Eli’s All-Stars at the Sherborn Inn May 1, 2014

Posted on May 25, 2014 by admin

Bob Winter, Jimmy Mazzy, Eli Newberger, Jeff Guthery, Ted Casher, Bo Winiker, Herb Gardner

Eli’s All Stars are not only professional musicians, but friends sharing their favorite tunes, with intricate melodies and counterpoint that resonate with the audience. This is Hot Jazz!

Tonight they were also celebrating three special occasions; Ted and Val marking their 4^th wedding anniversary, and Val, who has worked since she was 16 years old, rejoicing in her retirement – today – with a big cake that she shared with everyone.

The third was that vocalist Rebecca Sullivan was graduating this month with her Masters Degree from the New England Conservatory of Music. Rebecca was already a jazz vocalist, songwriter and educator when she returned to NEC a year ago in September, when Eli Newberger was appointed as her mentor.

Jimmy Mazzy kicked this evening off with a vocal on You’re Nobody’s Sweetheart Now. Rebecca stepped in with Duke’s Squeeze Me, Who Could Ask For Anything More, scatting with Eli’s tuba. Her delicate and warm version of Laura was absolutely marvelous, with Ted on tenor sax and Bo on flugelhorn, Herb’s mellow trombone.

Rebecca Sullivan

Carolyn Newberger came in on washboard, taking us to the Bayou Club on Bourbon Street, with When You Wore a Tulip, with the band backing her in stop-time. Everything sparked! When Carolyn isn’t playing washboard, she’s drawing fine sketches of the musicians; some were featured recently at Galatea Fine Art in Boston.

Eli’s All Stars with Carolyn Newberger on washboard

Ted Casher and a robust “Charlie on the MTA”

To remind Rebecca of what she’ll be leaving behind, Ted sang his own version of Charlie on the MTA.

The band took a break while Herb moved to piano for a unique song he wrote, Yonz Gonz Galookis. It caught DJ Jazzbo Collins’ interest some time ago; so that he wrote Herb a letter about the inimitable tune and signed it “Uncle Bozo”.

vocalist Sarah Gardner

Special guest, vocalist Sarah Gardner, Herb’s daughter, took this opportunity to sing her lively version of Mama Don’t Allow No Music Played Around Here. The Gardners are a musical family. Herb often joins his other daughter Abbie with Red Molly, an Americana/Roots FemaleTrio.

The band returned with a romping South Rampart St. Parade, Jeff’s drumsticks striking the wood block and snare drum.

Ted Casher, Bo Winiker, Herb Gardner

Rebecca returned with an all Gershwin concert. I’ve Got a Crush On You. Beautiful! S’Wonderful, Who’s Got The Last Laugh Now, at times backed by Ted’s clarinet or sultry tenor sax, or Herb’s powerful trombone, Bo’s fiery trumpet.

S’Wonderful

The All-Stars then stepped back into the 1920’s with Herb’s exquisite arrangement of Cornet Chop Suey, a joyous romp based on the original Hot Five, with fiery trumpet, Lil Armstrong’s passionate piano.

The one and only Jimmy Mazzy

Time for Ragtime. Jimmy lead on banjo and vocals for Alexander’s Ragtime Band, fantastic front line, Jimmy scatting, drum rim-tapping with both sticks.

Eli Newberger Jeff Guthery ended evening with fabulous interchange between tuba and drum.

Another Jimmy vocal and banjo intro with The Saints. All went silent for Bob’s powerful piano solo, then back to Jimmy vocal. This wasn’t normal fare, extraordinary ending with tuba and drums.

This old music has so much vitality and energy, you can’t help but enjoy it. They’ll be back July 3rd – come see and hear for yourself.

Congratulations to Ted and Val; now she’s finally free to join Ted as he plays all over New England. Rebecca Sullivan will be heading for New York and then Europe in the near future. She will be missed. We wish her all the best!!

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

Wolverine Jazz Band at the Sherborn Inn, April 29, 2014

Posted on May 9, 2014 by admin

Wolverine Jazz Band

Jeff Hughes cornet, John Clark clarinet/bari sax, Tom Boates trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Ross Petot piano, Rick MacWilliams tuba, Dave Didriksen drums

The Wolverines are busy – new CD out anytime soon, and preparing for their trips to Festivals and their regular summer venues. They’ve been invited to the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival in Essex, CT, America’s Dixieland Jazz Festival in Olympia, WA, Arizona Classic Jazz Fest.

