Jeff Hughes

Posted on November 29, 2015 by admin

PO Box 572, Woods Hole, MA 02543 jhughes@wellesley.edu

Jeff sitting at home in wicker chair on porch, Falmouth MA wearing, hawaiian shirt and straw hat, holding cornet

Jeff Hughes plays cornet, trumpet, and flugelhorn

Jeff Hughes (dubbed “Mr. Melody” by Ray Smith) has made a name for himself as a Bix-styled cornet player and disciple of Bunny Berigan in the Boston area with the Wolverine Jazz Band, Dave Whitney Orchestra, Dan Gabel and the Abletones, and numerous other groups. By day, he is a mild-mannered marine biologist, but by night he is the leader of many bands:

Bands

Jeff’s Jazz Jesters
Jeff Hughes’ Jazz Jesters Novelty Orchestra
Jeff Hughes’ Swing Times Five
Lost in the Sauce
Mainstay
Brahmin Bellhops
7th Heaven Seven
Monomoy Seven
Hot Toddies
Jeff’s Jumpin’ Jive
Jeff Hughes JazzNews

Jeff in gray suite and white fedora blowing trumpet

Jeff Hughes with flugelhorn

Videos:

http://youtu.be/j5oWZ524WFI – Monday at the Sherborn Inn
Farmers Market Waltham
http://youtu.be/sUijZC3h5EY – Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band – Tiger Rag
http://youtu.be/csHNYfCjzzI– Summer Jazz at Winged Cove
http://youtu.be/oM8Zlp1m1Ek – Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band – When the Saints Go Marching In
http://youtu.be/DDDOHo_8wAM – Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band – Jeff solo “Crazy”
http://youtu.be/9mjDDkZbeT4 – Summer Jazz at Winged Cove – Jeff solo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3Zy9pCWs24&list=PLGhNXO1J4-Em6q1yxv-WOvye3tnIhw9An Paramount Jazz Band 2007 Port Angeles, WA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Y-E8_iIPY&list=PLGhNXO1J4-Em6q1yxv-WOvye3tnIhw9An&index=2 I’ll See You in C-U-B-A (March of the Hoodlums)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H-vFeimtHw Paramount Jazz Band Ragging The Scale
http://youtu.be/dpQrqsCJq3M – Lost in the Sauce Band at Bemis Hall
http://youtu.be/igGkj9pfMLc – “Tin Roof Blues” – Lost in the Sauce Band Bemis Hall
http://youtu.be/MBep7LnIUj4 – Wolverine Jazz Band – “Jelly Roll Blues” at America’s Classic 2010
http://youtu.be/WMC8qRsGVaQ version two at Bemis Hall
http://youtu.be/nZAilJWOeKU – Wolverine Jazz Band – “Someday Sweatheart”
http://youtu.be/kwyXQUxW-AI – Wolverine Jazz Band – Connecticut Traditional Jazz Festival “Just Pretending”
http://youtu.be/lg6FCv8btpM – Wolverine Jazz Band – “Caravan” (dark video)
http://youtu.be/aWMkoikZKks – Wolverine Jazz Band – “Why”
http://youtu.be/3pCf6qc4YSY – Wolverine Jazz Band – “Savoy Blues”
http://youtu.be/P1LZOLvG4Bc – Chris Trapper Music Video (featuring WJB)
Steve Wright’s YouTube Paramount Jazz Band

Jimmy Mazzy and The Trail Blazers at Trail’s End Café, November 22, 2015

Posted on November 27, 2015 by admin

The Trail Blazers, Harold Koch, Craig Ball, Jimmy Mazzy

By Nick Ribush and Marce
Videos by Harold McAleer

Jimmy Mazzy debuted at a new venue that hopefully will become a permanent home for The Trail Blazers (new name). Trail’s End is a fine restaurant at 97 Lowell Road in Concord Massachusetts not far from the monument. It is the perfect setting for the new Trio of Jimmy Mazzy banjo and vocals, Craig Ball reeds, and Harold Koch keyboard.

