below). We’ll be back with the usual Trad Jazz Crowd, thirsting for this kind of music, on February 1st. We hope to see Jack Phelan back too!!
Seacoast Stompers January 4, 2014 Tunes:
Set 1
1 At The Jazz Band Ball
2 Sugar
3 I Would Do Anything For You
4 Take Your Tomorrow
5 Swing That Music
6 Rose Room
7 Fidgety Feet
8 I’ve Got the World on a String
9 Sunday
10 St Louis Blues
11 Sweet Georgia Brown
Set 2
1 It Don’t Mean a Thing If it Ain’t Got That Swing
2 Tin Roof Blues
3 Ain’t She Sweet
4 Curse of an Aching Heart
5 New Orleans
6 Undecided
Set 3
1 Jelly Roll (Ain’t Gonna Give You None)
2 Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down
3 If I had You
4 Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
Seacoast Stompers (with videographer Harold McAleer)
These musicians love making music, playing Jazz, and this audience loves listening to them. It’s a symbiotic relationship – and never gets dull. You never know what will happen next. The Seacoast Stompers do not repeat songs – Frank Stadler has kept a list of every song they’ve played at the AJC in the last five years, so the tunes are seldom repeated.
Surprise! Frank announced that this afternoon they would be doing EXACTLY the same set list as their first gig, 5 years 3 months ago at The Acton Jazz Café. Then it was at night at 452 Great Road, a six-piece band, with Frank Stadler piano, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Jeff Hughes cornet, Ben Goldstein clarinet, Steve Taddeo drums and Bob McHenry string bass (whose idea it was to getStadler on piano
Now on October 5, 2013, there was Frank leader/piano and Jimmy banjo/vocals, Scott Philbrick cornet, Dave Whitney trumpet, Craig Ball clarinet, Lee Prager trombone, Albie Bernard sousaphone, and Bobby Reardon drums at the new Acton Jazz Café, 103 Nagog Park. It doesn’t get any better than this – as demonstrated by the full house. Bob McHenry was sitting front and center, enjoying the band.
They started with their theme song, a blistering At The Jazz Band Ball, then Mama’s Gone, Goodbye – Jimmy vocal, the four-piece front line melding seamlessly.
Front line Scott, Dave, Craig, and Lee
Scott and Dave are always a combustible combination, Trumpet and cornet duet on From Monday On.Baby Won’t You Please Come Home. Combination playing vibrato on There’ll Be Some Changes Made.
They slowed down for Memories of You, Scotty doing cornet intro, Jim on vocal with almost imperceptible tuba and trumpet backup.
Mandy Make Up Your Mind – we never get enough of Jimmy Mazzy’s singing. (For the few who are not aware, he’s like olives – an acquired taste; people all over the world love Jimmy, especially in Europe) New Orleans, Hoagie’s favorite tune, heartfelt vocal by Dave Whitney.
Jimmy Mazzy
Dave Whitney
Bobby concentrated on tom toms for Stealing Apples. He has a different drum set for every genre of music, The Dixieland set has three toms, bass, snare drum, cow bell, top hat and a couple of cymbals. He strives for simplicity, purity in his playing, and the energy and precision he lays down is undeniable.
Bobby Reardon and his Dixieland Drum Set
Keeping Out of Mischief Now, Jim on vocal. Craig Ball is in complete command of the upper register on Ain’t Gonna Give You None of My Jelly Roll.
I’m Coming Virginia.
Bobby plays Saturday nights at the Kowloon in Saugus, so he’s ready, always dressed in white shirt and black bow tie (untied) but not tonight; black shirt – no tie. He said he was in mourning because he couldn’t play his favorite tune. So they deviated from the 2008 set list – and substituted Bobby’s favorite (and mine!) Limehouse Blues.