They will be busy locally this summer: June 1, Melrose (noon-4); July 9 – Willows at Westboro; July 29 – Southgate at Shrewsbury; July 30 – Sherborn Center; August 20 – Norwood; August 21 – Natick Senior Center

All stellar Jazzmen who invoke the spirit of New Orleans Jazz, we are fortunate that they rehearse with us at the Sherborn Inn! They began with a new song that will be on the CD coming out the end of this month – Dear Old Girl – for the sentimental Irish.

Jeff Hughes

Savoy Blues, Jeff raucous on 1954 Long Model, “K-Modified” Selmer cornet, and being Bix Beiderbecke on There’ll Come a Time. He’s an expert on many famous cornetist and trumpeters, and is known for always wearing a hat.

Jimmy Mazzy

We have many Jimmy Mazzy vocals, Al Jolson’s California Hear I Come, T’Ain’t So, Jelly Roll Morton’s Sweet Substitute, with Jeff comping, more below.

Dave Didriksen

This was the 115th anniversary of Duke Ellington’s birthday, so naturally there were some Duke’s: Sweet Mama (they haven’t played before).

1929 Cotton Club, Duke’s, Digga Digga Do let Dave Didriksen go on drums.

Jimmy volcal on Al Jolson’s California Here I Come, backed by bari sax, drum rim-tapping behind him. Pre-Cotton Club Creole Love Call – Jimmy whistling the Adelaide Hall riff. A tune Paramount Jazz Band did, and always messed up the beginning: Who Wouldn’t Love You? The Wolverines don’t mess up.

Ory’s Creole Trombone

Tom was featured on Ory’s Creole Trombone. Magnificent!

Rick MacWilliams hidden behind tuba

King Oliver recorded Olga in 1930 on Victor, Rick recreating the tuba solo, great New Orleans polyphony by front line. This is a song that nobody ever plays.

Panama is one of our favorite Ragtime Marches, Jimmy Scatting, John Clark on that monster baritone saxophone.

Ross was featured with the Trio on a more modern tune, In a MellowTone, stride piano giving it a Ragtime feel, joined by Jeff on cornet at close.

A no-holds-barred rendition of Sunset Café Stomp had all the feet tapping. The first tune John Clark ever heard that captivated him and moved him toward Traditional Jazz was Mugsy Spanier^‘s I’m Sorry I Made You Cry. Mood Indigo, Clark on low register clarinet, Jim vocal, soft muted trombone and cornet. They hit all our favorites! They closed with a Spanish beat on Oriental Man.

Look above for all the places this marvelous Traditional Jazz Band will be playing this year. Also check our calendars, and get on John Clark’s email list: jazzbnd@aol.com He sends out email updates once a month to everyone on his list.

HOT STEAMED JAZZ FESTIVAL IN ESSEX JUNE 20, 21 AND 22

Posted on May 6, 2014 by admin

(Essex, CT) New Orleans style traditional jazz in Connecticut – The Hot Steamed Jazz Festival turned up the heat, during the weekend of June 20, 21 and 22 at the Essex Steam Train.

VIDEOS AND REVIEWS OF
2014 IN THE WORKS!

www.hotsteamedjazz.com

Proceeds from the festival benefit The Hole In The Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, CT, founded by the late Paul Newman.

More than 11 bands performed in the best New England Weather we’ve had yet. Great music, great jazz. Videos are in the works. Stay tuned.