We all know Jimmy and Craig (leader of the White Heat Swing Orchestra). Harold Koch is an old friend of Jimmy’s who played piano with him (and Lee Childs) at The Groton Inn in 1971. He has a swinging stride left hand, a vehicle for rapid improvisation, and he knows exactly how to support Jimmy and Craig.

“The Trail Blazers are in the Lounge, a bright and cheery room, with fun seating options, in comfy overstuffed, ‘get lost in’ chairs and flexible table set ups. The large bar has many welcoming stools for extra seating in an overflow crowd situation,” said Midge Symmes.

Marce and Nick were fortunate to occupy the overstuffed chairs with direct view of the band – comfy indeed!

97 Lowell Rd. Concord MA 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Jeanette and Fred Wilkes

This first venture at the Trail’s End was sold out with all of Jimmy’s loyal fans. Fred and Jeanette Wilkie drove all the way from Hudson, New Hampshire to be here.

Jim White sat at the keyboard playing Avalon, as the crowd was settling in.

Owner Jim White at keyboard with Jimmy Mazzy

Craig Ball arrived, and played beautiful low register clarinet, while Harold Koch’s marvelous stride was featured in Nobody’s Sweetheart Now. Jimmy’s unique scatting delighted us in I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me.

Blue Skies was lovely, and appropriate for this day. DAYLIGHT HOURS 11am – 2pm!

Harold is Jimmy’s secret weapon, playing a lively Broadway Melody.

Harold Koch

Craig Ball

Craig went wild on clarinet with My Heart Stood Still. He took out the soprano sax and had Bob Cronin and Sandrine dancing up a storm on Deed I Do. Craig is a monster on tenor sax, too!

Carrie Mazzy

Carrie joined the Trio sanging Billie Holiday’s When a Woman Loves a Man, And I still Do, and Goody Goody.

The inimitable Jimmy Mazzy

Jimmy took the vocal on Marie, with Harold playing wicked stride piano, left hand bouncing across the keyboard. It’s a joy to just watch him play.

Partial view of Lounge, 14-seat Full Bar is at left

The band continued with Jimmy’s Blues (a 12 bar blues) with Craig on soprano for half, then moving to clarinet. The Trio is marvelous!

They also played:
Dinah
Darktown Strutters’ Ball
I’m Just Breezin’ Along With the Breeze
Linda
After You’ve Gone
Hard Hearted Hannah
Life Is Like a Bowl of Cherries
Somebody Stole My Gal

At the first break, Jimmy played a lovely ballad (not meant for banjo) that was Jimmy Enright’s favorite song, Sleepy Lagoon. We lost him 28 years ago November 19th. Thank You Jimmy Mazzy!

Knowing owner Jim White enjoyed the afternoon gives one hopeful thoughts of a future for the Trail Blazers at the Trail’s End Café! Stay tuned.

Harold Koch, Pianist

Posted on November 27, 2015 by admin

Harold Koch at Keyboard

by Nick Ribush

Harold Koch was born in Manchester NH and has always lived in that area.

He started playing piano when he was 5. There was a piano at home (his mother and elder brother played) and he found that he could pick out with one finger any tune he heard. People were quite impressed with his ability and sometimes suggested he should take lessons but at that point he didn’t see the need. He found he was reasonably advanced playing out of the John W. Schaum piano book that he didn’t really need lessons.

Then one of his friends who had taken lessons played “Mary Had A Little Lamb” for Harold with a stride left hand, so he grabbed onto that to go with his one finger right hand melody picking. Several years later, however, he took some lessons from a teacher who taught him the more advanced chords, from adding sixths, sevenths and ninths to diminished and augmented chords, which really helped his playing.