Jim Mazzy, Al Bernard, Bobby Reardon, Rhythm Section
Al Bernard provides the drive and “punch’ behind the band, and plays solos with the dexterity, control, and articulation of the much smaller instruments. Take Your Tomorrows, and Give Me Today. Joe Darensbourg’s Louisian-I-A, dynamic clarinet backed by rhythm in stop-time. Jimmy had the vocal on a HOT Kansas City. I Would Do Most Anything For You, Whitney vocal, and sneaking in snippets of songs with his trumpet.
Look out for Jimmy’s specials – back in 2008, he substituted his own lyrics for the Banking Crisis with The Whiffenpoof’s Song (The Lambs Song). This time he did a parody of the Tea Party, that we won’t go into here because we’ve already lost too much $upport.
Craig Ball on soprano sax
Craig moved to a sweet soprano sax, authentic Bechet sound, for Singing The Blues.
Verne often gets to pick the last tune, a fine choice to end this evening of remembering 2008, with a barnstorming Swing That Music. Seacoast Stompers will return with the same personnel playing amazing Dixieland Jazz at the Acton Jazz Café, 103 Nagog Park, Acton MA, on November 2nd, the first Saturday of the month as usual. See you there!
* * *
Tunes on 2013-10-05 at AJC by Seacoast Stompers set 1
At The Jazz Band Ball
Mama’s Gone Goodbye
From Monday On
Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
There’ll Be Some Changes Made
Memories Of You
Mandy Make Up Your Mind
New Orleans
Stealin Apples set 2
Keepin Out Of Mischief Now
Jelly Roll (Ain’t Gonna Give You None)
I’m Coming Virginia (W/Verse)
Limehouse Blues
Take Your Tomorrow
Louisi-An-I-A set 3
Kansas City request
I Would Do Anything For You
The Lamb’s Song (political diatribe) jimmy special
Singin the Blues
Swing that Music
Scott Philbrick cornet, Craig Ball clarinet, Lee Prager trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Frank Stadler leader/piano, Albie Bernard sousaphone, Bobby Reardon drums
By Marce, Videos by Harold McAleer
The Stompers started right off with an explosive Jazz Band Ball that ignited the Acton Jazz Café, and they were smokin’ the whole afternoon.
Frank Stadler, leader of the Seacoast Stompers
Leader Frank Stadler has a list of every tune they’ve played in those 5+ years. He always brings in a list of new tunes or some they haven’t played lately.
But this is a democratic band, if they don’t like what he calls, they just do something else.
Jimmy sings with Albie and Bobby support
Jimmy Mazzy is something else all by himself!
He sings Nagasaki with Al Bernard on sousaphone and Bobby Reardon raring to go.
The band actually all agreed on that tune, but not the key. Finely tuned ensemble; Craig’s clarinet set the pace, pushing the boundaries. Drums were vibrating off the floor!
Carrie Mazzy sings “Sugar”
Carrie Mazzy flashes a smile, singing Sugar.
They played Three Little Words in triple time, clarinet and cornet squeezing in multiple notes; difficult for trombone, but Prager is resourceful. Al Bernard’s sousaphone drove the band, Craig Ball sneaking in many other tunes – he can do that on clarinet.
Nice brush work by drummer. The musicians really appreciate Bobby Reardon’s drumming. He keeps them going, lays down perfect time, and never gets in the way.
Seacoast Stompers front line – Bob McHenry, former string bass, at right in blue shirt
The inimitable Jimmy Mazzy sings Kansas City. Cornet and trombone have remarkable interplay, but Scotty likes to tease Lee, playing rapid muted passages.
Watch what happens.
Kansas City
Lee Prager played a deep burnished trombone on I Guess I’ll Have To Change My Plans, with Jimmy singing a heartwarming, tender ballad.
Lee Prager on trombone
Lulu’s Back in Town was WILD, cornet trading fours with trombone, challenging Prager with vibrating cornet, Lee responding with vibrating trombone, it was hysterical! They actually gave each other high 5’s when it was over. Lee was having so much fun, he never stopped bouncing, except when he was playing. Great talent – it’s a pity we can’t hear him more often.