THE BANDS

Bands scheduled to appear at the 2014 Hot Steamed Jazz Festival include:

– Connecticut’s own jazz pianist virtuoso, Jeff Barnhart

– Galvanized Jazz Band from Connecticut

– Dan Levinson’s New Millennium All Stars from New York

– Wolverine Jazz Band from Massachusetts

– Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band from Connecticut

– Ben Maugher’s Vintage Jazz Band from Pennsylvania

– Riverboat Ramblers led by local musician and entertainer John Banker

– A renowned ensemble of young musicians, Route 17 Stompers from Connecticut

– Festival All Stars

– Jazz Jesters from Massachusetts

– The Sunnyland Jazz Band with Bob Barta on banjo from Long Island

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2013

Dan Gabel and the Abeltones at the Imperial Ballroom, April 25, 2014

Posted on April 30, 2014 by admin

Dan Gabel and The Abeltones on stage at the Imperial Ballroom in Mendon, MA

by Marce
Photos by C. S. Imming

Dancing and Dining to a Big Band is back at the Imperial Ballroom, 6 Nipmuc Drive, Mendon, Massachusetts. For the second month in a row, over 100 dancers from several generations delighted in dancing to the authentic Big Band of Dan Gabel and the Abletones. This is an 18-piece Big Band specializing in an the Big Band sound thanks to a high level of musicianship and a library of over 4,000 arrangements.

Dan Gabel in Blue Jacket with white shirt, Blue bow tie and buttonniere

Leader Dan Gabel

Many of the musicians are from the New England Conservatory of Music, and have never heard the original big bands, but thanks to the enthusiasm of their leader, Dan Gabel, they succeed in recreating the authentic sounds of the Big Bands from the 30’s to the 50’s like Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Dorsey, Les Brown, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and the Latin sounds of Tito Puente.

Swing has become the dance for many of the youth of today, who have been taking lessons and filling dance halls with their Swing and Lindy Hop. They had a whole weekend March 20-23 at the Newton Marriott Hotel in Boston recently. But Dan Gabel and the Abletones introduced dancers to much more – the Fox Trot, Waltz, Cha Cha, Tango, Mambo, Samba, Boogie Woogie.

Georgina and David Woodycheck knew every dance!

Marvelous dancers Georgina and Dan Woodyshek knew ALL of them, and could have given us all lessons!!

The Band played some of the songs of the era, Whispering, Song of India (Tommy Dorsey version), Abletone Jive (Gabel’s arrangement where he introduces the members of the band); East Side West Side, The Angels Sing, There’ll Be a Change in the Weather, April in Paris, Alice Blue Gown, Take it Jackson (with the whole band singing), Dipsy Doodle

Elise Roth has natural, clear delivery

Vocalist Elise Roth has natural, clear delivery and beautiful smile. She could be Anita O’Day without the hat, singing Bei Mir Bis Du Schoen, Moon River, Sentimental Journey, I Don’t Know Why I Love You Like I Do, and more.

Steve Taddeo, devotée of Gene Krupa

With the help of Steve Taddeo, his Slingerland drums and 1939 cymbal given to him by Jimmy Dorsey’s drummer, Buddy Schutz, they played a Gene Krupa feature of the song Massachusetts.

Greek pianist Nikolas Anadolis graduates this year

Nikolas Anadolis was on keyboard. He’ll be graduating from NEC this spring and is hoping to join the faculty at the University of Lausanne on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. We’ll miss him. He and Dan Gabel have been performing all over New England.

The dancers thoroughly enjoyed the Abletones Big Band.

Dancers enjoy Dan Gabel and the Abeltones

More C. S. Imming’s Photos…..

We came away with the happy feeling of an earlier, care-free time. At the end of May the Imperial Ballroom will feature the Tom Nutile Big Band on the last Friday of the month. The following week, Dan Gabel and the Abeltones will have everyone taking lessons and dancing at SAC Park in Shrewsbury. Check the calendars.

Jeff’s Jazz Four at the Sherborn Inn, April 22, 2014

Posted on April 29, 2014 by admin

Eric Baldwin, Pete Tillotson, Jeff Hughes, Bill Duffy

Jeff Hughes flugelhorn/trumpet, Eric Baldwin guitar, Bill Duffy piano, Pete Tillotson string bass.

Jeff has an instinct for what people need – Jeff’s Jazz Four were a welcome relief from the hectic days of Easter, Passover, The Boston Marathon and Patriots’ Day all falling on the same weekend. They played what “Ray Smith would call Chamber Jazz”, calming everyone’s nerves with soothing melodies.

It was a committed ensemble – they didn’t need any other instrument. Jeff played from the heart, and they followed wherever he led. His main instrument of choice was a smooth, smokey Flugelhorn, alternating between classic Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole.

