$4.95 Swingadelic: Ellington in D.C. Building Local Jazz Communities by Nat Hentoff NI GH T ing y la P ’s ho W SP EC IA LF IR ST Chuck Lambert Plays First Night GU ID E! Shirley Horn & Diana Krall re he W “Whether on a street corner or in a concert hall, you’ll find talented artists wherever you look. It’s no wonder we like Jersey best!” Bucky Pizzarelli John Pizzarelli Legendary Jazz Family Saddle River, New Jersey Expect the Unexpected! Created by Wordsmith Communications Group, Inc. Photography by Timothy White www.jerseyarts.com 1 800 THE ARTS Get your free Jersey Arts Resource Guide and Jersey Arts Ticket discount card! “WE LOVE YOU MADLY” Table of - Duke Ellington CONTENTS SWINGADELIC: ELLINGTON IN DC (A visit to the Duke Ellington Archives) 6 JSJBF programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and by funds from the National Endowment for the Arts. JSJBF receives support from: by Dave Post SOMETHING OLD/SOMETHING NEW (Shirley Horn/Diana Krall) Bunberry Company CD 101.9 DW Smith, LLC International Paper Company New Jersey Department of Travel & Tourism PlanetConnect, Inc. Salvation Army of Asbury Park Women’s Club of Red Bank 9 by Paul Richards LISTEN (“…to the swinging melting pot”) 10 and from many other generous friends. by Joe Muccioli FRANKIE LAROCKA TRIBUTE (Friends turn out for Hot Monkey Love drummer) ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES! 12 Your advertisement belongs in Jazz & Blues Notes! by Lou Acevedo For jazz and blues bands, it's a great way to keep your name out RED BANK FIRST NIGHT GUIDE 15 (See the times and locations for all the New Year’s Eve performers in JBN’s special First Night Guide in the center of this magazine) For retailers, venues and service providers, it’s an unparalleled there for potential bookings. BUILDING LOCAL JAZZ COMMUNITIES (Noted writer lends JBN a story!) 30 by Nat Hentoff means of reaching a sophisticated audience that makes the music a key part of its life. For everyone, it’s a great way to support the important work of the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation. The JBN readership for this issue (6,000 copies) should top 13,000 jazz and blues fans, music business pros, and Red Bank First Nighters. Contact us today to advertise in our next issue. Advertising and copy closing date is February 15, 2006. Call 732-933-0541 or email [email protected] for rates and specs. ROXY PERRY INTERVIEW (On the way to the IBC) 32 ISSUE CLOSING DATE (articles/adverts) Spring - Musician Services 2/15/06 Summer - Jazz & Blues Festival 3/15/06 Fall - RiverFest 6/15/06 Winter - First Night 9/15/06 by Susie O’Kane PUBLICATION DATE 3/15/06 6/1/06 9/1/06 12/1/06 JERSEY SHORE JAZZ AND BLUES FOUNDATION A quarterly publication of the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation © 2005 Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation 25 Bridge Avenue Suite 150 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732 933-0541 [email protected] www.jsjbf.org STAFF Ron Steelman, Executive Editor Leigh Stoecker, Graphic Design & Production Peggy Buck, Ad Sales John Onorato, Bookkeeping D.M. Davenport, Ad Design & Production Suzie O’Kane, Contributing Editor COVER PHOTO: Ron Steelman BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dennis Eschbach, President Fred Reilly, 1st Vice President Steve Pszczola, 2nd Vice President Steve Chrepta, Treasurer Mel Lowe, Secretary Nicky Coppola, Chairman - Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival Pat Arochas Fletcher Barkley Jimmy Cafone CJ Civitano Tom Cuchiarra Jeff Ginsberg Gene Iadanza Patti Wade JSJBF ADVISORY BOARD Nicky Coppola, Past President Mark North, Past President Cheryl Cummings - Executive Director, Brookdale Network Michelle Farlow Hon. Joe Kyrillos, Jr. Senator, 13th Senatorial District Hon. Edward J. McKenna, Jr. - Mayor, Red Bank, NJ Hon. Adam Schneider Mayor, Long Branch, NJ JSJBF MEETING SCHEDULE Monthly membership meetings are held at 8 pm, on the third Wednesday of each month at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa, One Ocean Blvd., Long Branch. Meetings begin with business and end with a jam session open to all. Jazz and Blues Notes Winter 2006 3 Letter from the PRESIDENT SEASON’S GREETINGS! On behalf of the Board of Trustees of the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation, I’d like to wish you a very happy and safe holiday season. This issue of Jazz and Blues Notes is a unique one that combines our regular quarterly newsletter with a special First Night insert. Again this year, the Foundation, along with event coordinator PlanetConnect, is bringing First Night to downtown Red Bank on New Year’s Eve. Plans are well under way for this year's event and we hope that all of you will come out and join us for a great night of music and fun for the entire family. In addition to festivities in Red Bank, we are hosting a special First Night in Atlantic Highlands on Friday, December 30th. Admission buttons are $10 and are good for admission to both events. In January, the Foundation will be sending The