They moved on to a rabble-rousing China Boy, clarinet starting in nice low register, then moving up the scale into the stratosphere. Stadler prodded marvelous sounds out of the piano. Éva Balazs was back, listening to her favorite ‘humble piano virtuoso’.
They all agreed on Stadler’s call for the finale, Sweet Georgia Brown,
Bobby set the dynamic level:
The energy level was still high, leaving the audience with an adrenaline rush. We’ll all be back October 5th with more fun and upligting jazz with the Seacoast Stompers.
Tunes played this afternoon:
set 1
At The Jazz Band Ball
Someday You’ll Be Sorry
Squeeze Me
Smiles
Sugar
Kansas City
Tin Roof Blues
Old Fashioned Love
Nagasaki
set 2
I Can’t Get Started
Nobody’s Sweetheart Now
How Come You Do Me Like You Do
Oh Baby
Three Little Words
I guess I’ll have to change my plans
Jelly Roll (Ain’t Gonna Give You None)
set 3
Mandy Make Up Your Mind
Sweet Lorraine
Lulu’s Back In Town
China Boy
Sweet Georgia Brown
Pierce Campbell guitar and vocals, Noel Kaletsky reeds, Lauren Evarts piano, Al Bernard tuba, John Rispoli drums
Pierce Campbell on guitar
The Funky Butt Jazz Band was started by his father, Pete Campbell and Bud Gettsinger 36 years ago. Pierce took over the band for playing traditional jazz, has various small combinations, and also performs solo..
He borrowed Noel Kaletsky and Albie Bernard from the Festival All Stars, for Summertime, Georgia, Dinah, One Meat Ball, I’m Confessing, Jelly Roll, Ain’t She Sweet, Buddy Bolden Blues. All great Trad tunes.
The Valley Railroad gave him an opener for Buddy Bolden’s Blues. Noel on soprano sax.
Lauren Evarts
Lauren is a regular member of The Funky Butt Jazz Band.
Noel on alto sax – Georgia
John Rispoli
John Rispoli is a monster on drums!
Al Bernard on tuba
Al Bernard put away the sousaphone and took out the tuba to play melodies for this session.
Ain’t Gonna Give Nobody None of My Jelly Roll
Noel Kaletsky
Noel Kaletsky is a complete band unto himself!
Unbelievable, from the Festival’s start to finish.
Price Campbell said it succinctly,
“Faster than a silver bullet!”
They all went WILD on Ice Cream!
Currently Pierce plays a variety of music which showcase his versatility. He performs solo singing and playing original and Celtic folk, American pop and Jazz classics. He performs Irish and original Celtic folk with The Kerry Boys, traditional Jazz with The Funky Butt Jazz Band, vocal Jazz classics and originals with The Pierce Campbell Jazz Duo/Trio and pop rock classics with Pierce Campbell and the Scramble. During the day, he entertains seniors at venues throughout CT.
Dan Levinson is a jazz Historian in New York devoted to Traditional Jazz, with a vast collection of memorabilia going back to the 1900’s. He has at least nine different bands. Fortunately for us, he spends much of his time searching out the newest talent coming out of the music schools and teaching these young NY musicians our kind of music, so it will be preserved well into the future.
He seems to save the Millenium All Stars for us at the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival. We have no idea how many young bands he is responsible for, but he has been bringing new ones here to the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival for 16 years. (He breaks the new ones in with a discerning Traditional Jazz Audience.)
This band was actually from the Millennium Generation, with recent graduates of the Manhattan School of Music. Jack Holkum on trombone is 21. Mike Davis cornet, Rob Atkins bass.
Mike Davis, Jack Holkum
Rob Atkins
Kevin Dorn, drummer
Except for drummer Kevin Dorn. Kevin was a young drummer when he first arrived here with Dan 15 years ago in 1998; now he’s one of the “elders” in the band, and has a great Traditional Jazz Band of his own.