The opened with Duke’s In a Mellow Tone, Jeff on flugelhorn, then I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart on trumpet. Perdido was a hot one, with Jeff’s finger-snapping adding another instrument. Great 1930’s ballad, Sweet Lorraine, the piano gave it the beat, trumpet, guitar and bass in sync, accenting the rhythm; it ended with Jeff’s graceful, melodic flugelhorn.

Bill Duffy does Nat King Cole

Pianist Bill Duffy was new to us, but not to the Greater Boston Community. He had a seven-year residency at the Four Seasons in Boston, and played the Nat King Cole Songbook at Scullers Jazz Club. He has a warm and supportive style.

Duffy was featured on Nat’s Walking My Baby Back Home and on a Johnny Mandel tune, Emily, using notes sparingly, making every note count. The fans completely quiet, listening.
Nat King Cole was an extraordinary pianist of the 1950’s, then the world discovered he could sing. Just You Just Me, Bill’s fingers floated over the keyboard, string bass playing fine melody behind him.

Early 50’s Straighten Up and Fly Right, piano intro, Jeff on open bell trumpet, trio in unison behind him.

Pete Tillotson string bass

Back to Duke to take out the first set with the Hot Club Days, Caravan. No drums – not necessary, Pete’s string bass took over the drum beat.

It ended with a thundering piano, and Jeff’s lively muted trumpet. Feet were tapping, heads were bobbing, even the band couldn’t stay still, guys moving from side to side, Duffy bouncing on the piano bench.

Flugelhorn opened Set 2 with It Might As Well Be Spring, piano picking up riff and running with it. Lovely! Chet Baker also played trumpet and flugelhorn, he liked Let’s Get Lost.

Music pours out of Jeff Hughes.

This music was just what the Doctor ordered! Jeff kept the musicians on their toes with all kinds of extraordinary endings.

Another Duke, Prelude To a Kiss, Sweet muted trumpet. Bill on piano watching Jeff every minute. Crowd enthralled, perfectly quiet, listening to masters at work. Soft low register ending on trumpet.

Eric Baldwin on Eastman arch-top guitar

Eric Baldwin was featured with Nat’s tune about Love,

Eric Baldwin plays with various groups in the area and is now teaching at Haverhill Public School.

He was both front line and rhythm; took an explosive solo on Dick McDonough’s 1930’s depression song, Chasin’ A Buck.

Next tune was a different kind of love, definitely not the sweet kind, Cole Porter’s Love For Sale. Jeff picked up the beat, loud open bell trumpet and piano, Jeff interjecting a quick, loud blast into all the solos. He threw a blaring note at bass and the bass took off.

Flugelhorn feature, Quiet Nights and Quiet Stars, sweet. Musicians watched Jeff intently and followed him. They stayed in that mood with Antonio Carlo Jobin’s One Note Samba – Jeff demonstrating Samba, dancing around the mic. Piano arpeggio, fingers flying up and down the piano. Jeff stopped on a dime, surprising everyone. They also stopped abruptly. Not one extra note.

There was something for everyone. Fats Waller’s Jitterbug Waltz, trumpet playing beautiful waltz, piano tinkering behind him.

Count Basie’s Topsy, hot ensemble intro, open bell trumpet, miraculous sounds coming out of Eric’s guitar. String bass took the chords, trumpet interacting with each instrument. Stunning!

Piano feature on Slow Boat to China, sterling piano, guitar and bass in sync behind him.

Bill Duffy rapt at the piano playing Slow Boat to China

Hoagie Carmichael and Bix Beiderbecke were great friends. Hoagie ‘appropriated’ some of Bix’s sounds in his tunes – you could hear it in Sky Lark.

Bronislau Kaper wrote Invitation. It became the theme music for 1952 film “Invitation” from which it derived its popularity and became a jazz standard. “Bad things happen in the city”. Latin beat background, open bell trumpet, rapid string bass. “Cops & Robbers to the max.” It’s a great tune to play at any tempo, latin, straight-eighth, or swing and it lends itself to many interpretations.

A little bit different finale, Horace Silver’s Song For My Father. Great open bell trumpet, Duffy coaxing all kinds of music out of the piano.

