A Fabulous Fall Frolic with the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble at the Sherborn Inn

Posted on November 15, 2014 by admin

6-pc Band plays written arrangements of dance music of the 20''s and 30's

Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble

November 11, 2014 with Robin Verdier leader/piano, Bob MacInnis cornet, John Clark alto sax, Craig Ball clarinet, Al Bernard tuba, Bill Reynolds drums

Robin Verdier’s Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble brought us back to the fast paced, energetic music and dances of the optimistic 1920’s. New styles of music and dances evolved. They were an escape from the horror of war, and an opportunity to release pent up emotions created by the restricted lifestyles forced on the public by the war effort. Ragtime which had been popular during and after the war was suited to the new music tempos and so it flourished.

Robin Verdier, our own erudite Rag Time pianist, is well versed in this music. The musicians perform his arrangements in sensitive, sophisticated Ensemble.

They Called It Dixieland began this momentous evening. Mine All Mine, a tune composed by Fats Waller that was not associated with Fats because Fletcher Henderson recorded it first in 1927. Excellent solos.

Bob MacInnis on cornet

1925 Hotsy Totsy Now with Bob’s fine cornet enriched by piano’s soft notes, tuba in the background.

Then we were privileged to hear the World’s first performance of Robin’s arrangement of Irving Berlin’s 1927 Shaking the Blues. Marvelous!

Moving ahead (for them) to 1938 with Fats Waller’s I’ll Dance At Your Wedding with fabulous cornet, smooth alto sax, piano trickling between solos.

Robin sitting at piano with his reflection in piano top

Robin Verdier (file photo)

Rags were popular back in 1902, when Scott Joplin wrote Elite Syncopation. At that time Rags were played on the streets of New Orleans. Our own Scott Joplin, Robin Verdier, handles the difficult syncopated melodic line with ease. He played to a large, appreciative crowd!

A rarity, a collaboration between Cook’s Blame It On The Blues with Sidney Bechet’s Quincy Street Stomp, showed more fabulous ensemble, and clarinet skillfully trading 4’s with alto sax.

Bill Reynolds

1924 Alabamy Bound, adept in this art of drumming, Bill Reynolds was tapping on the wood block. Bill’s father, recently deceased Ed Reynolds, had a big influence on Robin Verdier and was responsible for at least five of the tunes this evening.

Al Bernard

Bill Reynolds’ drums and Al Bernard’s tuba kept the rhythm burning. Albie’s tuba sometimes becomes an extension of the Ensemble.

Dave’s drum introduced a 50’s jazz tune, Nullabor, probably named after a desert in Australia – maybe an aborigine song, with heavy drum accents. Nice clarinet by Craig, then outstanding ensemble, closing with more thunderous drums.

1927 Anabelle Lee was one of Ed Reynolds’ tunes. Ensemble played in stop time in Sonny Clay’s 1931 Cho-King, featuring Bill’s choke cymbals.

My Baby Just Cares For Me 1930, That’s Where You’re Wrong 1929. Everybody’s Doing The Charleston 1925. Tiny Parham’s Now That I Found You 1930. Con Conrad’s 1921 Moonlight included a nice tuba solo with piano backing.

I Wish’t I Was In Peoria, Walter Donaldson’s I’ve Had My Moments. In Our Cottage of Love, Down Where The Sun Goes Down.

Mule Face Blues, nimble fingers flew across piano, Reynolds applying fine choke cymbal and drumming, the Front Line in distinguished ensemble that sets this group apart.

Monte Carlo Front Line: Bob MacInnis, Craig Ball, John Clark

They closed with When Lindy Comes Marching Home, written by George M. Cohan for pilot Charles Lindburgh’s successful solo flight across the ocean. The ensemble interpolated other Cohen tunes – we recognized Yankee Doodle Dandy.

This was a momentous moment for many reasons: John Clark had just returned from his Wolverine Jazz Band’s great reception at the Arizona Classic Jazz Festival. This was Bob MacInnis’s last performance for this year in New England – he left for Florida the next day. We’ll miss him until Spring. And the future of Jazz at the Sherborn Inn is uncertain, as it is under new ownership in January 2015. Just in case, we are searching for new venues.

We certainly hope to hear the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble again, either here at the Sherborn Inn or at a new venue. Stay tuned.

Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble at the Sherborn Inn, May 13, 2014

Posted on May 23, 2014 by admin

Bob MacInnis, Bill Reynolds (in back), Craig Ball, Al Bernard, Robin Verdier, John Clark

We were transported back to the the early 20s with the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble playing the captivating dances of that Golden Age of Music. Leader Robin Verdier creates masterpieces by picking tunes from the early 1900’s and writing his own special arrangements. He blends together new ideas, constantly refreshing the material, providing charts for the musicians. Emphasis is on ensemble. He has his favorite composers, Irving Berlin, Isham Jones, Clarence Williams, Walter Donaldson, Tiny Parham.

