New Black Eagle Jazz Band
Luncheon at the Sherborn Inn
January 23, 2013
Powerful front line, Stan Vincent trombone, Tony
Pringle cornet, Billy Novick clarinet.
A piercing laugh that cuts through the crowd, a
beer set warming on a table, Tony's low-tone growl between notes. Hasn’t changed in 41 years. Must be the New Black Eagle
Jazz Band!
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Guest pianist for this Sherborn Inn Luncheon was Ross Petot.
He played as if he'd been with
this band forever. Not so.
Ross's piano is always in the
background somewhere, a few notes here and there, filling any
spaces. Difficult. This band doesn't leave many spaces!
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Propulsive rhythm section, Peter Bullis banjo keeping
that Trad Jazz beat, still wearing his red sox; Jesse Williams
string bass, Ed Reynolds drums.
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Jesse took the first chorus on
Hiawatha (A Summer Idyll) bowing on string bass, then driving the
tempo with a slap bass
on second chorus, Ed's drum sounding like a tom tom.
Rhythm section kept sensitive stop
chorus behind Billy's brilliant alto sax on
Sam Morgan's Bogalusa Strut, with more of Jesse's slap
bass, on a borrowed instrument!
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Billy was featured with the rhythm boys and Ross Petot on
Billy Strayhorn’s Chelsea Bridge, playing long, melodic lines,
and his own signature, hair-raising phrasing.
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Stan Vincent and his Tailgate Trombone were robust
and swinging in Give Me Your Telephone Number, a tune written by a trombone
player, J.C. Higgenbotham.
Tony had the vocal on When Your
Hair Has Turned To Silver, followed by Stan's smoldering
trombone, Ross comping on piano. Love this music!!
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Ross was featured on Jelly Roll Morton's Honeysuckle
Rose, playing in different styles, including his own special stride.
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Following a universal search for a proper reed player for the
band, Billy Novick joined the
New Black Eagles more than 25 years ago, (seems like yesterday!) and
has been a driving force behind the band ever
since.
Billy has also written much of the music for The Great Gatsby
Ballet performed at
the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington
D.C. Heads up, California: He'll be taking Billy's
The Great Gatsby Ballet to Sacramento, CA
on February 7-10. |
Billy and his
Selmer Mark VI of the 60’s,
the Cadillac of alto saxophones |
The drivers work together producing powerful, moving rhythm...
Ed Reynolds |
Jesse Williams |
They wrapped it up with the same Brahms Lullaby that we danced to in the mid-70's.
Some things don't change.
NOTE: They'll be back on the 2nd Thursday of each month, except for Valentine's day -
the New Black Eagle Jazz Band will be back at the Sherborn Inn on February 21st.
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| By Marce,
Updated January 2013
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