Jeff wished us all a great Spring and Summer. He’ll return with the Wolverine Jazz Band April 29^th, and Swing Times Five on May 27^th, and probably as a side man with many others in between. You never know what he’ll come up with next. Watch our calendars.

Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band Jazzin’ with the Stars 2014

Posted on April 16, 2014 by admin

Jazzin’ with the Stars, Saturday, April 12, 2014 at Winthrop Middle School,
Deep River CT, Benefit for Autism Services & Resources in Connecticut

By Sue Finn
Videos by Cinedevine
Pictures by Ray Ross

Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band with special guests:
Dave Somerville – lead singer of The Diamonds
Jimmy Jay – DJ to the Stars
Jason Senn

Fred Vigorito – Trumpet
John Clark – Clarinet, saxophone
Noel Kaletsky – Clarinet, saxophone
Skip Hughes- Trombone, vocals
Shari Lucas – Piano
Steve Keeler – Guitar
David Uhl – Bass
Bill Logozzo – Drums

This was the 3^rd annual ‘Jazzin’ with the Stars’ concert, the first at this venue, and was just as much fun as the first two. The first half of the show was Heartbeat at its best with a new twist.

Fred Vigorito talking, and Shari Lewis, keyboard in background

Fred Vigorito, Shari Lewis

Fred Vigorito gave a history of jazz from its birth in the 19^th century to the present; blues, ragtime, spirituals, swing and everything in between, all the way up to rock & roll. He also gave us information on the origin of each of the instruments in the band. And of course, there were examples of most of the genres he discussed:

Tin Roof Blues – Skip, vocal Just a Closer Walk with Thee – Skip, vocal

Tiger Rag

The Entertainer

Original Dixieland One Step

Heartbeat ended with a very energetic medley that summed up the entire history of jazz, starting with ‘Royal Garden Blues’ and ending with Skip singing choruses of ‘Jump, Jive & Wail’, ‘Shake, Rattle & Roll’ and ‘Flip, Flop & Fly’.

After the break, Sara Reed of Autism Services in Connecticut, gave us a brief description of the programs her organization provides and thanked everyone for their support. Then Jimmy Jay gave out the prizes to the raffle winners.

Dave Somerville & Jimmy Jay

Dave Somerville

Then it was time for Jimmy Jay to introduce Dave Somerville. Dave took us all down memory lane with stories about the rock stars he traveled with and their chart-topping songs and, of course, all the big hits of his own group, the Diamonds. He sang many of the songs, some as medleys. Too many to list them all but here are some highlights:

Why Do Fools Fall in Love

Goody Goody

The Stroll

Love Love Love, Little Darlin’, The Stroll, Silhouettes on the Shade, Sweet Little Sixteen, Johnny Be Good, Maybelline, One Summer Night, I’m Walking, Blueberry Hill.

Oh Boy

Through this part, Heartbeat accompanied Dave, all seated and reading his music. Then they went back to their usual band formation and Dave sang ‘Route 66’ and ‘Goody Goody’ with them. He stayed on the stage until the end of the show.

Noel and John did “Running Wild”

Skip sang “Hello, Mary Lou”

Young boy sings his heart out. He has autism, but loves this music.

Jason sang “What a Wonderful World

Freddy and the Band help Jason with his song

And the finale was ‘The Saints’ of course. We all had a great afternoon’s entertainment and there was lots of audience-participation throughout the show.

Somerville and Jay with 2 ladies one gentleman

photo by Sue Finn

After the show there was a ‘meet & greet’ for fans to get autographs, buy CD’s and T-shirts and obtain information on the Autism Programs.

Like us on FB:(https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heartb…

Cinedevine will be providing more videos – come back, often!

Jeff’s Jazz Jesters at the Sherborn Inn, February 25, 2014

Posted on March 9, 2014 by admin

Jazz Jesters with Frank Bachelor, trombone

Jeff Hughes trumpet, John Clark clarinet/bari sax, Craig Ball clarinet/tenor sax, Ross Petot piano, Al Bernard tuba, Steve Taddeo drums.

The weather outside was 20°, but it was nice and cozy in the Sherborn Inn, with the Jazz Jesters and both fireplaces blazing. Jimmy Mazzy couldn’t make it, and he was missed. But it freed the band to play written arrangements, some of Archie Blyer, some of Dr. John Clark.