His brother used to listen to jazz on the radio, in particular the Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street on the Blue Network with Henry Levine and his Dixieland Octet and other musicians. So his brother got to like jazz and bought Harold a couple of records, one by Bunk Johnson and the other by the Lower Basin Street band. He grew to love Dixieland, but the thing he really loved was his grandmother’s phonograph. His uncles were in their twenties in the 1920s and had bought a whole bunch of Victor scrolls 78s, and Harold thought that was the living end of music. He copied the arrangements on piano as best he could. He never had any favorite pianists or looked to any pianist in particular, but would simply try to imitate the arrangements on those records.

When Harold was in 8th grade in high school a drummer friend gathered together all the kids who could play music and created a big band. The friend loved Glenn Miller charts and stuff like that, so that was the first band that Harold really played with. He couldn’t read music and didn’t have a chord book; he was just able to hear chord changes by ear for most simple tunes. For songs with more weird changes he’d have to figure the chords out but could still get there by ear.

After school he played with small bands around Manchester. In the 60s he went to work at Sanders Associates, a defense contractor in Nashua, where he became a senior electronics tech. There was a band there and Harold played with them at the Nashua Club in Nashua for ten years.

Lee with clarinet compleely relaxed leanng on gate

Lee Childs on Hi-Line Jazz Boat, Cape Cod

In 1971, a friend at Sanders who played trombone told Harold about a job that he had at the Groton Inn with a wonderful banjo player called Jimmy Mazzy and a wonderful clarinet player called Elliot “Lee” Childs. So he joined the band and played there the whole winter of 1971, which for Harold was the best music job he ever had. And that’s how he met Jimmy. He recorded some of these gigs on reel-to-reel, the tapes of which he still has.

Some time after that he lost interest in playing with the bands around Manchester and found greater satisfaction in simply playing piano at home every day.

Occasionally over the years Harold would go the Colonial Inn to hear Jimmy and sometimes sat in, but mostly he didn’t play with bands, so this gig at Trail’s End on November 22, 2015 is a bit of a departure for him and a welcome one for us who got to hear him. We’re certainly hoping for more.

Eli and The Hot Six at Primavera, November 19, 2015

Posted on November 24, 2015 by admin

Eli and The Hot Six – Bob Winter, Eli Newberger, Jimmy Mazzy, Jeff Guthery, Ted Casher, Bo Winiker, Herb Gardner © Ray Drueke

Photos © Ray Drueke, Austin Lane Studios
Videos by Marce

This was the last Jazz Concert of 2015 at Primavera, and a very worthwhile one. The Hot Six reached deep down playing their hearts out creating beautiful music. They just love playing Jazz!

Herb Gardner ©

This was Herb Gardner’s evening, bringing old school musicality to vocals and on trombone with Ain’t She Sweet, and The Sheik of Araby – with the band members responding: ‘Without No Pants On’.

He started another vocal on Basin St. Blues, then turned it over to Jimmy with a trombone intro, the band playing in stop time behind him. Herb ended with a rambunctious trombone flourish.

Eli Newberger ©

Eli Newberger, celebrated tuba virtuoso and keyboardist, leads the band, pointing at whoever gets to play next. This is Jazz, no charts.

He plays tuba with a deep, sonorous tone, maintaining that contemporary classic beat and managing difficult straight four/four notes by circular breathing.

They paid tribute to the French with Ted’s sweet arrangement of Petite Fleur on clarinet. Lovely! This was also the hundredth anniversary of Sidney Bechet.

Jimmy Mazzy ©

Jimmy sings with sensitivity, Someone To Watch Over Me, changing the words from: “Although he may not be the man some girls think of as handsome, to my heart he carries the key.” to “Although she may not be the Squaw some boys think of as awesome, to my heart she carries the key.”

We’re thrilled to have Jimmy back with the Hot Six; he’s been travelling. He changed moods with Our Love is Here to Stay. He is also in The Tuber Trio with Eli and Ted Casher. We hope he’s here to stay.

Bob Winter ©

Bob Winter finesses amazing sounds out of that keyboard, starting with soft melodic single-note piano lines on Some Of These Days, gradually rising to an astounding variety of piano styles.

He is the pianist for the Boston Pops, but also loves this music and plays skillful, soft commentary behind the soloists and vocals.