Roxy Perry Band to Memphis Tennessee to compete in the International Blues Challenge. This competition draws blues bands from all over the world and the winner gets a recording contract and national touring opportunities. To help defray the cost of travel and lodging, JSJBF will hold a benefit concert at the Ocean Place Resort on Sunday, January 8th from 3 til 8pm. The donation is $15 for members and $20 for non-members and the performers include Outside The Box, The Carlos Colina Band, The Tonemasters, last year’s local winner The Killer Blues Band, and The Roxy Perry Band. What a great lineup of music, so why not come out and have a good time with us. JSJBF is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to promote and preserve jazz and blues through performance and education. Our events like The CD101.9 Red Bank Jazz and Blues Festival, Harpin Help, which this year raised funds for The Children’s Cancer Fund Sunshine House, Long Branch Beachfest, Reckless Steamy Nights at The Women’s Club of Red Bank, and our JSJBF Youth Ensemble Jazz and Blues School all promote and educate listeners of jazz and blues. JSJBF NEW & RENEWING MEMBERS NOTE TO ALL JSJBF MEMBERS: Please send your current email address to [email protected] so that we can keep you up-to-date on jazz and blues news as it happens. WELCOME NEW INDIVIDUAL & FAMILY MEMBERS Mark Masefield Dale Bender Edward Noumair Everald Williams Vlasios Vlassopoulos Gina Neglio …AND NEW ARTIST MEMBERS The Elliott Baker Jazz Group Pamela Betti and the Bluebloods Patti Bramson Siora Road Scholars Dave Fields Leslie Ford & Group The Roger Girke Band Real Trouble Trio The BassBoards Blues Band Octavia and The Earthblood Blues Band PH101 Spring The Jeanne Lozier Band Jersey Shore Saxophone Quintet Doli and the Llamas Half Note Away Yvette Norwood-Tiger Jazz Ensemble The Cobra Bros Laranah Phipps Series of Shocks Anna Luana Tallarita Center Street Chris Thomas Band YoliAlto June Evans & Mercy City Phil Berkowitz & Louis' Blues Dukes of Destiny Junction Blues Band The Christopher Dean Band Furley D-raild Thomas Mallery The Grana Gabriele & Tangible Truth Leticia Walker Jerry Weinstein Jazz Squad The RocketMen Jo Wymer Yes, It’s Time to Join, It’s Time to Renew Enclosed is my tax-deductible, one-year membership fee. Please send my JSJBF membership card, T-shirt (first time members pick up at meeting), subscription to Jazz & Blues Notes, invitations to special events and more, to: Name: __________________________________________________________________ Street: __________________________________________________________________ Town: ________________________________ State: ___________ Zip: _______________ E-mail: _______________________________ Phone: _____________________________ Individual: $35 Family: $50 (One T-shirt only) Band: $65 (One T-shirt only) Full-time Student: $20 Lifetime Member: $300 Businesses $100 and up New member Renewal My company has a matching gift program. A form is enclosed. Charge my: Mastercard Visa American Express Account Number:__________________________________________________________ I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Jazz and Blues Notes and consider becoming a member of JSJBF. Our website, www.jsjbf.org has lots of information on all of our events and a calendar of great live music happening right here in our area. Please Support Live Music! Security Code: _________________________ Expiration date: ______________________ Billing Address: ___________________________________________________________ Signature:________________________________________________________________ HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! My check to Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation is enclosed: Mail completed coupon to: Dennis T. Eschbach President Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation 25 Bridge Avenue Red Bank, NJ 07701 4 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes You may also fax to 732 933-9455 or join online through the membership page of www.jsjbf.org First Time Members T-shirt Size M L XL XXL Pick up T-Shirt at meeting. I’d love to get involved, please contact me. ALL ABOUT JSJBF The nationally renown Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival and its more than 150,000 music fans, international headliners and scorching newcomers is only a part of what JSJBF offers its members and the entire music community. www.jsjbf.org www.RedBankFestival.com Heritage and Future The Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation began informally back in 1988 when a few local music fans met in a nite club and plotted out the first Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Festival. Since then JSJBF has grown in numbers and range of activities. Our goal is to preserve, promote and perpetuate jazz and blues in the Jersey Shore region, through performance and education. Jazz ‘N’ Blues In the Schools We offer a variety of in-school, educational assemblies, clinics and workshops. Our performers and presenters bring musical history to life, help