His whole Ensemble was back, a powerhouse of accomplished musicians. On the front line were John Clark of the Wolverine Jazz Band on alto sax, Craig Ball, leader of the White Heat Swing Orchestra on clarinet, and Bob MacInnis, of the New Liberty Jazz Band, on cornet. Bob had just returned from Florida for the season, where he plays almost every night. He makes a big difference in the Monte Carlo sound. Bill Reynolds, drummer for the New Black Eagle Jazz Band, knows all the old tunes – he was raised with them by his Jazz Historian Father, Ed Reynolds. Last but not least, Al Bernard on various brass bass, tuba or sousaphone, is known all over New England. Generally they don’t have time to complete Robin’s full schedule, but they did very well this evening.

Bill Reynolds, Bob MacInnis, Al Bernard

They began with one of the earliest tunes 1927, marvelous ensemble on Miss Anabelle Lee. Irving Berlin wrote one even earlier, 1920, I’ll See You In C-U-B-A, MacInnis doing the intro in a Latin beat, Albie on oom-pah brass bass.
Leader of the White Heat Swing Orchestra, Craig Ball had several clarinet solos – he’s a true artist in all that he does. 1927 Alabamy Bound was a brand new one for the band, by Henderson, DeSylva, and Green who were well known back then. King Oliver had one of the best early Trad Jazz bands, even before Louis. The ensemble played his Mule Face Blues, with Robin in stride and solid right hand.

Albie got away from the oom-pah and played a masterful tuba solo on Isham Jones’ Down When The sun Goes Down, followed by a fast Morrocco Blues. They did well – Robin was all smiles.

Around 1938 Lu Watters was tired of playing the same sound over and over, so he recreated King Oliver’s 20’s tunes and started what we now call West Coast Jazz. Some said it was insane to build a bridge over San Francisco Bay – Watters used that as a theme for his Emperor Norton’s Hunch.

Robin Verdier

Fats Waller’s Crazy ‘Bout My Baby started Set 2. Robin always wanted to do Clarence Williams; he picked Candy Lips, slipping in a little bit of Alice Blue Gown.

A tune he’s played at weddings for over 50 years, Lena Queen of Palesteena. Lena played concertina with all her might – never got it right. They do. Robin opens it tapping on a tambourine.
Another composer who isn’t featured much, except by Monte Carlo, Tiny Parham. My Dreams.

Bob MacInnis, back from Floriday!!

Shake It And Break It, fine alto solo by MacInnis.

Sweet Man, Bill Reynolds rim tapping, occasionally tapping cymbal.

The melody, harmony and rhythm played by the Ensemble was exhilarating!

Who Wouldn’t Love You had Dave and Helene up dancing.

Happy Feet was featured in Paul Whitman’s movie, King of Jazz. And at the other emotional extreme, Fate, cornet, clarinet and sax all had solos.

Blame It On The Blues, How Am I To Know, Walter Donaldson’s Okay, Toots. He wrote many great tunes. Most of these you’ll never hear anywhere else. I think Variety Stomp was the only tune that didn’t make it. Con Conrad’s Moonlight ended an evening of fine, danceable tunes from the early 20’s. Tune list is at the bottom.

Marce

We caught some of the folks afterwards:

Roland Paquette between Dan and Bob MacInnis	Albie talking with fans
Robin and Toni Verdier

Set 1
Miss Annabelle Lee	1927	Sidney Clare & Le Pollack
Mule Face Blues	1928	Joe Oliver
C-U-B-A	1920	Irving Berlin
*Alabamy Bound	1924	Henderson, DeSylva, Green
Down Where The Sun Goes Down	1928	Isham Jones & Verne Buck
Morocco Blues	1926	J. Jordan & Clarence Williams
Lost	1936	Ohman, Mercer, Teetor
Emperor Norton’s Hunch	~1940	Lu Watters

Set 2
I’m Crazy About My Baby	1931	Hill & Waller
Candy Lips	1926	Clarence Williams
Come On and Stomp, Stomp, Stomp	1927	F. Waller, I. Smith, I Mills
Lena, Queen Of Palesteena	1920	J. R. Robinson & C. Conrad
My Dreams	1930	Tiny Parham
Shake It And Break It	1920	Frisco Lou Chiha & H. Qualli Clark
Sweet Man	r1925	R. Turk & M. Pinkard
Who Wouldn’t Love You?	1925	Benny Davis & Joe Burke

Set 3
Happy Feet	1929	Yellen & Ager, King of Jazz
Fate	1922	Byron Gay
Blame It On The Blues	1946	Chas. Cook & Sidney Bechet
Variety Stomp ?	1927	Waller & Trent
How Am I To Know	1929	D. Parker & J. King
Okay, Toots	1934	Walter Donaldson
Moonlight	1921	Con Conrad

*New arrangement

Monte Carlo Jazz Quintet at the Sherborn Inn, March 4, 2014

Posted on March 18, 2014 by admin

This was not our usual Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble, founded in 1998, playing classic jazz and hot dance music from the 20’s and 30’s specially arranged by the leader and music director, pianist Robin Verdier.