Ian Frankel
Dan invited a fine Connecticut pianist, Ian Frankel, to join the band. Dan promised him there would be no reading, but this is Jazz, and it’s never the same twice. Frankel cleverly breezed through several surprises.
They began with Dan on clarinet with the title tune of an album by his Swing Wing Band, featuring Molly, At The Cod Fish Ball.
It includes Bud Freeman’s Summa Cum Laude Orchestra’s Copenhagen.
Molly has been coming here since 2004 – she is now Mrs. Dan Levinson. Molly also sang some tunes from her own new album, Swing For Your Supper, and I’d Like to Wake Up in the Morning Where The Morning Glories Grow.
Swing for your Supper
The Milleniums presented another tune from the Cod Fish Ball album, originally done by the Rhythm Makers, a mixed band, unheard of at the time. Oh Peter, You’re So Nice. In 1932 it featured PeeWee Russell on clarinet, with Eddy Condon on guitar, Joe Sullivan piano, and Zutti Singleton drums. Dan moved to tenor sax for the 1936 Mez Mezro & Sy Oliver, Hot Club Stomp.
Another from Molly’s Album, done by Bing Crosby and The Bob Cats, You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby. A mellow front line backed Molly on Ruth Ettings 1930 Ten Cents a Dance.
They closed with the Gershwin’s The Lorelei from Pardon My English that opened at the Majestic Theatre, New York on January 9, 1933.
We sure hope Dan Levinson and Molly Ryan are available with more of New York’s new talented musicians for next year’s Hot Steamed Jazz Festival! http://danlevinson.com/ensembles.html
August 3, 2013, The Seacoast Stompers were back at the Acton Jazz Café with Dave Whitney trumpet, Craig Ball clarinet, Lee Prager trombone, Scott Philbrick guitar/cornet, Frank Stadler piano/leader, Al Ehrenfried string bass, Bobby Reardon drums, and Maureen Benson vocals.
The Seacoast Stompers are celebrating their 6th year of appearing on the first Saturday of the month at the Acton Jazz Café. This was an exceptionally enjoyable afternoon, with Scott on guitar (which he prefers) and charismatic vocalist Maureen Benson. The venue sound system was shut down, with musicians controlling their own amplification, much better Traditional sound.
Whitney’s solo horn was free to interweave all kinds of tunes because Scott Philbrick was tied up on guitar, subbing for Jimmy Mazzy – most of the time.
The Rhythm Boys
Al Ehrenfried, was all smiles, picking at the string bass. Lee Prager happy to be back on trombone, bouncing with the music. Bobby was pulsating and alive. They all treasure his timing. It was infectious.
Craig Ball’s hot clarinet set the opening with All That Jazz, their theme song, and after that it was all improvised, with quick discussions over what and how they would play next.
Maureen Benson
A natural charmer on stage, Maureen came up for Slow Boat to China, If I Had You, Dave backing on muted trumpet.
Lee Prager
Lee Prager was featured on I guess I’ll Have To Change My Plans. We were happy to have him back.
Maureen returned for I Cried For you – usually done in a slow tempo, but there was nothing slow about this afternoon! There was no holding them back!
Bix time, Scott Philbrick moved to cornet with Dave Whitney trumpet duet for Singing The Blues. Fabulous!
Scott Philbrick and Dave Whitney
Piano took the intro to Claude Hopkins I Would Do Most Anything For You. Scott was back on flaming hot guitar for this barn-burner!
Dave’s version of Back O’ Town Blues is one of Frank Stadler’s favorites. Dave invited Maureen to join him. But she’s never heard the song before, didn’t even know the words. “I can handle Blues.”
This video shows her incredible spunk as she makes up her own words:
Frank and Al got together for an abbreviated Jitterbug Waltz, just piano and acoustic bass. Lovely – but too short, left us wanting more!