They began with their theme Lucky Day. We considered ourselves lucky that it hadn’t snowed – again. Bix is popular with this band. They featured his last recording, Deep Down South, with John on alto and Craig clarinet. These two produce all kinds of magnificent music with two clarinets, alto, tenor, and baritone sax, between them.

Violinist Stuff Smith contributed to the song It’s Wonderful (1938) often performed by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. New England Trumpeter Bobby Hackett liked to play it. Jeff obliged, Clark playing sweet alto sax, Steve Taddeo swishing brushes on the snare drum. It was wonderful!

Ross Petot

With the “Rhythm Boys”, Ross Petot, pianist, teacher, composer, arranger, famous for his stride piano, was featured on I Hate Myself for Being so Mean to You.

Sidney Bechet’s Blame It On The Blues, clarinet and alto sax were in perfect sync, then romping alto sax solo, clarinet hitting the stratosphere, incredible trumpet, Albie’s tuba always pushing, piano adding riffs; the whole polyphonic sound had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats. Fantastic!

Most of them are band leaders. Craig Ball has the White Heat Swing Orchestra, John Clark leads the Wolverine Jazz Band, Steve Taddeo with his The Swing Senders. They love playing this repertoire of the Jazz Decades.

Jeff Hughes is an astonishing leader, subtly signaling, mainly letting them do their own thing. He plays amazing trumpet, but tonight, on a relatively new 1983 Yamaha special bell trumpet, he stayed mostly with the Bix Beiderbecke repertoire. I Need Some Petting. A lovely tune Blue River, muted trumpet intro with piano, two clarinets.

Jeff wearing fedora hat, playing trumpet

Jeff Hughes

Jeff said John Clark ‘forced’ some arrangements on them. A Jimmy favorite, Mighty River, great with two clarinets, Jeff playing open bell trumpet with clarinet riffs.

Ball and Clark on clarinet, Hughes trumpet

Jazz Jesters front line

Sam the Accordion Man was dedicated to Jimmy and Carrie Mazzy, who couldn’t be here.

Jeff invited Frank Batchelor up on trombone for Russian Lullaby. Tricky – they were reading arrangements, Frank was winging it, thanks to Jeff’s signals. He added fine trombone to the Jazz Jesters. Then Jeff let Taddeo loose on drums.

Frank Taddeo (Steve’s Father) and companion Gladys Aubin were here to watch.

Steve Taddeo and Family

The band continued with a quintessential 1920’s tune, You Don’t Like It (Not Much)!. Closed with Fat’s Zonky, dueling clarinets, trumpet and trombone – WILD!.

That sent us back out into the cold with warm hearts! The Jesters are heading for the recording studio at the end of this month, and hope to have something in hand in time for the Essex jazz fest, end of June.

They will return to the Sherborn Inn, but we don’t have that date yet. Stay tuned to TUESDAY Jazz Schedule for Sherborn Inn future dates.

Eli’s All-Stars at the Sherborn Inn, February 4, 2014

Posted on February 4, 2014 by admin

Eli’s All Stars photo by Kathy Wittman

Eli’s All Stars with Bob Winter, the pianist with the Boston Pops; giant of the Boston jazz scene, Bo Winniker trumpet, Herb Gardner trombone, Ted Casher clarinet/tenor sax, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Eli Newberger leader/tuba, Jeff Guthery drums and Rebecca Sullivan vocals. Over the past year the band has incrementally morphed from a trio to an octet and sounds more dynamic with each new appearance at the Sherborn Inn. (stay tuned – for more photos and videos)

The original Traditional Jazz bands of Joe “King” Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong and W.C. Handy included banjo and tuba in their rhythm sections. Eli Newberger follows their style of Traditional Jazz, playing tuba while leading a band of outstanding musicians.

The music room at the Sherborn Inn was filled with a crowd from Greater Boston, who appreciate Traditional Jazz and Swing. There were many musicians in the audience; even Bill Winiker was here to back his brother Bo.