Robin Verdier leader/arranger/piano, Craig Ball and Billy Novick reeds, Al Bernard tuba, Ed Reynolds drums

With John Clark off to a Mardi Gras Party and Bob MacInnis still in Florida, Craig Ball was left alone on the Front Line; enter Billy Novick. Robin provided arrangements for two reeds, and they complied. Most of the time.

Arrangements are important to the sound of a song. Every song changes when played in a different arrangement. Robin takes the original arrangements of the pop dance tunes of that time, and adapts them to create technically sophisticated melodies. That is the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble. But whenever there’s a sub in a band, there are subtle changes; but Billy Novick is definitely not subtle.

They kicked it off hot and heavy with ‘Deed I Do, a 1926 jazz standard composed by Fred Rose with lyrics by Walter Hirsch. Then they moved to a relatively modern 1940 composer, Django Reinhardt, the two virtuoso reed players intertwining clarinets with Nuages.

Craig Ball and Bill Novick

Pretty 90 yr. old lady in white coat jacket with black flower

Lynn Sickle

Robin paid tribute to the late Lynn Sickles; we lost our beautiful Rockette in December. At almost every performance at the Inn, you would find Lynn in her special chair next to the piano, with hubby Bob. All musicians at the Sherborn Inn played All of Me for Lynn. She is sorely missed!

Robin always has a prepared list of what the band will play, but tonight he threw in a “Lucky Strike Extra”, Ray Henderson’s Alabamy Bound; not the same as the 1920’s tune Alabama Bound Rag. Craig was fabulous on clarinet with Billy’s alto sax playing riffs, rhythm section providing quick underlying pulse.

Robin featured more great composers – Walter Donaldson’s Love Me Or Leave Me, with fluid sweet melody on piano. A 1926 tune by Anthony Lessof, How Can I Be Blue, with Craig on soprano sax and Billy on clarinet.

From a two-reed band on Chicago’s South Side, they played Vincent Youmans’ I Know That You Know. I Remember When from another important composer and reed player, Sidney Bechet in 1958 – that’s very late for Monte Carlo. Playing ragtime and stride from the heart, Robin finished the set with Lady Be Good.

Robin Verdier, with Al Bernard in background

Three years ago a tune kept running through Robin’s head and he couldn’t figure out where it came from. It was from the New Black Eagle Jazz Band repertoire, a tune written by Billy Novick in 1989 – Remembering You. He writes in this early style to preserve this kind of music, including the score for the Washington Ballet’s “The Great Gatsby”.

Irving Berlin’s 1950 – The Best Thing For You Would Be Me is Robin Verdier’s 2^nd most modern tune. Britain’s Ray Noble wrote both lyrics and music during the British dance band era known as the “Golden Age of British music”. Noble imported musicians from the U.S. and wrote Native American Tunes. In 1938, he wrote Cherokee (Indian Love Call).

By now the two reed players didn’t need any arrangements– Craig let loose with clarinet heading for high heaven, Novick right behind him. Robin’s marvelous piano raced to keep up. Bill Reynolds went wild on drums, slipping in his infamous piano roll.

Bill Reynolds

Robin eased them back to the Monte Carlo era. In 1928 Isham Jones wrote Down Where The Sun Goes Down. Reliable Albie on tuba was mellow, not pushing. Same era, Sammy Fain’s You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me. 1922 China Boy, Craig went wild on soprano sax. They tried to get many in 1930, I Got Rhythm, Billy Novick pushing Craig on with saxophone; Craig likes aiming for high register clarinet.

Craig and Billy go wild.

After some discussion, they continued with a sweet and lyrical 1917 Smiles. Craig played fiery clarinet on the1922 My Honey’s Loving Arms. The 1928 Victor Young ‘s Sweet Sue had Robin’s fine fingering on piano, drum tapping lightly, Albie softening chords on tuba.

1939 the world moved to Swing, that’s when Lu Watters started the Yerba Buena Jazz Band; what we call two-beat, West Coast Jazz. The Yerba Buena worked at Big Bear Lake, so Lu wrote a tune called Big Bear Stomp. The Monte Carlo Quintet were aiming for a big finale. They closed with Running Wild, tuba and drums pushing the soprano sax, clarinet and piano.

It was one very special evening of classic jazz and hot dance music! The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble will return May 13th, with or without substitutes. Hope to see you there!

not mentioned

Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me.
Al Jolson California Here I Come got in some stride.

Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble presents a Swell September Songfest

Posted on September 3, 2013 by admin

The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble

Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble at the Sherborn Inn, Tuesday, September 3, 2013 with Bob MacInnis cornet/flugelhorn, Craig Ball clarinet/soprano sax, John Clark alto sax/clarinet, Robin Verdier piano/leader, Al Bernard tuba, Bill Reynolds drums

Bob MacInnis was sitting at the piano when we arrived, playing soft melodies, inviting people to come in and hear how Robin Verdier would once again transport us back to the captivating dances of a fascinating era, the 20s and 30s.

Bob MacInnis, versatile musician, plays every instrument fluently.

Arrangements – hardly anyone ever talks about arrangements, yet they are so important to the sound of a song. Every song changes when played in a different arrangement. This is Robin Verdier’s forte. He takes the original arrangements of the pop dance tunes of 20’s and 30’s, and adapts them to create complex harmonic structures and technically sophisticated melodies. If some sound vaguely familiar that’s no accident – he was also arranger for the Paramount Jazz Band.

Robin has picked a talented crew, with the front line of Craig Ball, leader of the White Heat Swing Orchestra, John Clark, leader of the Wolverine Jazz Band, and Bob MacInnis, who is in a league all his own. We only have him for another month – he heads back to Florida October 8^th where he’ll be playing someplace almost every night.

Bill Reynolds

The Rhythm section consists only of Bill Reynolds drums and Albie Bernard tuba, working together, providing a cushion with just the right chords. Then there’s Robin, who does it all – assisting both front line and rhythm and ensuring that everything is authentic.

The Ensemble opened with the 1926 Clarence Williams’ Candy Lips, Tiny Parham’s 1930 Now That I’ve Found You.

Robin Verdier, leader of The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble

Robin is particularly fond of Nullabor – written Dave Dallwitz, a musician from Australia. (They have great Traditional Jazz Bands of their own.)

Nullabor was possibly taken from an Australian aborigine song, with heavy drum accents, the rhythm section driving the front line. Bill Reynolds gave it a heavy drum intro, there were few solos, great ensemble ending in rolling drum.

They did some reminiscing of the fine band directed by Ed Reynolds, The Back Bay Ramblers. Now 95, he was sitting up front, taking pleasure in the music. (Ed is Bill’s Father.) If Dreams Come True, ensemble played in a syncopated pyramid, very refreshing. They also took the 1927 Anabelle Lee from the Back Bay Ramblers.

Front line plays Bechet’s Southern Sunset

Craig unpacked his soprano sax just for Sidney Bechet’s Southern Sunset.

One of the sweetest writers in the Great American Songbook was Walter Donaldson. Albie played the melody on tuba for his I’ve Had My Moments, with front line again in a lovely pyramid.

Al Bernard hidden somewhere behind that tuba

Albie doesn’t just play bass notes – he went WILD on Running Wild.

The Gershwin’s were represented with the 1929 My One And Only. Irving Berlin with Puttin’ On The Ritz, Con Conrad with Moonlight. Robin presented many other composers you’ve never heard of before – check his list at the bottom of this page!
They wrapped up with Ferde Grofe’s Daybreak (Mississippi Suite), their finale theme.

The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble brings in a different crowd. Many are musicians who appreciate the quality of the music; Lorrie Carmichael of the former Squirrel Hill Jazz Band, Bob Crane singer, (former Massachusetts Treasurer). Carol Mueller plays piano with Jimmy Mazzy at the Colonial Inn, Bob’s brother Dan MacInnis. It was a reunion of many fans too, some we hadn’t seen in years.

Hear the marvelous sound of the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble at https://sites.google.com/site/verdiersite/mcje

Bob MacInnis heads back to Florida soon. You can hear him at the Island Pub and Erin’s Isle in Naples, Florida. He’ll also be doing some Florida cruises this year.

* * * *

Set 1
Candy Lips                           1926 Clarence Williams
Now That I’ve Found You     1930 Tiny Parham
Nullabor                        1951 Dave Dallwitz
Dream Child                          1929 Hank Palmer
If Dreams Come True         ~1938 Edgar Sampson
* Miss Annabelle Lee            1927 Sidney Clare & Lew Pollack
Southern Sunset                   1932~ Sidney Bechet
Variety Stomp                        1927 Waller & Trent

Set 2
Fate                                       1922 Byron Gay
I’m Crazy About My Baby      1931 Hill & Waller
Moonlight                               1921 Con Conrad
I’ve Had My Moments        1934 Walter Donaldson
My One And Only               1927 George & Ira Gershwin
Puttin’ On The Ritz               1928 Irving Berlin
Shake It And Break It           1920 Frisco Lou Chiha & H. Qualli Clark
Big Bear Stomp                1944 Lu Watters

