“Ragtime Jack” came to Primavera solo for the first time, to give us a history and samples of Ragtime Piano, but interjected many fabulous tunes of the 1920’s.
He began with a vocal on W.C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues.
He said that noted musicologist and Morton biographer Alan Lomax first wrote that Jelly Roll Morton claimed to invent jazz.
“JRM played at Tipitina’s in New Orleans. He wrote Sweet Substitute, “ Jack’s fingers floating over the keyboard. He just returned from New Orleans and said “Tipitina’s has reopened”. http://www.tipitinas.com/
He began Up a Lazy River in a slow tempo, moving into triple time, then back to slow.
“Andy Razaf wrote lyrics for Fats. S’posin’ he wrote himself. “ Radcliffe interjected a ‘vocal trombone’ into the piece.
Jack talked about Andy Razaff when he was here previously, backing Bonnie.
He continues:
“Billy Strayhorn was a 19 year old country boy, living in Iowa, when he was asked to join Duke Ellington. On his way to New York, he wrote the lyrics to Take The A Train. “
Jack wanted to do something in French, adding some French lyrics (in a perfect accent ) to Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.
Going back to ragtime, he played Scott Joplin’s Easy Winners, one of Joplin’s most popular works.
He explained the fingering on Boogie Woogie, saying “The left hand played the rhythmic ‘Boogie’, while the right hand played ‘the Woogie’. “
He sang the verse to Georgia, holding an elongated note on vocal that seemed to take forever!
Back Home Again in Indiana was played instrumental – making the keyboard yell for Help!
“Richmond, Indiana was the birthplace of Glenn Miller. “ Radcliffe gave us his beautiful version of Sentimental Journey.
“Lazy Bones was written at a time when it was too, too hot to go fishing. “
He closed with the 1924 Andy Razaf’s Porter’s Love Song to a Chamber Maid.
This was an interesting evening, filling in blanks on our knowledge of Jazz History, and backing it up with fine playing. Then he got away back to Newport, where he moved recently.
The Ramblers – Bob MacInnis, Craig Ball, Scott Philbrick, Robin Verdier, leader.
The Ramblers made their first appearance at Primavera Ristorante, and we’re hoping they will return in 2016. This rambunctious quartet doesn’t play slow tunes – they played the music that had the Tin Pan Alley kids dancing in the 20’s and 30’s. (The Charleston started a new dance craze in 1923.) This quartet played a plethora of early Jazz from 1917 to 1929; their Traditional and Dixieland Jazz connected and inspired the audience.
Craig Ball, clarinet
Craig ball was able to shine with his expertise on clarinet, standing front and center. He usually keeps to the right or left of the band, backing the soloists.
Limehouse (1922)
When My Baby Smiles at Me was played by Benny Goodman at his 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert, a tribute to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.
Robin Verdier, leader
Leader/Arranger Robin Verdier, a Jelly Roll Morton devotee, is our own erudite Rag Time pianist, well versed in this music. He is better known for his Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble that was here in August. He played some wild stride piano on Tiger Rag! Let Me Call You Sweetheart was definitely not a waltz!
Robin’s piano and Scott’s banjo were in sync, keeping the beat for the front line of clarinet and cornet/flugelhorn.
Scott Philbrick usually plays cornet.
This is the first time we’ve ever heard cornetist Scott Philbrick play banjo all evening, and he was fabulous singing the 1920 Broadway Rose. Who knew he could sing??
Scott will be on cornet with Jane Campedelli’s Jubilee Jazz Band at the 25th Anniversary of the Suncoast Jazz Jubilee coming up November 20 to 22 in Clearwater.
Running Wild (Miserable video – just shut your eyes and listen!)
Bob MacInnis ensures we hear the melody!
Bob MacInnis always maintains the melody on cornet. He’s been playing with bands all over New England all summer, and we’re lucky to have him for another couple of weeks before he heads to Florida for the winter.
