Jeff and Joel’s House Party 2015 – Saturday Evening

Completed videos have been sent to musicians for approval and will appear here as they are received.  Some of these pictures will disappear. Enjoy for now.

——–>     Friday    Saturday Afternoon     Sunday

After a delicious Dinner Buffet the first Saturday Evening band was led by Gordon Au, with Jim Fryer, Jim Lawlor, Dan Levinson on clarinet, Genevieve Rose on string bass, and Jeff Barnhart on piano.  They began with a HOT Buddy’s Habits.

7 pc trad jazz band

Band One led by Gordon Au, Saturday Evening at Jeff & Joel’s House Party, 2015

Same crew, Dan Levinson in charge, a 1922 tune played by the New Orleans Rhythm Kings, Nobody’s Sweetheart Now.  This is a Banjorama tune – Joel couldn’t help but come up to sing the melody.

Donn Trenner on keyboard

 

Don Trenner traded places with Jeff, but before he could start, Dan Levinson pointed his clarinet at Donn and singlehandedly played Thanks For The Memories, in commemoration of all the years Donn played with Bob Hope.

 

 

Honeysuckle Rose – Fryer gets to sing

Scott and Noel played together in John Sheehan's

Scott and Noel played together for years  in John Sheehan’s Heritage Jazz Band.

 

 

 

Change of crew – Noel Kalesky, Kevin Dorn, Scott Philbrick, Brian Nalepka and Jeff, The Things We Did Last Summer. Masterful duet between Scott and Noel.  They’ve been friends for a long time.

 

Donn Trenner back, with Noel Kaletsky and Scott Philbrick with a rousing  Lady be Good,

Dan Levinson on his fabulous tenor sax, Gordon Au, Tom Boates, Donn Trenner, Brian Nalepks, and Molly Ryan were up with Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams

explained above

Molly Ryan captures the crowd with Wrap Your Trouble in Dreams

Gordon continued with Molly singing Ain’t She Sweet, with Dan, Gen, Brian, and Donn.  Gen on string bass marvelously trading 4’s with Donn Trenner.

Pianists kept switching with Jeff replacing Donn for Molly’s sweet Sugar.

 Molly and Jeff were left alone for  Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered.

Fryer on euphonium

Jim Fryer dedicates Easy Living to Connecticut

 

 

Jim Fryer has a Connecticut background, living in Wallingford for 12 years.  He came up with Gen, Kevin, and Donn for  Billie Holidays’ Easy Living.  Jim dedicated it to the State of Connecticut.

 

 

 

 

Mood Indigo – Tom Boates and Jim Fryer

Scott and Noel, a tune they often played in Maine with Muriel Havenstein, Jeff and Brian joining them, for Swing That Music – Barnhart going WILD on keyboard!!

see above

They do Swing That Music!!

Brian Nalepka plays bass and sings

Brian Nalepka is also an excellent vocalist.

 

 

 

Brian’s turn to lead, with his vocal, on Linger Awhile, with Tom Boates added on trombone.

 

 

 

 

Gotta give the boss his due – Joel on vocal with Scott, Noel, Tom, Jeff, Jim Lawlor – with a Father’s Mustache Honky Tonk Town..

Boss gets his chance to shine.

Boss gets his chance to shine.

Gordon Au on trumpet, Scott, Molly and Tom Boates on guitar, for 3-guitar session on I’ve Got The World On a String.

Donn returned at piano for Exactly Like You with Fryer, Gordon, Dan, Molly on guitar, and Lawlor drums.  Dorothy Fields did this with Jimmy McHugh in 1935, Lawlor vocal. Gordon played powerful trumpet, Gen couldn’t help bouncing with the rhythm.  She and Dan had marvelous exchange on clarinet and string bass.

Lawlor plays drums and sings Exactly Like You

Lawlor sings too!

Molly

Molly

 

 

Kevin, Gordon, Fryer, Dan, Gen, Donn with Molly vocal on Meet Me Tonight Dreamland – 1909. The song came from Coney Island which was then only attended by the wealthy, hence “Dreamland”.  It had very many lights.  One night they caught fire and the place burned down.

 

 

 

Everyone left except Molly, Gen, and Donn for You Took Advantage of Me.

You Took Advantage of Me with Donn Trenner backing Molly

You Took Advantage of Me with Donn Trenner backing Molly

Molly took a break.  Leaving the Trio, with Gen shining on string bass, Kevin drums, and Donn piano on Sunny Side of The Street.

Bogalusa Strut, with Gordon, Scotty, Noel, Dan on tenor sax, Boates, Fryer on euphonium, Barnhart and Lawler, with Joel sitting in, Nalepka tuba – euphonium and tuba duet!  Superb drumming by Lawlor!  The whole band joined in singing New Orleans.

Barnhart standing with arms folded looking at brass musicians.

Barnhart stunned by all that brass!