Set 3
I’ll Dance At Your Wedding   1938 Joe Davis [Fats Waller?]
How Am I To Know               1929 D. Parker & J. King
Mine, All Mine                   1927 Stept, Ruby, & Cowan
What-Cha-Call-‘Em Blues     1925 Steve Roberts
Okay, Toots                            1934 Walter Donaldson
Happy Feet                        1929 Yellen & Ager, King of Jazz
Running Wild                         1922 Gibbs, Gray, & Wood
Daybreak (Mississippi Suite, 1926 Ferde Grofe
(final theme)

* New arrangement

The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble Modulates March Madness at the Sherborn Inn

Posted on March 5, 2013 by admin

at the Sherborn Inn, March 5, 2013

videos by Eric Devine (Cinedevine)

Dave Whitney trumpet, John Clark alto sax, Craig Ball clarinet/soprano sax,
Al Bernard tuba, Bill Reynolds drums, Robin Verdier ringleader/piano

It was the ending of a relentless, maddening New England winter, (with March throwing in an extra 2-4 feet of snow, just for the fun of it.)

But we were warm and cozy by the Sherborn Inn’s fireplace, transported back to the the early 20s with the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble playing the captivating dances of that fascinating era.

They opened with a 1925 tune by Gus Kahn & Ted Fiorito, Alone At Last, and Down Where The Sun Goes Down,1928, by great American composers, Isham Jones and Verne Buck. Dave Whitney substituted for Bob MaInnis, Monte Carlo’s regular cornetist.

Dave Whitney –

Well known in New England for his work with the Yankee Rhythm Kings, White Heat Swing Orchestra, and Chris Powers Orchestra, Dave was influenced by Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Bobby Hackett and many other great trumpeters of the pre-bop era.

Dave has been called “Premiere early style trumpeter” of this area and “Dean of swing trumpet”.

They played several high spirited Lu Watters tunes, including Shake It and Break It that he recorded just before Petrillo called a strike and shut all the bands down in the 40’s.

A new version of an old tune, How Am I to Know, was a nice fox trot by Jack King and NY Socialite Dorothy Parker. Stan Kenton used the chords for his Eager Beaver.

An All-Star front line, each is a leader in his own right, skilled at navigating the intricacies of these arrangements. Dave Whitney heads the Dave Whitney Big Band as well as several small groups; John Clark leads The Wolverine Jazz Band, a popular traditional jazz band; Craig Ball leads the famous White Heat Swing Orchestra. Together they play glorious ensemble that rarely leaves the 1920’s.

Albie Bernard controls this monstrous tuba — a 1960 Conn 24J Tuba that was a favorite of dance bands of 20’s and 30’s – with an American sound, and heavy brass.

The tuba was the sound of the train engine intro to My Cutie’s Due at Two to Two

Johnny Dodds, a premiere New Orleans clarinetist recorded this fun tune.
When Erastus Plays His Old Kazoo

Leader, arranger, pianist, Robin Verdier reigns. We can always count on Robin to present superior, intricately arranged, memorable jazz. He spends hours preparing, and there is usually a rehearsal so the musicians will be familiar with the arrangement.

Robin:

” I add a few arrangements to our book every year, and in making a setlist, I first pick some of the newest. Then I add requests from fans and musicians, and then tunes that we haven’t done for more than a year, and I mix them together so that the tempo and key change for each tune. The most important thing about our book is that I really like every tune– so picking some is always disappointing because we have to leave out the rest!”

He has a complete setlist of tunes, but there wasn’t time to get to all of them!

He explained how Lu Watters named his band Yerba Buena and started what we call ‘West Coast Jazz”. Lu Watters tired of the music he was playing and looked back at the 1920’s, when the music had bite and structure. He started a band with two cornets, like King Oliver. He named his band after Yerba Buena – an island in San Francisco Bay between Oakland and San Francisco. It means “nice peppermint” (mint plants were grown there at one time).

Watters wrote tunes associated with San Francisco, such as Big Bear Lake, where the Yerba Buena Band sometimes played. Big Bear Stomp – West coast folks of a certain age will get up and stomp!

Master time-keeper, Bill Reynolds uses rim-taps, choke cymbal.

His technique uses less-is-more, judicious dependable drumming.

My Honey’s Loving Arms

Lost

Yerba Buena Stomp

Sidney Bechet, a Creole from New Orleans, was the undisputed king of the soprano saxophone. He moved to France where he was accepted. He wrote many tunes, including Southern Sunset.

Craig Ball handled the Bechet tune effortlessly, playing elegant soprano sax.

That’s a tweed flat cap popular in the 20’s

In 1938 Joe Davis was Fats Waller’s manager. He has the credit for writing I’ll Dance at Your Wedding. but it is questionable. It has a very cynical beginning. Next was Happy Feet, a 1929 pop tune that was done by Bing Crosby with the King of Jazz, Paul Whitman.

