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We spent three magnificent hours listening to non-stop Jazz and Swing at the 2012 ANNUAL JAZZ SPECTACULAR at the Sherborn Inn. Cozy, New England cuisine and warm hospitality; four fire places contribute to the warm setting. There was such a conglomeration of mixing and matching, musicians stepping in and out, that if felt like a Jazz Festival! Basically there were four bands, led by Stan McDonald, John Clark, Jeff Hughes, and the duet of Jim & Carrie Mazzy. The musicians were: Jeff Hughes cornet, Jeff Stout trumpet, Craig Ball clarinet, John Clark clarinet and alto sax, Stan McDonald clarinet and soprano sax, Ross Petot and Robin Verdier piano, Gerry Gagnon trombone and tuba, John Kafalas trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo, vocals, scat, Dan Weiner and Peter Gerler guitar, Al Ehrenfried string bass, Dave Bragdon drums, and marvelous vocalist Debby Larkin. The first band was Stan McDonald’s Blue Horizon Jazz Band, in it’s 18th year of Tuesday Jazz Series at the Sherborn Inn. They started with the appropriate New Orleans number, Strike Up The Band; and another favorite of Stan's, When I Leave The World Behind, with Stan on vocal.
Gerry Beaudoin moved to tuba, and John Kafalas took over on trombone, with Robin Verdier on piano, Stan on soprano sax for a lively Roses of Piccardie; especially fine ensemble by the front-line, with support from rhythm section bolstered by by Gerry's bass line tuba.
John Clark led this band, starting on alto sax, with Dan Weiner guitar, Gerry on tuba, Jeff Stout, Craig Ball, Robin, Jimmy, and Dave Bragdon on Royal Garden Blues. Brilliant duet by clarinet and trumpet, Jimmy scatting. It was WILD! Clark called for a tune for this day, Sunday. Craig moved back
and let Stout, Clark and Robin shine, then returned to the front
line.
John invited Stan McDonald to join the group. The soprano sax trading with clarinet, piano traded with tuba, they were having a ball. Jazz musicians don’t really know what’s going to happen from one moment to the next - they thrive on the challenge, and closed in splendid solid ensemble.
Kafalas added his trombone for Walter Donaldson’s
Love Me or Leave Me, with
It's Mazzy time - Jim and Carrie heartwarming duet with Ross on piano and Jeff Hughes cornet for Come On Over to My House and You're The One I Care For. You
never know what Jimmy is going to do; sometimes Jimmy doesn't know what
he'll do - it just comes out of his soul. But Jeff has been
backing Jimmy for many years, and knows how to softly accompany the
vocals.
We had the very good fortune of sitting with Joe Mathieu - who personally created the logo and sketches of musicians for this site about fifteen years ago. www.joemathieu.com I asked him to take some notes for a few minutes. This is what happens when an artist takes notes!
Jeff Hughes took over leadership of the next set. Dave Bragdon drums, Gerry tuba, Robin piano, John Kafalas trombone. Stan McDonald played his heart out on soprano sax on a rousing New Orleans Traditional Jazz number by King Oliver, Riverside Blues. Craig Ball replaced McDonald with clarinet hitting the stratosphere on Wipe It Off (similar to Shake That Thing) playing free and loose, enjoying every minute of this. Dave let loose with a blazing drum solo. Quickly moving along, John Clark replaced Craig on clarinet, backing a Jimmy Mazzy vocal on Santa Clause Blues.
Robin Verdier was featured on Back in My Honey's Loving Arms, playing with rhythmic feeling, backed by the splendid pulse of banjo, bass and drums.
Ross replaced Robin on piano creating another 'new' band - Jeff Hughes cornet, Dan Weiner guitar, Al Ehrenfried string bass, and Jimmy Mazzy.
The music was constantly in flux, there were no pauses. Deb Larkin joined hubby Jeff Stout on What Are You Doing New Years? with both Clark and Ball on clarinet, and an excellent Eddy Condon solo by Dan Weiner on guitar.
Everything sparked! Ross prodding marvelous sounds out of the piano on Vincent Youman’s I Know That You Know, backed by Al's formidable string bass.
Everyone was up for the Finale, led by Jeff Hughes, jamming with a bluesy Blues, bringing an end to three magnificent hours of listening to our fine New England musicians.
Jazz is Alive and Well at the Sherborn Inn!! They'll all be back on Tuesdays in 2013. How lucky we are!!!! Thank you, Ellen McDonald! Come join us.
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