In Memoriam: We lost Jimmy Enright 28 years ago today. The Hot Six played Everybody Loves My Baby, with Jimmy Mazzy’s passionate voice rising to the infamous Jimmy “Holler’.

Bo Winiker on flugelhorn

Jimmy continued with C’Est Si Bon, backed by Ted’s clarinet, with Bo on flugelhorn. Bo’s rhythmic annotations on trumpet and flugelhorn lift the whole band.

Sizzling 12th Street Rag

Carolyn Newberger ©

Carolyn Newberger arrived and dug out the washboard. The band played a tune that her Mother used to play for her growing up, fairly soft and subtle, Tico Tico.

Bob and Carolyn always connect and inspire each other; their duets are sparkling and exciting!

Ted Casher ©

Ted plays gut-wrenching saxophone on Blue and Sentimental. There were no lights on the band so my videos were really dark. Ray Drueke came to the rescue and lightened them somewhat. Just close your eyes and listen to Ted play a dreamy Coleman Hawkins tenor sax.

Jeff with a big smile looking to his right

Jeff Guthery, drums ©

Eli had everyone clapping in time to a fiery Limehouse Blues. Jeff Guthery let loose on drums. He is the youngest member of the band, and recently had his recital at Berklee College of Music.

This was one of those never ending tunes, with Eli giving each musician a turn on the final verse.

Sarah Nova ©

Herb Gardner’s daughter, Sarah Nova was in the audience – a fine songstress in her own right. Sarah teaches jazz to young children with her CD, Jazz For Lil’ Jumpers. She gave us a lively version of Them There Eyes.

Eli and The Hot Six closed this evening of great jazz with Bo on flugel horn and Jimmy singing Louis’s Sleepy Time Down South. This was the Primavera Finale for the year 2015. Jazz will return to Primavera Ristorante on January 7th, 2016.

Eli and The Hot Six with Rebecca Sullivan will be at Sculler’s Jazz Club on December 17th – celebrating Eli’s 75th birthday!

Professional photographer taking pictures

Ray Drueke, Austin Lane Studios

Photos Copyrighted by Ray Drueke, Austin Lane Studios (401) 635-0163.

30 High-resolution photos available for sale.

Jeff Hughes and The Jazz Jesters

Posted on November 17, 2015 by admin

Craig Ball, Steve Taddeo, Jeff Hughes, Al Bernard, Hunter Burtamy, John Clark, Herb Gardner

by Bill Falk
photos: Marce

Jeff Hughes’ Jazz Jesters keep getting better every time I hear them. Their recent gig
at the Primavera on 11/12/15 was superb. The band ripped through a wide variety of tunes, some well remembered from the 20’s and 30’s and some relatively unknown. Their execution was terrific – very melodic and enjoyable.

Unfortunately, the crowd was sparse, but all in attendance loved the music. Two reed
players on the front line worked extremely well. Craig Ball ripped off excellent solos on both clarinet and tenor sax and John Clark did the same on clarinet and alto sax. They
augmented each other soloing and backing up others. Also, John’s arrangements were outstanding.

Craig Ball

John Clark alto sax and clarinet, Herb Gardner keyboard

John Clark and Herb Gardner

Jeff Hughes, Steve Taddeo (rear)

As usual, Jeff displayed his great ability to lead the group, backing up soloists and still exhibiting his outstanding trumpet prowess. He ‘gets into the tunes so well, plus his sound is marvelous. I can’t get enough of Jeff.

Hunter Burtamy banjo, Al Bernard tuba

Hunter Burtamy on banjo added even more guts to the rhythm section. He didn’t solo much, but he brought out the band’s depth. Herb Gardner is a joy on keyboard. He drips with experience and innovation. Al Bernard is a wonder on tuba. He controls the
instrument completely. Steve Taddeo sets a steady beat on drums. He doesn’t overpower the rest of the players, but he sets the pace very well.