They closed with a 1940 tune by Lu Watters, Emperor Norton’s Hunch. Norton was ridiculed because he had a hunch that someday there would be a bridge between San Francisco and Oakland. He died in San Francisco of apoplexy January 8, 1886.

His wish was fulfilled when the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened on November 12, 1936.

Our only wish is for an end to this New England March Madness!

web site: https://sites.google.com/site/verdiersite/mcje

A Super September Symphony with the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble at the Sherborn Inn, September 4, 2012

Posted on September 4, 2012 by admin

Bob MacInnis cornet/flugelhorn, Craig Ball reeds, John Clark alto sax, Robin Verdier leader/piano, Albie Bernard tuba, Bill Reynolds drums.

The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble is the creation of pianist/arranger Robin Verdier; it is unique. This isn’t Traditional Jazz, or Dixieland. This is the fabulous dance music of the 20’s and 30’s – when couples actually danced together.

Robin Verdier

Composers and lyricists get most of the credit on a tune, arrangers are listed – sometimes. But what an arranger does to a melody changes its whole concept and tone.

When the arranger is a retired Physicist from MIT, you can bet that the arrangements are going to be precisely defined and intricate, requiring professional, reading musicians. They even had a rehearsal, and everybody showed up!

Robin researches each tune and gives us a brief narrative on it’s creator and history, along with some intriguing details.

The front line was Bob MacInnis on cornet, reed-men John Clark on alto sax, Craig Ball clarinet. They opened with Okay Baby, fine dance tune.

Bob & Sabrina had the dance floor all to themselves for a Fox Trot.

The Roaring 20’s and 30’s were the start of the Swing Era and ‘new’ dance styles. Somebody should tell the Balboa and Lindy Hopper crowd about this Ensemble – they would love it!

These artistic musicians play exceptionally sophisticated ensemble, with few solos, but Craig Ball had Bechet’s 1938 lovely Southern Sunset all to himself – on soprano sax, of course.

Bill Reynolds’ drums and Al Bernard’s tuba kept the rhythm burning. Dave’s drum introduced a 50’s jazz tune, Nullabor, probably named after a desert in Australia – maybe an aborigine song, with heavy drum accents. Nice clarinet by Craig, then outstanding ensemble, closing with more thunderous drums.

A new arrangement, Byron Gay’s Fate included traces of Native American drums. Al’s tuba doesn’t just push the beat – it is integrated into the group, and smartly in sync with Clark’s alto sax on Lena, Queen of Palesteena.

What-Cha-Call-’em Blues by Steve L. Roberts is not well known. The original title was extremely vulgar and didn’t make it into today’s PC society. Peppy dance tune, maybe Lindy Hop? This talented group performed it perfectly – you could tell by the smile on Robin’s face.

He created a new arrangement for Irving Berlin Puttin’ On The Ritz, beginning with a funeral dirge (?) before going upbeat into the more familiar tune.

There was one tune composed by Fats Waller that was not associated with Fats because Fletcher Henderson recorded it first in 1927. Mine All Mine; excellent brief solos followed by the distinguished ensemble that sets this group apart.

Robin’s Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble never leaves without a Gershwin tune. They started with the verse on My One And Only, exciting ensemble, leading into lively alto sax by John Clark, backed by the rhythm boys.

Bob MacInnis was featured on flugel horn for Candy Lips, the ensemble interweaving a trace ofAlice Blue Gown.

Robin’s imaginative piano solo was backed only by Reynolds’s rim tapping. Nice!

In spite of his meticulous timing, we seldom make it to the end of Robin’s program. But they only missed one tune this time – the musicians are improving. They closed with Con Conrad’sMoonlight.

Here is Robin Verdier’s detailed Program for a A Super September Symphony.

We’ll get to Daybreak (Mississippi Suite, final theme) next time.

web site: https://sites.google.com/site/verdiersite/mcje

Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble Melodious May Musical Melée at the Sherborn Inn, May 1, 2012

Posted on May 1, 2012 by admin

by Marce

Monte Carlo front line, Bob MacInnis, Blair Bettencourt, John Clark

This isn’t Traditional Jazz. As the name implies, it’s Ensemble. Emphasis is placed on the musicians working together, and their chemistry was there from the start. Musicians tonight were Bob MacInnis cornet/flugelhorn, Blair Bettencourt clarinet and soprano sax, John Clark alto sax and clarinet, Robin Verdier piano, Bill Reynolds drums, and last, but certainly not least, Albie Bernard on that monster tuba.

Robin Verdier meticulously picks every tune and arrangement like a painter creating a complex masterpiece, and re-creates the dance bands of the 1920’s. (see complete listing at the bottom). Butt it’s still fresh and harmonious in the hands of these talented New England musicians.