Whitney remembered Laurel & Hardy. Most people don’t realize that Oliver Hardy was also a good singer. He sang Lazy Moon in the 1932 Pardon Us, sensitively reprised here by Scott on guitar and Dave on trumpet and vocal.
Neil Moret wrote many beautiful tunes, including Chloe, and Song of the Wanderer, Ray Smith liked him so much he did a whole program on him.
(FYI, Ray Smith’s Jazz Decades is still playing Sundays 8-9pm on www.wgbh.org – even though we lost him a few years ago. Listen and learn about Our Kind of Music.)
Scott on guitar, Whitney on crystal clear trumpet on Song of the Wanderer.
The Saints prompted Alice Brunton to lead the a Parade, sans parasol. We’ll have one next month!
Alice Brunton leads the ‘Saints’ parade – no parasols!
Betty Countie
Surprise vocalist – Maureen introduced her Mom, Betty Countie, to sing a tantalizing Blue Moon. It’s obvious where Maureen gets her voice and charm!
The mood changed back to Bix and the normal four-piece front line. Their passion for this music is evident, they were really having fun with Since My Best Friend Turned Me Down.
Maureen Benson and the Rhythm Boys
It Had To Be You, Maureen singing Bob Sickles’ favorite song made him happy; An explosive Swing That Music was dedicated to Vern, with Whitney on vocal.
Al Ehrenfried
Buddy Bolden’s Blues was the best Trad tune of the evening with Al’s tender bass solo.
Found a New Baby, found Al all smiles, bass in constant dialogue on this up-tempo tune. Lee bouncing up and down, slipping in some tunes of his own, Scott slipped in a bit of the Russian Ochi Chernye on guitar.
Frank Stadler softly touching keys
Approaching the finale, Maureen was called up for S’Wonderful, backed by Stadler, hands barely skimming over the piano.
They wrapped up this month’s session with Limehouse Blues. Piano rules – with energy and syncopation, setting the pace. Dave finally managed to sneak in Stumbling – he always gets that in somewhere.
This old music has so much energy and vitality, especially played by these accomplished musicians – it’s enlivening, . We’ll all be back, enjoying more of the Seacoast Stompers 6th Anniversary at the Acton Jazz Café. See you there!
Maureen Benson lists Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, and Carmen McRae as her major musical influences. She is a mainstay on the North Shore jazz scene, and appears monthly with Jazzport at the Seaport Restaurant in Salem.
Bob Seeley, 85 years old in September, is a “National Treasure,” an exponent and proponent of Boogie Woogie. He grew up when Boogie was popular music, never forgot Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, James P. Johnson. He remembered when Albert Ammons and Pete Johnson played a duet at Carnegie Hall in 1938, from spirituals to boogie – it was a Boogie Woogie Dream!
A natural entertainer, he speaks about all the great pianists of the past, including some we’ve never heard of, like Freddy Slack, who wrote Strange Cargo.
Bob Seeley teaches us about past masters
Bob started out with Seeley’s Boogie. He played W. C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues first in boogie, then switched to stride – first slow, then at a thundering pace, sounding as if there were three pianists. Unbelievable!
He was having a problem with the piano – the ‘sustained key’ pedal on the Yamaha piano was hard, and stride has many sustained notes. He just pushed harder.
He asked for requests and unfortunately got one – Jay was having his 70th birthday and his wife asked for Happy Birthday. Jay got his Happy Birthday Boogie. (Fortunately there were no copyright police around to collect the royalties on it.)
Seeley loves what he’s doing!
Amazing Grace began very slow and reverent as a spiritual and quickly turned into a fast boogie – audience loved it, and he loved the audience. “Mature audience – thank goodness!!”