Sarah (Gardner) Nova

Sarah Nova, who is Herb Gardner’s daughter, was delightful on vocals. She shows her pedigree well on both jump tunes and slower music. Sarah was a terrific addition to the group as she delivered style and sound on “Keeping Out of Mischief”, “Where Are You”,
“Russian Lullaby”, “Keep Your Hands Off It”, to name some of her numbers.

The band featured “Lucky Day” (theme song), “Diane”, “Not Much,” “Bouncing Around,”
and lots of other songs. Their last number was the theme from “Our Gang”. I liked
“Empty Saddles in The Old Corral” – a perfect ending to a marvelous performance.

Bill Falk

Jeff and Joel’s House Party, October 2015

Posted on November 10, 2015 by admin

Under construction. We are waiting on approval of videos before this House Party is officially over for this year. Bookmark this page and check on our progress.
Meatime, check on Saturday and Sunday.. Marce

——–>> Saturday Afternoon Saturday Night Sunday

Bands on Sunday at Jeff and Joel’s House Party. Fabulous!

Jeff & Joel’s House Party #6 Columbus Day Weekend, 2015
By Sue Finn

Another fabulous weekend, they just keep getting better and better. This one had four sessions, starting with the Anderson twins on Friday evening. Peter and Will are so talented (and so young!) They played clarinet and alto and tenor sax and a wide range of pieces backed by Jeff, Jim and Brian. Joel joined them for one number in each set.

Pete and Will Anderson

Mood Indigo

Reeds – Peter and Will Anderson, Piano – Jeff Barnhart, Bass: Brian Nalepka, Drums: Jim Lawlor

Chinatown

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered (Will Anderson and Jeff Barnhart)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NROY-pUGTOU

Caravan (Lawlor had no snare drum!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dofXI-rbW-g

Sunday
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdBN3-xzUoU

When your lover has gone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1QkjviQjwM

I want to be happy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up4GdXnAN0I

Robin’s Nest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToJ-f38-olY

Soft winds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPo1WTupm84

Crazy Bout my baby, vocal by Brian Nalepka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ciq7x13Y_KU

The two sessions on Saturday and one on Sunday followed the same format as last year. Generally, each combo of musicians stayed for three numbers with one chosen by each of the front line players.

Noel Kalepsky and Dan Levinson on clarinet with Brian Nalepska on bass

Clarinet Marmalade

There were exceptions of course; Noel and Dan playing Clarinet Marmalade for example, piano solos by Jeff and Donn and, of course, ‘banjorama’ with 4 banjos on stage and everybody singing along with Joel. Each session ended with a grand finale with all the musicians on stage together. The food was great and the volunteers as fantastic as ever.

Fred at mic singing, Jeff at keyboard singing, Louis Armstrong and Gary Crosby version

Strutting With Some Barbecue

Sunday’s session was my favorite. It started with ‘Struttin’ With Some Barbecue’ played like the Louis Armstrong/Gary Crosby version, starting slow, then fast with Jeff & Fred doing the vocals – really great!

Dan and Joel in Old Shanty Town

Dan & Joel sang ‘It’s only a Shanty in Old Shanty Town’.

Tom Boates sang Beale Street Blues and Jim joined him for an awesome version of Ory’s Creole Trombone complete with crossed slides – amazing.

Jim Fryer and Tom Boates play Ory’s Creole Trombone

There was some Sunday Gospel – Molly sang ‘Sermonette’ and ‘Get Rhythm in your Feet’. She also sang ‘Far Away Places’ with just Gen accompanying her – beautiful.

Other highlights – ‘Big Bear Stomp’ with Brian on tuba and, of course, Joel’s ‘banjorama’ . This time, Joel did some old radio commercials.

Joel Schiavone and New York’s Kevin Dorn

There was also a vote of thanks to Joel and presentation of a signed photo of all the musicians.

