Galvanized Jazz Band
at Elim Park Place, Cheshire CT May 17, 2011
By Jean Hadley
Photo by Ed Ohr
Galvanized Jazz Band at the Suncoast Dixieland
Classic recently - photo by Ed Ohr |
Elim Park Place
Galvanized Jazz Band
Cook Hill Rd. Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Cheshire, CT 7:30 - 8:30
By Jean Hadley
Nestled on a beautiful piece of New England property, between Hamden
and Wallingford and close to Sleeping Giant Mountain, lies Elim Park
Place a retirement community.
As I entered the tastefully decorated reception room, I was greeted
by a staff member who directed me to Nelson Hall - Elim's center for
performing arts and where the GJB would be performing. I was
impressed! The room, which holds 300, is architecturally and
acoustically one of the nicest I have seen.
While I was preparing my parasols for the evening (a New Orleans
tradition) and waiting for several staff members to select which
ones they would use in the parade, I gave a brief history of their
significance.
One staff member revealed she was quite familiar with parasols
because she was from New Orleans and a victim of Katrina, now
living here in Connecticut with her seven year old daughter and
husband. She and her family were looking forward to an evening that
would bring back memories of growing up in New Orleans before
Katrina.
With the audience assembled, the band and parasol strutters ready at
the back of the room....let the music begin!
The band found its way down the aisle playing Bourbon Street Parade,
twelve parasols were swinging left to right as the dancers strutted
their stuff. The audience loved it and soon found themselves in a
New Orleans mood.
Once the band settled down on stage, the next selection went to
another street in New Orleans.....Basin Street Blues.
Bringing Connecticut to the front, the band played Yale's Porter
Steele's 1901 High Society. A wonderful opportunity for Bill
Sinclair-piano and Russ Whitman-clarinet to show their stuff.
Thanks guys!
Two spirituals were played beautifully. The Old Rugged Cross and
Just A Closer Walk With Thee.
In between Jelly Roll Morton's Milenburg Joys and a delightful
medley of Louis Armstrong's hits (with Freddy playing his heart
out,) Art Hovey made love to his bass and mike by singing Love Me
With A Feeling. This always brings howls from the audience.
Fred got audience attention and participation when he introduced a
sing-along. Songs we all knew and songs that were authored when a
movie and a gallon of gas cost a nickel. The old prices are no
longer here but the music lingers on.
Tiger Rag (a Freddy favorite) was fun and wild!
The evening came to a close with the ever popular "Saints" and the
parasol dancers.
Thanks to the band:
Fred Vigorito, Russ Whitman, Bill Sinclair, Art Hovey, Bob
Bequillard.
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Elim Hall
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