He took out the flugelhorn for several numbers, Al Jolson’s 1921 California Here I Come, Con Conrad’s Moonlight.
San Francisco Bay Blues (first recorded in 1954) was really modern for this band!
Their music touches the heart and spirit; the audience loved every minute of it! We’re all hoping to hear more from The Ramblers next year!
(Any resemblance to a band that plays all summer at a New Hampshire amusement park is purely coincidental.)
Tunes:
Set 1
When My Baby Smiles At Me, Munro, Sterling & Lewis, 1920
The Curse Of An Aching Heart, Piantadosi & Fink, 1913
My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms, Meyer, 1922
Down Where The Sun Goes Down, I. Jones & Buck, 1928
Let Me Call You Sweetheart, Whitson, 1910
Limehouse Blues, Braham, 1922
Broadway Rose, Fried, Otis, & West, 1920
California, Here I Come, Meyer & DeSylva, 1921
Moonlight, Conrad, 1921
Set 2
Charleston, Johnson, 1923
Smiles, Roberts & Callahan, 1917
Varsity Drag, Brown, DeSylva, & Henderson, 1927
San Francisco Bay Blues, Jesse Fuller 1954
Sweet Sue, Young & Harris, 1928
My Gal Sal, Dresser, 1905
Some Of These Days, Brooks, 1910
You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me, Fain, Kahal, & Norman, 1930
Runnin’ Wild, (Bb) Gibbs, Gray, & Wood, 1922
Set 3
Tiger Rag, 19th century quadrille
When You’re Smiling, Goodwin, Fisher & Shay, 1928
Neville Dickie piano with Jeff Hughes trumpet, Stan McDonald soprano sax, Steve Taddeo drums
Neville Dickie tours the U.S. every year around this time. Neville is from Surrey, England and is known worldwide for his stride piano, boogie woogie, with a powerful left hand and flashy fingering on the right hand. We all looked forward to his 13th appearance at the Sherborn Inn; thanks to Ellen and Stan McDonald.
He was joined by Steve Taddeo on drums, Stan McDonald on soprano sax, and Jeff Hughes trumpet. He is a charming entertainer, and enjoyed having a few beers and renewing acquaintances with the fans that come out to hear him every year. They come from all over New England – he fills the house.
Neville began his renowned “showing off for the Company”, backed by Steve Taddeo, with Jimmy McHugh’s Doing The New Lowdown, marvelous.
He said there’s nothing complete without Fats Waller, Keeping Out of Mischief Now. He’s known for his rapid left stride, but we like his active right hand toying with the melody.
He once heard Stan and Ross Petot play the Harlem Hotcha, written by James P. Johnson. It was originally done by the Omer Simeon Trio with Johnson on piano, Simeon clarinet and Pops Foster bass. Neville’s lightening left hand was supported by Steve feeling his way on snare drum and hi hat, trying not to be intimidated by the famous Dickie.
Neville invited Stan McDonald and Jeff Hughes to join them, with a piano intro to Rose of The Rio Grande. Neville played chugging, rocking chords, Stan on hot soprano sax also did the vocal, Jeff’s trumpet softly in the background. Neville started with the verse on a Darktown Strutters Ball, fingers floating over the keys. Stan on sax and singing.
Back to the duo of Neville and Steve with I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter, Neville playing in 6ths and left hand patterns like Jelly Roll Morton, giving his playing a “New Orleans” flavor. (I was coached by Ross Petot.)
Neville had several DVD’s for sale, he included a free CD with each one sold. He played ingenious stride on one of the tunes on his Back to Boogie DVD, Bells of St. Marys. He explained how the composer, Douglas Furber, was on a boat leaving South Hampton in England when he heard the Bells of St. Marys as the boat was leaving. It inspired him to write the tune. Dickie ended the piece with dramatic bell sounds on piano. Going back to boogie woogie, he turned to the jazz style of Albert Ammons with his 1940’s boogie, Shout for Joy.