Robin rolls up his sleeves, sits at the piano with his back to the band. There is powerful stride and solid interplay between both hands.

He leads.

He blends together new ideas and constantly refreshes the material.

Program

It was very different from his Slide & Guide September of 2010 or the Frabjous Fall Fling of November 2011.

It was different from the beginning. If Dreams Come True featuring two clarinets, with MacInnis first on Flugelhorn and then cornet, ensemble sounding off like chimes.

How Am I To Know? Robin inserted a Stan Kenton piece of Eager Beaver that fit very nicely in the middle……

….perfect tempo for Dr. Dave and Helene – who love to dance!

Irving Berlin was one of the most prolific composers. His C U B A was not exactly PC:

Cuba, where wine is flowing
And where dark-eyed Stellas
Light their fellers’ Panatellas

Albie gets a rare solo on this one.

My Dreams, by another one of Robin’s favorite composers, Tiny Parham. The front line is absorbed in Robin’s intricate arrangements. They get it right – and there are smiles all around, especially on Robin, and sighs of relief from the band.

Blaire played soprano sax with passion and intensity on Sidney Bechet’s Southern Sunset. We hadn’t heard him for some time. In the late 70’s, some of us were dancing to the Yankee Rhythm Kings in the back of New England Life Hall in Boston, with Blair on reeds.

He retired in 2006 after 36 years as Music Director and Coordinator for Westford Academy, and still maintains an active schedule as a performer on clarinet and saxophone. It was a special treat having him back!

The first set ended with a Fats Waller tune, that he never actually recorded but just about everyone else did, Come on And Stomp, Stomp, Stomp. Great upbeat tune!

The Sherborn Staff took this opportunity to surprise manager Phil Cocco with a Happy 75^th birthday cake. It was Phil who welcomed The Blue Horizon Jazz Band, and other Traditional and Dixieland Jazz, to the Sherborn Inn over 17 years ago.

Phil’s wife and family were gracious enough to share him with his other “Jazz Family”. We all enjoyed the delicious cake!

Back to business – Bob MacInnis gave a gripping performance that touched everybody on a complex arrangement of Oriental Blues. Hearing that Bob MacInnis is back from Florida is like finding a treasure every spring.

But he’s actually been back since mid-April, in time to play with the New Liberty Jazz Quartet at the Red Sox opener, as well as the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, and also in parades in West Roxbury, Arlington and Lexington. He doesn’t waste much time; he plays every night in Naples Florida!

Shadows on the Swanee was relatively modern for this Ensemble – 1932. Lost1936.

Lena, Queen of Palesteena – latin beat –
Robin temporarily moved to tambourine.

Lu Watters, Yerba Buena Strut – ensemble intro, nice clarinet by Blair, and Clark on alto sax. (Yerba Buena is a small island outside of San Francisco. )

Time was running out. The third set had a combination of two tunes, Quincy Stompand Blame it on The Blues. Then two ‘Crazy’ tunes in a row, Crazy ‘bout My Baby, with ensemble intro, then sax, cornet, clarinet solos, backed by Billy’s rim tapping on the drum and Albie’s tuba covering the bass lines. (This was the first time they’ve done it.) Next, Crazy Rhythm, for these jazz musicians, is inescapable.

And of course, you can’t go back to the 1920’s without theCharleston!

Nancy Carter, from North Easton, performed it flawlessly.

Sonny Clay’s Cho-King – MacInnis used his hand for a mute on cornet, with the clarinet and sax comping. Bill Reynolds on choke cymbal. Perfect!

Reynolds is a long time jazz drummer on the Boston scene, he plays regularly with the New Black Eagle Jazz Band and is a faculty member in the jazz program at the University of Connecticut.

He’ll be one of the guest artists at Jazz Vermont Band Camp for Grownups August 12-17th at the Mount Snow Grand Summit Resort in West Dover, VT.

Finale – running out of time – Mule Face Blues started in a frenzy – Robin playing rapid stride, John Clark intense on alto sax, ensemble building momentum, the whole band was running WILD!

These were the Roaring Twenties, and we were there, if only for a brief moment. This was a fitting ending to a pleasurable trip back in time with our favorite Historian and his Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble.

Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble A Frabjous Fall Fling At the Sherborn Inn, Fall 2011

Posted on November 8, 2011 by admin

Fabjous – a word that poet Louis Carroll invented in 1872 for a blending of fair, fabulous and joyous, and this was fitting! The Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble plays the hot dance musical arrangements of the exciting bands of the Roaring Twenties. The musicians are Bob MacInnis, cornet and flugelhorn, John Clark and Craig Ball clarinet and saxophones, Al Bernard tuba, Billy Reynolds drums, and Robin Verdier leader/piano.

He meticulously arranges and times every tune like a painter creating a complex masterpiece, (see list at the bottom). Robin blends together new ideas and refreshes the material. It was very different from his September Slide & Glide of 2010.