The All-Stars kicked it off with Ted Casher’s 16-bar clarinet improvisation on Lady Be Good. Winter led vocalist Rebecca Sullivan with a piano intro on I’m In The Mood For Love. Rebecca did many fine vocals, manipulating the phrasing and tempo. On ‘Deed I do, Rebecca performed wonderful scatting conversations with clarinet, trumpet and trombone. My One And Only Love, sung with soul, was performed as a duet with the piano. Lovely.

Ted Back’s Rebecca with soft tenor sax

Ted was featured with Klezmer clarinet intro, singing in growling voice on multiple verses of Bei Mir Bis du Schoen, a tune that caught people by surprise. He settled into the Ted we know while singing the chorus. Jeff kept time tapping the rims of his simple Traditional Jazz drum set where he has recently removed the hi-hat, excess cymbals, and tom toms to achieve a more authentic Trad Jazz sound. Excellent.

Eli turned the page to Ellington, with Bob Winter featured on Sophisticated Lady. Bob plays from the heart; constructing deeply moving music. He has extensive performing experience in clubs, television, radio, and theaters, including performances with Henry Mancini, Teddy Wilson, Buddy DeFranco, Mel Torme, Luciano Pavarotti, Eddie Daniels, Stan Getz, Cleo Laine/John Dankworth, and Airto Moreira.

Rebecca returned with Jazzy scatting on S’posing – including a great section of tuba trading 4s with drums, followed by one of Jimmy’s meticulous banjo solos. The More I See You had Rebecca start with melody backed by Ted’s soft tenor. Ted Casher (our own Coleman Hawkins), plays sweet tenor sax. They moved upbeat, with Rebecca singing and scatting along with Winter’s piano.

Chinatown featured Jimmy on banjo and vocal, with Ted on soprano sax solidly amplifying the front line. Jeff let loose on drums, turning it into a swinging tune; Eli had everyone clapping the beat. Delightful performance!

When the band took a break. Herb Gardner sat at the piano and delighted the audience with his skill on the keys while Bob Winter looked on with a gleaming smile. Resilient spirit, Herb was supposed to be in New Jersey the night before, playing for the New Jersey Jazz Society. Our sympathy goes out to them – their concert had to be cancelled because of heavy snow – as were airplane flights, so WE were fortunate to have Herb Gardner here! Sorry, NJJS.

Herb Gardner at the piano, talking on mic, with Bob Winter smiling in the background.

Herb Gardner during the break

Herb played and sang his own version of “The Ground Hog Song”. “I want to hibernate with you until it’s Ground Hog Day”. That’s all we’ll say about that. A solid entertainer, he is a fine piano player and vocalist, as well as famous for his trombone work, and his daughter, vocalist Abbie Gardner.

Bob and Eli on baby grand

The emotional register switched to sunny and warm with Ted featured on a special rendition of Night Train with gut-wrenching tenor sax playing. Fabulous! Jimmy took this vocal scatting, while Bo Winiker played smokey flugel horn. Eli joined Bob for that last, eight-to-the-bar, rocketing chorus of “Night Train.” It doesn’t get any better than this!

Rebecca returned with a swinging, rousing vocal Them There Eyes, with Eli in background. Eli plays tuba behind everyone – but it’s so smooth, you don’t even realize he’s there – the music is subtly enhanced, intensified.

Something new – they played Brubeck’s Take Five; first time they’ve ever played it, and it was the first time Eli played a jazz tune with a 5/4 time signature.

one snare drum, one tom used as bass, one six-inch cymbal

Jeff Guthery on authentic Traditional Jazz Drum

Jeff handled it brilliantly. He was an international businessman – now he’s finally following his dream as a student at Berklee, and playing drums regularly with the All-Stars.

Eli gave Jimmy a choice of songs – that’s always dangerous, as he has a repertoire that goes back to the late 1890′s. He only revisited the early 1930’s for this one – I’ll Never Be The Same; a performance of just Jimmy backed by soft tuba.

Pianist Teddy Wilson used this tune to bring vocalist Billie Holiday and tenor saxophonist Lester Young together at a 1937 session. They would have loved Jimmy and Ely’s version!