Clarinet duet, Dan and Noel, with Lawlor, Scott on guitar, Joel, Brian on string bass, Jeff on Avalon

described above

Amazing clarinet duet on Avalon with Dan Levinson and Noel Kaletsky

Noel, Jeff, and Jim Lawlor continued with a wild fast tempo tune done by Wild Bill misguidedly named Sleep.

Time for Jeff’s Banjorama, with Joel, Kevin, Brian on tuba, Jeff, When Day is Done, Sweet Adeline, and many, many more, with all the fans and volunteers singing along.  Your Fathers Mustache banjo players came from North Carolina and Christ Fennimore (left) came from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to join Joel.  Fans and Volunteers joined heartily in the sing-along.

band members laughing as Joel leads fans in song

Everyone gets in on the act for the Banjorama

Donn Trenner back for Molly Ryan vocal on Jeepers Creepers, with Gen, Kevin, Gordon, Tom Boates, Scott on guitar. Dan on tenor sax. Fantastic.

Molly, Jeff, Gen, Tom, Kevin, Scotty still on guitar, I Ain’t Got Nobody. Growling trombone, Hot Stuff.  Molly doing vocal duet with Jeff piano.
NobodyTime for a slow waltz.  This was not on the list. Molly vocal, Dan, Gen, Jeff, Kevin, Hushaby Mountain.  Nice piano and Molly vocal, Gen bowing the bass, Dan on tenor sax.  Ended the way it started, with piano and vocal.

Lawlor back, Noel on clarinet, Nalepka tuba, Scott on cornet, Gordon trumpet, Jim Fryer, Jeff.  I Ain’t Got Nobody.

Gordon and Scott battling on I Ain't Got Nobody

Gordon and Scott battling on I Ain’t Got Nobody

Scotty cornet and Noel clarinet absolutely fantastic, Gordon and Fryer, trumpet and trombone trading, 4’s  for Lu Waters’ Come Back Sweet Poppa. 

The Au Brothers were raised on Lu Waters by their uncle, Howard Miatta, who plays with the High Sierra Jazz Band. Our guys continued with a stormy version of Struttin’ With Some Barbecue. 

There was time for one more ‘classy’ tune with a small ensemble, before the final fiasco. Donn Trenner called for Duke’s  A Train, Donn in constant, fluid, rhythmic motion.  Absolutely beautiful! This man loves to play piano.

A train

Gordon ended it as he had begun, leading the Finale, a rip roaring Panama!

Everyone up for Panama

Everyone up for Panama

Breathless.  That’s how we were left this Saturday Evening of Jeff and Joel’s House Party!   Yet there was more coming on Sunday……

Heartbeat Jazz Band at Smarty’s, by Sue Finn

only visible are Shari piano, Skip trombone, Freddy cornet, Noel clarinet

Heartbeat Jazz Band at Smarty’s Restaurant and Pub, 215 Main St. Niantic CT (860) 739-8818

Heartbeat’s Christmas Show at Smarty’s, Thursday December 19, 2014

Here are a few pictures and the playlist for Heartbeat’s Christmas show at Smarty’s.   www.smartysniantic.com.  It was a mixture of seasonal favorites and traditional jazz standards along with a few other surprises.

Bill Logozzo – drums, leader                            Fred Vigorito – cornet
Skip Hughes – trombone, vocals                      Noel Kaletsky – reeds
Bob Card – saxophone                                      Art Hovey – tuba, bass
Steve Keillor – banjo, guitar                            Shari Lucas-keyboard
Andrew Walker – guest vocalist

Playlist:
Maryland My Maryland (Oh Tannenbaum)                   ~~~Break~~~
Lulu’s Back in Town                                                        Mack the Knife
Oh Baby!                                                                          Apex Blues
China Boy                                                                  You are always on my mind
I’ll be Home for Christmas                                        How come you do me like you do?
Let it Snow                                                  (with Walk Right In & Alice’s Restaurant)
Shine                                                                      Sunny Side of the Street
Blue Christmas                                            Medley – Jingle Bells, Saints, Silent Night
South Rampart Street Parade

They started with ‘Oh Christmas Tree’ and one of Fred’s audience quizzes – I believe we ended up with at least 5 titles for this number!

Skip sang several songs, including ‘Lulu’s Back in Town’,  ‘Blue Christmas’, ‘Mack the Knife’ and ‘How Come you do me like you do’.

Guest vocalist Andrew Walker sang ‘You are Always on my Mind’.

Andrew standing while band plays

Andrew Walker listens to band after his vocal on “You Are Always on My Mind”

Noel and Steve played ‘China Boy’ and Bob Card did ‘Sunny Side of the Street’.

Banjo and soprano sax, Art Hovey in background with tub

Steve Keillor and Noel Kaletsky

banjo playing, Noel holding clarinet

Steve and Noel

Heartbeat always puts on a great show and this holiday performance was no exception.   By the final number – a medley  of the usual ‘Saints’ with ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘Silent Night’, everyone was singing along and definitely in the Christmas spirit.

Hear Heartbeat every 2nd Thursday at Oliver’s in Essex, CT and every 4th Thursday at Smarty’s.