This is from the 2012 Hot Steamed Jazz Festival:
Hot Steamed Jazz Festival is located at a Steam Train Museum – he had to play something about railroads – he chose Honky Tonk Train. This was Meade Lux Lewis’ special tune that requires a muscular left hand. It has a repetitive bass that sometimes gives the left hand cramps. He was ferocious and wild! From there he continued with Pete Johnson’s JJ’s Boogie – at an exhausting pace!
He gets together with another fine piano player whenever he’s here at the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival. They generally start out peacefully. But with Barnhart, one never knows…
Seeley and Barnhart at piano
Jeff Barnhart and Bob Seeley
When Barnhart plays – Seeley can’t sit still – no way! Loves to prance around.
And he never misses a parade!
Always has his tambourine with him…
He is a Happy-go-lucky Treasure!
“Boogie Woogie demands precise fingering and split second timing. It’s one of the most demanding and dangerous pieces of music to perform and only a handful of people left on earth possess it.”
Here he was on June 11th at the Blind Boone Ragtime & Early Jazz Festival in Columbia,Missouri ~ June 11, 2013. Video by Tom Warner (tdub1941) http://youtu.be/M8fz6jLnLr0
We are indeed fortunate to have Bob Seeley here in Connecticut to show us how its done. See you next year!!
Beginning of the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival All Stars….
Jeff Barnhart led the Festival All Stars, starting out with four people on Friday night, including indefatigable Noel Kaletsky, who never stopped playing until the last note on Sunday! Tom Palinko was on drums, Lou Bocciarelli on string bass. Jeff said they were “happy to take requests, to keep the band riled up.” As the festival progressed, more All Stars sat in.
Noel Kaletsky on soprano sax
Back Home Again in Indiana, Noel plays soprano sax and clarinet with a passionate intensity.
Jeff said “This is an ironic name for a JRM tune in a tempo that Jelly Roll Morton called: Tempo Disturb the Neighbors.” Sleep.
Barnhart, Palinko, Bocciarelli, and indefatigable Noel in complete control on wild clarinet
Sleep. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiKdRIWGbNA
Winin’ Boy Blues accidentally started as Buddy Bolden Blues – Stop! Rewind! They decided on Winin’ Boy, Jeff proving that less is more on piano, leaving silent pauses – silence can be more important than sound to put over a tune; (Who said that?) Noel Kaletsky soared through the stratosphere on clarinet.
Al Bernard arrived from Rockport, MA, wrapped in sousaphone. Lou and Al took turns pushing the basses onSwing That Music. Jeff Barnhart gave us a lesson in Jazz History, explaining the difference between the music of the 20’s and 30’s. He played one chorus of the 20’s Sousa-feel with Al on sousaphone, and a second chorus with the 30’s two-beat Swing feeling with Lou walking the bass and Noel on swinging soprano sax.
China Boy (PC: East Indian Child) was a barn burner, Jeff tore into the piano, fabulous bass, they let Palinko loose on drums. JRM’s Ain’t Misbehaving.
Tom Palinko, Al Bernard, Lou Bocciarelli
What does one do with two basses? They experimented with having both a sousaphone and bass on the same band, taking alternate choruses. Never gets dull!
Bob Barta sang a poignant My Gal Sal with the 8-pc All Star Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JjfHEiUbMY
Eric Devine presents an excellent split-screen view of Barnhart/Barta scatting on: Sweet Sue
More musicians appeared over time, Kaletsky on alto sax, Steve Taddeo drums, John Clark soprano sax, Fred Vigorito cornet, Lou Bocciarelli string bass, Ben Griffin trombone, Al Bernard sousaphone, Jamil Jorge, fresh out of Connecticut College, on trombone.