The session and the weekend ended with a rousing version of ‘Joe Avery’s Piece’ and then the grand finale with all the musicians playing – drum roll please – ‘High Society’ with Noel & Dan doing the famous Alphonse Picou clarinet solo. This was followed with a reprise of ‘We’ll Meet Again’ which Jeff and Dan sang earlier – very nostalgic and, as always, nobody wanted it to be over……………..
Sue Finn 10/15/2015

None of this would have been possible without the aid of devoted and dedicated volunteers, some of whom worked all year to help Jeff and Joel.

john hedden, maureen, marty fay, in back mairi bryan and andee coroll

John Hedden, Maureen, Marty Fay, in back Mairi Bryan and Andee Carolla

Judy Postemsky, Andee Corolla, Mairi Bryan, Glenn Ott, Carol Ott, Eric Devine, Bruce Scranton, standing behind Lecia Scranton

Judy Postemsky, Andee Carolla, Mairi Bryan, Glenn Ott, Carol Ott, Eric Devine, Bruce Scranton, standing behind Lecia Scranton

Misty (VFW), Glenn Ott, Bruce Scranton, Judy Postemsky, in front of Bruce is Lecia and in front of Lecia, Carol

Next Year:
2016 House Party Dates: October 7, 8, 9.
Friday Night Taste of the Weekend! – October 7th- music 7:30-9:30pm, $40.00 per person featuring the one and only Paris Washboard with Jeff Barnhart!
Tickets are already half sold (purchased by the people at this House Party!)
This will sell out, so get your tickets soon.

See you there??? Marce

Blue Horizon Jazz Band at Primavera Ristorante November 5, 2015

Posted on November 6, 2015 by admin

Stan McDonald’s Blue Horizon Jazz Band

Phil Person trumpet, Stan McDonald soprano sax and clarinet, John Kafalas trombone, Gerry Gagnon tuba, Jack Soref guitar, Steve Taddeo drums

Stan began on soprano sax with I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me, guitar intro to What Is This Thing Called Love; an old chestnut rarely done, It Had To Be You.

Stan moved to clarinet for My Gal Sal, taking the vocal.
Tijuana was HOT!

Steve Taddeo plays softly too!

Baby, Ain’t I Good To You.. Taddeo was playing like Baby Dodds, varying his drum patterns with accents and flourishes; keeping the beat with the bass drum while playing buzz rolls on the snare.

Phil Person, Berklee College of Music

Rose of Rio Grande, melody was established by Phil’s marvelous trumpet. We’re fortunate to have him. He is friendly and easygoing, humorous, a straight ahead trumpeter.

He’s played with the Artie Shaw Orchestra, White Heat Swing Orchestra, Swing Legacy, and Duke Belaire Jazz Orchestra. Phil teaches ear training at Berklee.

John Kafalas trombone and Gerry Gagnon Tuba

An upbeat Lover Come Back To Me, with Phil starting on muted trumpet was incredible, with Gerry Gagnon playing that monstrous tuba in double time!

John Kafalas played trombone with feeling and skill making this truly a tour de force.

Jack Soref, Django-style guitarist

Our favorite Gypsy Jazz guitarist, Jack Soref, provided an expert rhythm beat along with drum and tuba.

At breaktime, Jack played Django Rheinhardt’s Nuage, softly backed by tuba, then joined by Stan McDonald on soprano sax. Beautiful!

Stan McDonald does Bechet on soprano sax

Leader Stan McDonald’s forte has always been Sidney Bechet. He played a genuinely heartfelt Si Tu Vois Ma Mere with warm melodic lines.

They wrapped the evening up with a fascinating Dardanella, at one point with the tuba backed only by guitar, and ended it with a joyous romp.

These musicians are a treasure; we hope they’ll all return with The Blue Horizon Jazz Band in 2016. Many thanks to Ellen McDonald, who has provided us with fantastic jazz every week for the last 20 years!