Neville invited Stan and Jeff back. Neville’s right hand played warm, soulful, cascading piano to Jeff’s glorious horn solo on Bunny Berigan’s I Can’t Get Started. Sweet!
Jeff Hughes and Neville Dickie play Bunny “Berigan’s I Can’t Get Started”
Neville said “You won’t hear anything better than that!” We totally agree.
Neville enjoys sharing the stage, playing backup piano in the quartet for Maggie. The Ensemble’s powerful performance, with Stan’s scorching soprano sax turned Tijuana into a barn burner!
Stan’s scorching sax
Our own dynamic pianist, Ross Petot, sat at the piano playing haunting and elegant melodies during intermission. His hands crossed playing stride on I Hate Myself For Being So Mean To You by Isham Jones; Somebody Loves Me, Who’s Sorry Now, But Not For Me, Love For Sale, King of Araby.
New England pianist Ross Petot
In the middle of Araby, Neville returned and took over the treble end of the piano. The two together are remarkable piano pyrotechnicians. The baby grand vibrated with impeccable rhythm! We look forward to this every year!
Neville Joins Ross at piano
They trade places, playing 4-handed piano
Taddeo joins the pianists
Neville back at the piano with the volatile Finger Breaker. Jelly Roll Morton composed Finger Breaker; Willie ‘the Lion’ Smith called it Finger Buster. Either way, it’s extremely fast and difficult. Harlem Blues went from Blues to intense Boogie. It was the first blues ever published – 1940 – by Blue Note founder, Albert Lion.
Quartet resumes with All By Myself, Jeff backing Neville with soft trumpet; James P Johnson’s Old Fashioned Love, Stan on sax and vocals. Neville boogied with a hispanic tinge on Dardanella.
Steve back with Neville playing marvelous left-hand boogie woogie on Golden Earrings, from the movie with Marlene Dietrich. Swanee River Boogie was ecstasy! We never get enough boogie!
Closing time was approaching; Neville wanted to give Taddeo a chance to play. He said he’d make it easy, started Honeysuckle Rose with a slow, rolling left hand. Steve went along, adding a soft drum roll. By now he was comfortable with Neville, and tore into his Gene Krupa walk-around routine, stepping away from the drums with sticks tapping the beat, tapping on anything within reach, table, glasses, dishes, never missing a note. That caught Neville and the ladies at the nearest table by surprise! He tapped on, back towards Neville and returned to the drums to audience applause.
George Hannah
Steve has been teaching drums to student George Hannah. George sat in on drums, playing just the right accents and sounds with Neville on Indian Summer. We’ve been watching him grow up with drums – he’s come a long way!
The quartet returned with Wild Man Blues, with trumpet in glissando, staccato phrasing. They closed this evening with sax and trumpet intro to Lover Come Back To Me.
Myron Idleson called this the Mount Rushmore of Jazz Concerts. He said their talent is a gift from God, and their playing is their gift to God. I’ll add ‘to us too’.
Neville headed for New Jersey to play with the Midiri Brothers for the Tri State Jazz Society, then on to Maryland. If you’re ever in England, Neville and wife Pat started the Sutton Jazz Club where he plays monthly at The Thomas Wall Centre, Benhill Avenue, Sutton, Surrey. http://www.jazzpiano.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/advance_dates.htm
We look forward to having him back here again next year.
Steve will be in concert with the Midiri Brothers here on August 12th. Dick Donovan’s Big Band directed by Steve Taddeo is at the American Legion, 140 River Rd. Middleton MA every Monday evening.
Jeff will be back at the Sherborn Inn with The Wolverine Jazz Band, Swing Times Five, and Debby Larkin, Dave Whitney, Dan Gabel. They all want him. And He’ll still be wearing a hat.
Stan’s Blue Horizon Jazz Band will be back at the Sherborn Inn June 17th.
We are so fortunate to have all this marvelous jazz!! I count my blessings every day!