The result was a tour de force that transported all of us back to the rowdy days of prohibition, and the swanky Speakeasies of New York and Chicago.

Concentration!

The musicians receive their parts in advance, so they can prepare – even though they’ve played them before and know them instinctively.

They started this evening with fine ensemble on Alone At Last. Ensemble is the key here. Robin used the works of many writers from that era. Tiny Parkham was represented with Bombay, Now That I’ve Found You and Golden Lily (a tune that Robin also played with Pam Pameijer’s Jazz Wizards.)

Albie played a beautiful, passionate, solo on Now That I’ve Found You that made Robin smile.

Walter Donaldson & Irving Kahn’s My Baby Just Cares For Me was new to their book. Robin said that Ray Smith called this a “Peppy Period tune.” I’ve Had My Moments is also one of Donaldson’s.

Irving Berlin had three tunes.

With Bob MacInnis on cornet, the Intro to Berlin’s C-U-B-A was very dramatic, before the tuba and drum actually moved to a genuine Latin beat.

Puttin’ On The Ritz and Waiting At The End Of The Road were Berlin’s other two this evening.

Bob switched to flugelhorn for Turk Murphy’s 1946 Bay City.

Dream Child, in the daunting, exciting Artie Shaw style, keeps clarinet player Craig Ball in a good mood.

“When you are famous, no doubt somebody will write a song about you”, as was Charles Lindberg. In 1927, he was the first person to fly the Atlantic alone, from Long Island to Paris. George M. Cohan made sure he would be remembered with When Lindy Comes Marching Home, including passages that sounded like an airplane.

No trip back to the 20’s would be complete without the Charleston.

Lorrie Carmichael (in pink), former band leader of the Squirrel Hill Olde Tyme Band, was having a great time with Everybody’s Doing The Charleston Now. The others gave it their best effort!

Lorrie was also following along with every note of Lu Watter’s Yerba Buena Strut.

Bill Reynolds’ drum introduced Nullabor, possibly an Australian aborigine song with heavy drum accents, the rhythm section driving the cornet, clarinet, and saxophone to astonishing intensity! Then they ran out of time.

This was a fit ending for our own New England version of the rowdy, Roaring Twenties in a swanky Speakeasy!

Bob MacInnis left for Florida shortly afterwards. Catch him at the Island Pub in Naples on Mon. & Sat., andErin’s Isle most other nights, in Naples between Marco Island and US 41.

Robin and Albie will be at Jeff & Joel’s House Party on February 11-12 in Guilford Ct. Jeff & Joel’s House Party
in good company!

John Clark is bringing his Wolverine Jazz Band to the University of New Hampshire on January 30th, and also celebrating Mardi Gras lunch at the Sherborn Inn on February 21st.

Ed Reynolds will be wherever the Black Eagles are playing. www.blackeagles.com

A Fabjous Fall Fling

Set 1 7:00
Alone At Last	1925	Gus Kahn & Ted Fiorito
Bombay	1929	Tiny Parham
C-U-B-A (I’ll See You In…)	1920	Irving Berlin
Bay City	~1948	Turk Murphy
*My Baby Just Cares For Me	1930	Walter Donaldson & Irving Kahn
Dream Child	~1929	Hank Palmer
Now That I’ve Found You	1930	Tiny Parham
Puttin’ On The Ritz	1928	Irving Berlin

Set 2
That’s Where You’re Wrong	1929	B. Bruce & H. Smith, c. 1929
Waiting At The End OF The Road	1929	Irving Berlin
When Lindy Comes Home	1927	George M. Cohan
Golden Lily	1929	Tiny Parham
Everybody’s Doing That Charleston Now	1925	Benton
Lost	1936	Ohman, Mercer, Teetor
Okay, Baby	1930	Tracey & Pinkard
Who Wouldn’t Love You?	1925	Benny Davis & Joe Burke

Set 3
I’ll Dance At Your Wedding	1938	Joe Davis [Fats Waller?]
Everything Is Hotsy Totsy Now	1925	McHugh, Fields, & Mills
Sweet Man	r1925	R. Rutk & M. Pinkard
How Am I To Know	1929	D. Parker & J. King
Yerba Buena Strut	~1944	Lu Watters
Nullabor	1951	Dave Dallwitz
I’ve Had My Moments	1934	Walter Donaldson
Running Wild	1922	Gibbs / Gray, & Wood
Daybreak (Mississippi Suite, final theme)	1926	Ferde Grofe

* New to our book

Check us out and listen to us at our website:

Addendum:

Frabjous – Sculpture by George W. Hart – The word Frabjous comes, of course, from The Jaberwocky of Lewis Carroll. O frabjous day!

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Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble A Frabjous Fall Fling At the Sherborn Inn, Fall 2011