Jimmy Mazzy & The Last Minute Men House Party

Posted on November 5, 2015 by admin

Jimmy Mazzy, Moishe Feldman and The Last Minutemen

Moishe Feldman piano, Jimmy Mazzy banjo, Gid Loring cornet, Frank Batchelor trombone; back Jack Martin trombone, Craig Ball clarinet

NOTE: Jimmy Mazzy and The Last Minute Men have a new luncheon venue starting Sunday, November 22nd, 11am-2pm at Trails End Cafe, 97 Lowell Road, Concord, MA 01742 Phone: (978) 610-6633 Harold Koch piano. Come give them a warm welcome!

The inimitable Jimmy Mazzy

Jimmy Mazzy and The Last Minutemen with Moise Feldman on piano played at a House Party hosted by close friends on November 4th with about 50 fans enjoying the music.

For four happy months they gathered to honor their independence from the terribly, taxing, trying tyranny of tables.

What a ‘happy habit’ this became Gathering together to celebrate friendship and honoring Carrie and Jimmy Mazzy and the Last Minute Men

Moishe Feldman

MOiSHE from RUSSIA, also known as Michael Feldman, accompanies Jimmy with the Last Minutemen whenever he can. Now an American Citizen, he is a pianist, keyboardist, accordionist, orchestra leader, music producer/arranger in Classic Jazz, Ragtime and Klezmer music.

Nick Ribush on washboard

93-year-old Carol Moeller enjoyed sitting in on piano for a couple of numbers.

You can hear Nick Ribush backing Carol playing fine washboard!

Spark plug – Craig Ball

Craig Ball, clarinetist is a spark plug, lit up the whole band! Craig is leader of the White Heat Swing Orchestra that played at Boston’s Roxy night club for four years, and later swinging on the wharf at The Boston Harbor Hotel.

Carrie Mazzy, Harold Koch

Carrie Mazzy sang After You’ve Gone, with Harold Koch on piano.

Harold will be with the Last Minutemen when they start at a new venue in Concord on November 22nd.

Please come and support them for lunch 11am-2pm at Trails End Cafe, 97 Lowell Road, Concord, MA 01742.

Marce

The Ramblers at Primavera Ristorante October 29, 2015

Posted on October 31, 2015 by admin

4-pc Trad Band, banjo, keyboard keeping beat, clarinet, cornet/flugelhorn front line

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 25^th 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

JJHP 2015 Saturday afternoon

Posted on October 10, 2015 by admin

——–> Friday Saturday Evening Sunday

Joel Schiavone welcomes everone.

After a delicious brunch created by the Kitchen Crew of Volunteers, Joel welcomed everyone to the Saturday afternoon session. Aficionados of all ages came from everywhere; Walter Landry was here at 96!

We all know that if you change one or two persons in a band, it changes the whole feeling/sound of the band. Jeff Barnhart used this to create many different bands, and bring variety to the House Party.

He created a band of the players, picked a leader, and suggested what type of tune they should play: up, slow, med-up, med-slow, WGJB style, Djangoesque, Yerba Buena style. The members got together, whether they’ve ever played together or not, and decided what tune to play and how they would handle it. They spoke to each other with their music. It created a “Festival” of bands.

Jeff Barnhart’s list of 28 instructions/performances started this afternoon with Scott Philbrick, Dan Levinson, Tom Boates, Jeff Barnhart, Joel Schiavone, Brian Nalepka, Jim Lawlor. Scott Philbrick was in charge for a medium-up tune that Brian could sing. When You’re Smiling.

Dan on tenor sax with Brian Nalepka behind him

Dan Levinson on fabulous tenor sax

The virtuosic Dan Levinson was back; this was his 17th year appearing at a Connecticut Jazz Festival.

He is responsible for many of the young musicians in New York playing our kind of music – Thank you, Dan!

He was in charge of this same group for a medium-slow tune (called for by the list.) Dan was inspiring on tenor sax with After You’ve Gone.

Tom Boates was next in charge for an up-tune, Baby Won’t You Please Come Home. And so it went with 28 tunes in every session a variety of music played by seventeen talented musicians. My cup runneth over!!

