Bob Winter piano, Eli Newberger tuba, Jeff Guthery drums, Ted Casher clarinet/tenor and soprano sax, Bo Winiker trumpet/flugelhorn, Herb Gardner trombone/piano,

Threatening storms, Hurricane Arthur coming up the coast, the upcoming holiday, nothing deterred revelers at the Sherborn Inn who came to hear Eli’s All-Stars. It was also Bo Winiker’s birthday, and the whole Winiker Family was here, including Mom.

 

 

The band celebrated Louis Armstrong with Strutting With Some Barbecue, and then a blues, Basin St. Blues, Bo leading on trumpet with band playing counterpoint.

 

 

 

Eli joined Bob at the piano, and the beat quickly turned to Jump ‘n Jive; then back into a slow beat, Jeff soft drum roll, front line closing with a slow, joint wa, wa, wa.   Marvelous!

 

 

 

 

Ted Casher’s tribute to Louis was a raucous vocal on his 1930s novelty tune, I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead, You Rascal You. 

Eli introduced vocalist Gabrielle Goodman, a jazz, R&B, classical and gospel vocalist, and Professor of Voice, with a four octave voice range, who teaches at Berklee.   “Happy 4th of July, even if is the day before”  she said, and began with Bring It on Home to Me a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke, released in 1962. The song has become a pop standard, covered by numerous artists of different genres, but none could compare to this lady.  She had us captivated from the first note!

Route 66 – Gabrielle had us clapping in time before she even uttered a note.  She ruled!  Scatting like Sarah Vaughn, she lead the band with her numerous changes in tempo.  She asked “Who is deeply in love?” and Carolyn Newberger’s hand shot up.  Gabby responded with a silky, smooth, My Funny Valentine, with Ted’s emotional tenor saxophone, and Bo Winiker on smoky flugelhorn.  Heartrending!

She took us on a trip on a familiar special train that goes from lower Manhattan to Harlem, with a passionate, hard-charging romp on The A Train.  The crowd was enthralled and responded with heavy applause.

 

 

Eli announced the next song was written by a trombone player (heavy groan here).  But the trombone player was Edward “Kid” Ory and this was his Muskat Ramble.

Herb Gardner took over for his fine rendition, then Eli let loose with a turbo charged tuba, with backup from pulsating piano and drums.

 

 

 

 

While the band took a break, Herb Gardner took over the piano with a novelty tune about New Hampshire’s “Summer People” – “They’re only here until Labor Day, then Back in October for the foliage.”

 

 

 

 

 

Back Home Again in Indiana featured Bo on full, rich, open flugelhorn.

 

 

Louis Armstrong used to begin his All Stars with another tune that Bo has been working on.  Herb did the arrangement; Bo featured on trumpet with a freewheeling rendition of Cornet Chop Suey.  Fabulous!

Gabby returned with Taking a Chance on Love, a song she recorded on her second CD. She sang this as a ballad in honor of the 4th of July.  It was one swinging ballad!

She asked if she could change the schedule of tunes, in order to sing Misty, just her and Bob on piano.  Lovely! They have often worked together; he’s a great friend and pianist for the Boston Pops.  Gabrielle has an impressive background; her expertise spans the entire jazz era up to modern jazz.

Bob Winter was featured on piano with Someone To Watch Over Me, Bo adding soft, mellow flugelhorn.

 

 

To celebrate our country’s birthday, Gabby contributed a profound, soulful America the Beautiful.  It left the audience in awe!

 

 

 

 

Eli requested a ‘change of pace’, introducing Carolyn Newberger on washboard.   Carolyn played washboard years ago in a café they started when they were Directors at the International Residence Hall at Yale.   The washboard had been stored in the attic for 50 years, until Eli found it.

Now Carolyn is merrily playing washboard with many of Eli’s bands;  usually Coney Island Washboard Roundelay; but not this time.  This time she delighted the audience with spoons on washboard on James P. Johnson’s The Charleston.

When she’s not playing washboard with the band, she’s pencil-sketching the musicians.  She is an accomplished painter and has had three showings this month, one at Framingham’s Danforth Gallery where she received an award.  Tonight she did a couple of sketches of Gabrielle, and one of Bo.

Eli’s All-Stars surprised us by closing with When The Saints Go Marching In, and they marched, up and down the aisles – even Jeff with his snare drum, ‘The Saints’ went marching in.

Bo leads parade up the aisles

Bill Winiker takes photo of parade

Glorious way to end this celebration of our Country and Bo Winiker’s birthday!

The All Stars will be back here at the Sherborn Inn on the 1st Thursday of every month, next is August 7th.  They will be at  Barrington Stage Company, Mr. Finn’s Cabaret, Blatt Performing Arts Center, 36 Linden St., Pittsfield, MA on August 24 and 25.  They will also kick-off the 32nd Highland Jazz Series  in Newton, MA on September 13th.

Gabrielle continues teaching at Berklee.  We hope she’ll be back!