Jim singing and playing banjo, Eli looking on, smiling

Friends and compadres, Jimmy Mazzy and Eli Newberger

What a Difference a Day Makes, Rebecca returned for another nice ballad. She got things moving with up-tempo scatting on Oh, Oh, Oh, What a Little Moonlight Can D, with clarinet, trumpet and trombone bouncing off each other. Bo’s left leg kept jumping up and down with the beat – it was such a barn burner!

Closing time approached, and they closed this marvelous evening with another Dixieland War Horse, South Rampart St. Parade. They did justice to its infinite references to many songs, with Jeff going wild on drums!

Usually it ends in a trumpet flourish, but veteran Herb Gardner took it on trombone, leaving all of us asking for more, more!

There will be more. This was an evening filled with great Jazz played by the best. For those of you who missed it, there will be many more.

Eli’s All-Stars will begin a regular gig the 1^st Thursday of every month 7-9:30pm with this same group at the Sherborn Inn. Come join us for some outstanding Traditional Jazz and Swing!

Videos by Kathy Wittman, BallSquare films, sound by Frank Cunningham

The Frenchman, book by Barbara Boudreau

Posted on October 18, 2013 by admin

The Frenchman, by Barbara Boudreau (Boudreau Jazz)

The Frenchman can be found at the following locations:

The Bookstore, 61 Main St., Gloucester – (978) 281-1548
Toadhall Bookstore, 47 Main St., Rockport – (978) 546-7323
Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Ave., Gloucester, MA – (978) 281-9763
Rockport Public Library, 17 School Street. Rockport, MA – (978)-546-6934
and at the links below the review.

Now, I need your help!!! Help! Reviews are very easy and quick to do, and they make a huge difference in the exposure of the book. Before I got some reviews, when I searched for “The Frenchman” on Barnes and Noble and Amazon, I had to search for it among many other books that included the words, “The Frenchman.” Now it comes up first. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it’s good news! Please, please go in (after you have read the book) and give me a review. If you hated the book, please email me and tell me you hated it and why, or call me – but skip the review, OK? 🙂 Certainly, if you have issues with anything I have written (continuity, details), please let me know. I can make changes, after all, and as Tom Clancy said, “Fiction has to make sense.”

Thank you for supporting the arts that we all desperately need. Our world is becoming increasingly insane, and a good story takes us away from all of that.

Barb

Quick look:

Robbery, escape, rendezvous, pursuit and romance all season “The Frenchman ” as Jean LaChance, running from his criminal past, finds solace in the isolation of the bleak California desert. There, in search of the money he and his unscrupulous partner have stolen, LaChance instead finds Lilly Parsons and her children. Over four days they forge a sense of belonging for the first time in their lives, loneliness and despair begin to melt away. This bond of trust is seemingly broken when Lilly flees with the children, unaware that the money is in the trunk of her car. Now LaChance is in determined pursuit of the woman and children he has grown to love, but he is unconvinced of their motive for leaving, taking the money and sending the cops. What will he do when he finds them?

Early praise for The Frenchman:

From the beginning of this fantastic novel through to the end, it holds you on the edge of your seat, not letting go…. for anything.
This review is probably going to be very short, for the simple fact that this book is so good there isn’t really much point at all trying to review it.
The characters… are perfect. We love and hate the main character at the same time – almost reminiscent of the film The Prestige, in which our opinion of the characters are always changing. The language used in the story is lush and ingenious, and that is what held me in its grip. – Josiah Morgan, The Review Hutch

The Frenchman is now available at these sites:

Barnes and Noble/Nook press – ebook only: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/the-frenchman?keyword=the+frenchman&store=nookstore

Amazon.com/Kindle Publishing – ebook only: http://www.amazon.com/The-Frenchman-ebook/dp/B00DEEXWDQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1371422596&sr=1-1&keywords=the+frenchman

And, for those of you who want a “real” book – people after my own heart!
Create Space/Amazon – Print on Demand
http://www.amazon.com/The-Frenchman-B-Boudreau/dp/0615740693/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375722166&sr=8-1-fkmr2&keywords=The+Frenchman%2C+Barbara+Boudreau

Barbara and Al Boudreau
6 R Mondello Square,
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-853-5434
boudreaujazz.com

New England Traditional Jazz Plus

Swing, Traditional Jazz, Dixieland Jazz, Big Bands

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