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After a delectable lunch, Bria had the first set, calling for Big Butter & Egg Man with Joe Midiri clarinet and Jeff Barnhart on piano.
Noel always seemed to be amongst the missing, which became a joke after a while. Jeff coaxed everyone into letting out one big holler "NOEL!!" and it continued throughout the whole weekend whenever we couldn't find him. 1920's Get Out And Get Under The Moon, Vince started on bass sax, then string bass for his vocal, accompanied by Lew, Noel, Jeff, Jimmy, and Kevin.
Joe Midiri featured on soprano saxophone. He thanked Jeff for giving him an opportunity to play without his twin brother. Asked why he was playing soprano sax? He said there was an ad in the paper, "Sax for sale", and his brother picked up the phone. He played a poignant Sidney Bechet Si Tu Vois Ma Mere. (If You See My Mother.) Stevedore Stomp was a barn-burner, with two trumpets, two trombones, two clarinets, two banjos - Joel and Jimmy.
Three banjos, Joel, Jimmy, and Bob for Cakewalking Babies, making it up on the fly.
King Oliver time. Bria trumpet, Lew cornet, Herb, Noel, Vince, Trumpet and Cornet going WILD! backed by Robin, Albie and Kevin.
Strike Up The Band, reed feature. Noel says, "There are two kinds of people: those who play reeds, and those who wish they could play reeds. Demonstration, Noel and Joe, ending the tune with a fiery clarinet duet. "Take THAT, trumpets!!" Jimmy Mazzy picked Mood Indigo. Good choice. Jimmy is renowned as one of the finest banjo players, but we love to hear him sing ballads. Backed by Joe Midiri with Albie's tuba making the floors vibrate!
Midiri set on Indiana, strong ensemble start. Vince on string bass and vocal, with Bria, Fred, Herb, Noel, Barta. Vince pounding that bass. No wonder it's metal!
When You Are In Love, lovely, sweet. Joe Midiri had all of us holding our breaths with one long, prolonged note.
Kevin took out the drum sticks and let go on a great drum solo. He can be a Gene Krupa, but eschews the limelight and prefers to keep the band in proper time.
He has a Traditional Jazz Band of his own called the Big 72,
(formerly The Traditional Jazz Collective), and plays
Traditional Jazz in New York with several other
bands. Between him and Bria, our music will be around
for a while.
www.kevindorn.com Bria says Jeff knows thousands of songs, but he never did this one - a Django special. Je Suis Seul Ce Soir. (I Am Alone Tonight). Pretty, touching, tune sung in perfect French by a pretty lady. Noel's up. Where is he? Everybody yells "NOEL!!" Herb's set with Freddy cornet, Noel clarinet, Vince tuba, Tom drums. The Boswell Sisters' Sentimental Gentleman From Georgia with the Galvanized!. Joel and Jimmy on banjo. Vince is on tuba, muted by the low ceiling. Perfect room for our kind of music. Jeff suddenly changes the rhythm to 2/4! (No complaints. They know nothing is in writing, everything is off the cuff.) Joel's gig, Your Father's Mustache Reprise. Joel and Craig have been friends for a long time. They were at Harvard together in 1961, playing with the Seven Sons of Harvard. Joel says Craig was the only guy who had a wife and child, working his way through Harvard playing trombone. Then he went to IBM. He's still playing trombone. Playing YFM songs requires audience participation, and this gang was glad to oblige. Giordano took out his banjo, Noel joined in, Bob and Jimmy in the back.
Singalong: I Want A Girl Just like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad, Five Foot Two, Gladys Isn't gratis Anymore (X rated), Bye Bye Blackbird, Side By Side, Glory Glory Halleluiah, Dixie, Shanty Town, Be Sure It's True When You Say I Love You, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Give My Regards To Broadway, Grand Old Flag, America, and Joel always ends it with everybody standing up to God Bless America. YFM Reprise. Vigorito had the next set, no bass or drum for Once In a While, written by Lil Armstrong for the The Hot 5, who had no bass or drum, but fine musicians who did some significant recordings. Finale time was approaching, but everyone was so energized, nobody wanted to stop. Everybody came up for the last Saturday night tune, but it was a tight squeeze. Bria and Craig are hidden back there, as are Jimmy and Bob on banjos, and Albie, for When You're Smiling.
Jeff said this was the First Annual Jeff and Joel House Party, and it
made him smile tonight!! Go to your homes and hearths, come
back tomorrow, continue to support this music! SUNDAY Well, we made it through a wild Saturday. We're almost all back on Sunday, adding more people, because the threatened one-inch of snow turned out to be only rain. First up was breakfast with bacon, eggs, quiches of various types, lox and bagels, and more. Lots of coffee. There was always some kind of snack and coffee available all weekend. Various Cheesecakes. Oh man, the diet didn't last long! People were still arriving, when Barta and Barnhart challenged each other, piano vs. banjo.