More All Stars
On Avalon, Jeff Hughes trumpet, Craig Ball sharing reeds with Noel, Bob Barta banjo, Jamil Jorge on trombone; two basses trading 4s. Avalonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJXQF-3luB4
Jeff plays The Entertainer:
“1910 Shine, when there was nobody around except Noel Kaletsky; dedicated to me.” Jeff B. Barnhart’s hands blur playing stride, Kaletsky & Craig Ball reeds, Hughes, Barta, Jamil, Bocciarelli, Palinko WOW! Shine
We caught the Festival Band again on Sunday, with Fred Vigorito on cornet, Albie Bernard sousaphone, Jeff Hughes trumpet, Ben Griffin Trombone, and Jamil Jorge on trombone for a barn-burning That’s a Plenty, with Noel, Fred, and Ben, both basses – complete insanity!
soprano saxes
Dans Les Rues D’Antibes – Steve Taddeo (Swing Senders) joined Palinko on drums, two basses, John Clark AND Noel Kaletsky on soprano sax. It just got wilder. Who made that request? Thank you!
John Clark and Noel Kaletsky are an orchestra unto themselves, mixing and matching all those reeds.
Fred Vigorito and Ben Griffin
Moving from all reeds to all brass, Jeff Hughes trumpet, Freddy Vigorito cornet, two trombones, Someday Sweetheart. Griffin plays a really sweet trombone!
Jeff Hughes’ golden horn led with Barnhart on vocal, Kaletsky & Craig Ball reed duet, Barta & Bocciarelli trading 4s on If I Had You. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhKrOBq7GFw
Everybody was wired for the Finale, High Society, everyone taking a shot at Alphonse Picou’s soliloquy, even Albie on sousaphone. Albie & Lou shared bass lines. Palinko and Taddeo shared drums. It was a wild ending to a fabulous weekend!
Thank you Shirley Bombaci and Crew for persevering and giving us another weekend of great Traditional and Dixieland Jazz. There will be more great bands next year – we’re looking for an appropriate date when they will all be available. We hope more volunteers will step up. How about it??
Joe Midiri – Clarinet, Saxophones, Paul Midiri – Vibraphone, Trombone, Pat Mercuri – Guitar, Ed Wise – String Bass, and Jim Lawlor – Drums.
The Midiri Brothers, identical twins, graduated from Glassboro State College in the mid-1980s, and have been keeping Swing alive all over the country ever since.
Joe Midiri’s creativity, technique of breathing, and sound – as with his clarinet in D over High C, is unsurpassed. Paul does many of the arrangements, and his vibes remind us of the great Red Norvo in the Benny Goodman Sextet.
Shine:
Joe used the circle breathing technique for holding a note forever on After You’ve Gone. Ed Wise used his voice mike, humming along when he’s bowing that marvelous string bass.
Joe Midiri on soprano sax
Always, the song I sang to my grandchildren when they were babies. Joe moved to soprano sax, again holding long notes, for The September Song – sweetest soprano sax you ever heard!
Ed Wise Humming along with his string bass
Paul did the arrangement for a tune he heard on a Count Basie recording, Let’s Go – clarinet and vibes playing together in sync, with Ed humming in the background.
Joe Midiri sings Louis A.
Joe’s Louis Armstrong imitation is precious, sometimes on Wonderful World.
Here he’s Louis on Pennies From Heaven. Joe on alto sax, Paul trombone.
Pennies From Heaven
Pat Midiri
Pat Mercuri, guitar, plays catchy riffs, fills in any spaces.
Avalon:
Together:
Paul joins drummer Jim Lawlor for Lime House Blues
The Midiri Brothers are entertainers as well as virtuoso swing musicians. They keep the crowd laughing with their sibling rivalry banter. The Midiri Brothers Sextet keep dancers Swinging! Check out their schedule at The Midiri Brothers – New Jersey
Selections such as….Bourbon Street Parade, Bill Bailey, Jump, Jive and Wail, In the Mood, Brown Eyed Girl, Johnny B. Goode, Soul Man, Pick Up the Pieces, and so many others thrilled the audience. Not only did they play for our listening and dancing pleasure but many of us reminisced and sang along with the band.