Donn Trenner, photo by Jan Sopelak

Group two introduced pianist Donn Trennor on keyboard. Trenner, 88 has a long history of playing and directing with many famous musicians. In the 1960s, Trenner worked as a studio musician, and led The Steve Allen Show house band. He also did work with Bob Hope. Donn has just released his book, Leave it to Me…. My Life in Music. He knows music!, playing sophisticated solo on Days of Wine and Roses , then rambling up with a powerful Satin Doll.

Molly Ryan sang a heartfelt Cottage For Sale, with Donn Trenner on keyboard; an enchanting duet.

Jim Lawlor, photo Jan Sopelak

Jim Lawlor came from New Jersey – traffic was horrendous, he was late, and minus a snare drum, But he managed well without it on Friday. By Saturday, the snare drum was located and all was well with the Trad Jazz world.

He even gave us a fine vocal on Pennies From Heaven, with Scott Philbrick and Brian Nalepka.

The third group had Molly on guitar, Dan on clarinet and tenor sax, Jeff back on keys, Kevin Dorn drums, for My Honey’s Loving Arms.

They do have fun playing music together. Molly’s vocal on My Blue Heaven, Dan grabbed the mic singing, “Just Molly and Me,” with Molly adding “and Barnhart makes three!” Check Jeff’s reaction!

Fourth band was led by Tom Boates with Jim Fryer, both fine trombonist, with Gen bass, Lawlor drums for a very different Mood Indigo from the Anderson Brothers.

Gen Rose, photo by Jan Sopelak

Genevieve Rose provides the right chords and excellent beat on string bass.

Fred Vigorito led the fifth band with a wild Oh Baby, lots of brass with Fred, Jim Fryer, Tom Boates, Scotty, Noel, Gen, Lawlor, Molly on guitar, and Donn Trenner keys,

Molly and Scott moved to guitar for a Noel and Fred’s knockout Chinaboy.

Fred and Noel let go on Sheik of Araby pushed by two guitars

Fred on cornet and Noel on soprano sax let loose on Chinaboy boosted by two guitars

Tom Boates joins them for 3 guitars – Molly sings Dark Eyes….

Fred, Noel, Jenn, Kevin, Tom, Jeff, Joel played a gripping Sleepy Time Down South, and a fine medley of Hoagy Carmichael songs.

Sleepy Time Down South

Molly returned with this group for I Wonder Who’s Kissing Him Now.

Molly Ryan

She was given the choice of picking musicians and asked, “Who wants to play with me?” — That had everyone grinning!

She chose Dan, of course, Jim Lawlor, Gen, Joel, Jim Fryer, and Donn Trenner for Be Sure Its True When You Say I Love You – a beautiful waltz.

Getting back to a favorite Traditional Jazz number, with Yerba Buena’s, Bienville Blues, otherwise known as Storyville Blues, with veteran Trad players Freddy Vigorito and Scott Philbrick on cornet.

7 piece Trad Jazz Band with Joel in back

Yerba Buena number, Bienville Blues

Kevin Dorn

Canal St. Blues was a King Oliver stomp, with a powerful front line, livewire ensemble, backed by Kevin’s light but forceful drumming.

Time for another Banjorama, with Joel leading, and everyone singing along with Patriotic songs.

Joel singing hearily backed by Fred on cornet

Joel leads the Banjorama, photo by Jan Sopelak, Show Photography

Tom Boates and Gordon Au

New York’s Gordon Au arrived. Welcome back, Gordon!!

Molly had the final vocals, intuitively connecting with the mood of each song: A Good Man is Hard to Find, I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles, and Get Out And Get Under The Moon.

Gordon joined on trumpet for a prolific brass finale, with Fryer on euphonium and Nalepka on tuba.

Gordon Au joins in Finale

It was a thrilling, crowd pleasing afternoon. We took a break and returned with a full house, anticipating a fine Saturday dinner and a Jazzy evening.

New England Traditional Jazz Plus

Swing, Traditional Jazz, Dixieland Jazz, Big Bands

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