Freddy Vigorito cornet, Skip Hughes & Ben Griffin trombone, Sherman Kahn and Noel Kaletsky reeds, Charlie Freeman piano, Albie Bernard tuba, Gim Burton banjo, Bill Logozzo drums/leader, Tish Rabe vocals
The Dixieland stage was in a tent set up outside the Four Points Hotel, when the sky suddenly opened up and a veritable deluge ensued. But fans of Traditional Jazz have been through worse – the rain and lightening didn’t faze us as we listened to these fantastic musicians playing our kind of music.
Bill Logozzo’s Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band doesn’t stick with any one genre – they’ll play a bit of swing, add some ragtime, New Orleans style Dixieland, and even throw in some classic Rock & Roll.
Gim’s banjo started the Festival with a wild, frenzied Washington & Lee Swing (The Dummy Song).
Fantastic.
Great way to start the day!!
Freddy Vigorito lead the group with his hot, driving cornet.
The pace slowed down for an old New Orleans Blues, Tin Roof Blues.
Bill Logozzo introduced Tish (Patricia) Rabe. Tish’s voice has a lovely sound; had tasteful phrasing on Amazing Grace.
She is primarily a childrens book author. She and her husband reside in NYC and travel back and forth to a home in Mystic Connecticut.
As both a songwriter and music producer she has created children’s songs that have been broadcast on PBS Kids, Fox, Nickelodeon and HBO Family. For the last three years she has been visiting elementary schools to help kids get excited about reading and writing.
Bill’s drums and Ben Griffin’s trombone were featured in a sensational conversation on It Don’t Mean a Thing if it Ain’t Got That Swing. Marvelous!! Ben plays trombone passionately, straight from the gut. The front line picked up on it, improvising counterpoint. That’s what this jazz is all about!!
Ben Griffin
Bill Logozzo
Two clarinets give the band awe-inspiring flexibility, Sherman and Noel cutting it on Avalon,taking turns racing up and down the registers. That fired up the band!
Charlie Freeman
They skipped the verse as Charlie Freeman’s piano took the intro into a stomping Lulu’s Back in Town.
Charlie fills in the holes with rhythmic embellishments, and offers just the right chords behind soloists.
Tish is from New York. She knocked us out with her Red Hot Mama rendition of San Francisco Bay.
Fred pointed out the original “Red Hot Mama”, Sophie Tucker, was born in Russia as Sophie Abuza, but was brought here by her parents as an infant, and grew up in Hartford Connecticut.
Skip Hughes’ trombone was exceptionally melodic on a Jelly Roll Morton tune, Sweet & Slow. He is a phenomenon, and we are really fortunate that Skip is here playing for us.
He has survived so many extreme hardships in the last few years.
First his 200-year-old farm house burned to the ground. He and his wife lost everything but his trombone, which fortunately was still in the trunk of his car from the last gig!
Then he lost his wife Joyce, who was already ill at the time. Then he himself became seriously ill, and we thought we’d lost him too.
But he has bounced back and is wholeheartedly enjoying life, singing and playing trombone better than ever.
Skip Hughes
Ben Griffin is a Tiger on that trombone, and that long reach was the ferocious beast in an old chestnut, Tiger Rag.
No less ferocious is Albie Bernard’s low-down beat on the sousaphone, pushing the bass lines and the band.
The second set started with Ben Griffin and the band on a breathtaking Basin Street Blues
Tish returned for the gospel tune, Just a Closer Walk With Thee. Beautiful!
She has an indelible, personal voice, that makes you feel as if she’s singing just for you.
Bill Logozzo also has a 3-piece Rock & Roll Band, Triple Play, the music that influenced lifestyles, attitudes, and us, back in the 50’s.
Triple Play wasn’t here today, neither was Marshal Lytle of the original Bill Haley’s Rock Around The Clock. They had us Jazzin’ With The Stars and dancing in the aisles at the First Church of Christ in Middletown, CT not too long ago.
Nevertheless, the Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band rocked on with Shake, Rattle, & Roll, with Skip performing and singing with gusto, adding his own unique version of the lyrics.
Change of pace – Bill said it was time to feature the two ‘youngest’ members of the band, “to fight it out again,” two clarinets in a grudge match in After You’ve Gone. Fabulous duet! Couldn’t tell who was running up and down the register playing the most notes!
The band touched on the 60’s when Tish returned with Patsy Cline’s plaintive I Go Out Walkin After Midnight.
Rain or shine, nothing could have delighted this audience more than these talented musicians. It’s easy to understand why the Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band has been dubbed “New England’s Most Lovable Jazz Band”.
Bill Logozzo’s Heartbeat Jazz Band can be heard every Wednesday 12-2pm at the Jazz luncheon at the Yankee Clipper Restaurant, 157 West Main Street, Niantic, CT
Were you SPOTTED? at the Jazz & Blues Extravaganza?