The first band on Sunday started with a tumultuous Oh Baby! with Herb trombone, Joel banjo, Freddy cornet, Midiri clarinet, Jeff piano, Tom drums, Albie tuba. Pulsating ensemble, Midiri on high register clarinet, Herb has an impressive 32-bar chorus, backed by rhythm section, Tom just tapping the hi-hat. What a way to start the day!!
Vince took the intro on tuba for Baby Won't You Please Come Home, then ensemble, with Noel, Craig, Jimmy, Robin Kevin. Bria's vocal on this Bessy Smith song was passionate and personal, the monster tuba quietly playing chords, you hardly even know he's there. Kevin was using brushes softly on the snare drum and ride cymbals.
Lew Green had the next
set with the "All Stars", Vince bass, Herb trombone, Joe reeds, Robin
piano, Bob Barta banjo, for a scorching Shake That Thing. Tremendous power between
cornet and bass sax; sparkling Barta banjo solo. Vince
on vocal. Both Bob and Jeff say they are disciples of Jimmy Mazzy, his supporting cast for his vocal on Wasting My Love on You, some obscure tune written about 1930 - Jimmy has a million of them. Fabulous Lew cornet, Vince bowing the string bass for the final notes.
"NOEL!" Bob Barta, composer, wrote a tune that only Jeff had played before. So he called Robin up - completing a group that had never heard the song they were about to play.
Next set was one of Jelly Roll's Red Hot Peppers tunes. They decided against it because every note was written out. Trash that! Craig, Lew, Noel, Jeff, Jimmy, Tom, Albie did one of JRM's classics instead, Grandpa's Spells. Hot piano, cornet leading, clarinet comping. The leader got so engrossed in the music he forgot to designate the next player - there was a sudden silence - first time this evening. But when piano-man Verdier hears silence, his piano quickly fills it with a few notes that set a bearing, and the whole band gets back in line. They finished Grandpa's Spells on a dime. Bria's next vocal was upbeat, Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone. Joe playing Pee Wee Russell clarinet. Big grin on Tom, using steady brushes on snare drum.
Mahogany Hall Stomp. Bria and her trumpet were in complete control of an all male cast, piano, two clarinets, Lew and Freddy cornet. Herb's trombone swapping with banjos. Nice ensemble. Lew surprising everyone with a long, extended note. Marvelous!
Jimmy takes the intro to Everything is Hotsy Totsy Now, with Noel, Robin, Kevin, Bria, Albie. Trombone time. Powerful number, with Herb and Craig, Blues My Naughty Sweety Gives To Me. Craig takes the first chorus, then Herb, backed by Jeff's passionate piano, Vince on bass sax, Kevin drums. Bob Barta banjo. INTENSE! Everyone turns towards the dining room, facing folks who until now have been getting only a side view. "Time to go to New Orleans in Guilford, Mecca of Jazz!" While We Danced At The Mardi Gras. Johnny Mercer, 1931. Joel on vocal, softly backed by Midiri's clarinet. "NOEL!" Noel comes sauntering in for Vince's gig, Robin, Jimmy on banjo, J C Johnson's Take Your Tomorrow and Give Me Today. Bria trumpet, Jimmy banjo. Vincebacking softly on string bass and solo on bass sax. I've Got a Feeling I'm Falling, Jeff piano, with soft Herb trombone backup. Freddy very soft muted cornet, Albie keeping tuba low . Piano and banjo swapping. Nice melodic tuba. Finished with great ensemble. Jeff, Joe, Freddie, Herb, Bob, Joe. Kevin, Albie Sleep was raucous! All brass, then clarinets one at a time. Great string bass and clarinet. Noel kept prodding Vince, giving him a workout that ended with a rapacious bass sax! Going To Memphis, was changed to
Going to Guilford - Midiri scatting, going into a soprano sax solo, swapping with drummer, then taking up the clarinet, ending up high in the stratosphere! Fabulous! Five banjos! and Jimmy is still behind the pole. Janie Campedelli where were you??
Times almost up. "What, already???" Planned Finale: It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing, but Joel wants Alabama Jubilee.
Audience is put to a vote. They play Don't Mean a Thing, then segue into Alabama, and finish with We'll Meet Again......
- and we will meet again, because we're doing it again NEXT YEAR!!
This Part 3 of 3, and all will remain Under construction until most of the videos are up, which will probably take until next year! So bookmark it, and keep visiting!! Marce Enright and Eric Devine Comments: Laura of East Haven Connecticut says "It was a wonderful weekend. Beautiful music, talented and so gifted musicians Wonderful food, cozy atmosphere, and a lot of happy people! Music like this makes everyone smile. What happy music!!" Marty Fay of North Haven, Connecticut says, "Excellent music in an intimate setting - unfortunately not as available/frequent as it once was." Manson Solomon , pianist Claudia Clay "What a great week-end. I was sorry to see it end." Freddy's and more comments
Jeff & Joel's House Party, Part One Two Three
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