school bands bend the standards into jazz or blues, offer writing guidance and much more. Volunteer music educators provide weekly classes to the next generation of headliners enrolled in JSJBF’s Youth Jazz & Blues Ensemble. Scholarships and Awards Having lost jazz and blues comrades both young and old, we honor and celebrate jazz musician Tal Farlow and promoter Michael Goforth with memorial scholarships that ensure that the music they loved will play on through talented young performers. The annual Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes artistic integrity over the course of a career. The Award of Merit honors a New Jersey resident for extraordinary support of jazz or blues. Benefit Performances & Community Events Each year JSJBF’s Harpin’ Help raises funds to benefit a local charity. Throughout the year, JSJBF assists local organizations by arranging music for community events. Jazz & Blues Notes Quarterly newsletter offers informative and entertaining writing on our favorite music and the folks who make it, great event coverage and photos of all the fun. The Big Picture Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation members receive: - Monthly alerts about upcoming events and news of importance to members. (You’ll want to receive these emails!) - Discounts on JSJBF events and at area music venues. - United Teletech Credit Union membership eligibility. - Affinity Credit Union membership eligibility. - JSJBF T-shirt for new members. - Subscription to Jazz & Blues Notes, and more. JSJBF Supports Its Member Bands - Performance opportunities - Promotional packages - CD compilation - Booking incentives with local clubs - www.jsjbf.org link to your band site, and more Check Us Out Monthly meetings are held on the third Wednesday each month, at a location that offers live jazz or blues. What other meetings start with business at 8 pm, and end with a jam session open to all? WWW.JSJBF.ORG is your link to the music, the bands, the festivals and fund raisers, a calendar of the best jazz and blues at the shore and beyond, plus a wealth of links to interesting and helpful sites. Pitch in and help JSJBF’s many active volunteers are serious about enjoying the music and supporting JSJBF’s projects and events. Who says you can’t have fun while working hard with a bunch of great people? Opportunities include events, promotional activities, fund raising, outreach, educational programs and more. How do we get it all done? JSJBF is run by an elected board of trustees, committees, and other volunteers. A core staff provides professional management and operational support. JSJBF is a NJ nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization. JSJBF connects musicians and fans with the jazz and blues scene well beyond the Jersey Shore. We sponsor bands to play at festivals and music events in other parts of the U.S., and have recently begun an international band exchange. JSJBF is a member of the Blues Foundation and the Monmouth County Arts Council. Jazz and Blues Notes Winter 2006 5 Swingadelic Visits THE ELLINGTON ARCHIVES BY DAVE POST On October 20th and 21st fellow band mate, pianist and vocalist John Bauers and I had a golden opportunity to visit the Duke Ellington Archives at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. An appointment had been set up for me by Claudia Telliho of the Folkways division. We were greeted at the Archives by Reuben, the head curator of the Ellington material. First, we were shown a brief video about the center, the Ellington collection and most importantly, the handling and care of the original documents and manuscripts. The Ellington archives were donated by Mercer Ellington in 1988 and consists boxes and boxes of musical sketches, conductor’s scores, individual parts of arrangements, oral histories, photos, posters, business records and other ephemera. We were given two huge loose lease folders as an index and a book of handwriting samples by Duke Ellington, son Mercer, Billy Strayhorn and copyists Tom Whaley and Joe Benjamin. Then the fun began. We started requesting various songs from the catalog and perusing the index. The documents arrived. Hand written scores and arrangements dated back to the twenties. To any Ellington fan or scholar, this was like being able to touch the Gettysburg address. Duke was here! With pencil and pen he wrote this music that I’m holding in my hand! Part of the Ellington legacy was his ability to use the strong musical personalities of his band members to his advantage. Individual parts were not labeled ALTO 1 or TENOR 2 but the band member’s name was always there instead. “Rab” for Johnny Hodges, (whose nicknames were Rabbit and Jeep) “Tricky” for Sam Nanton, “Rex” for Rex Stewart, “Butter” for Quentin Jackson and so on. Some ideas were written out on hotel stationary. Many manuscripts were coffee or booze stained and had little notes written in by the band members, such as what mute to use and when, or math problems and personal notes in the margins. This was jazz history in progress. Many of the arrangements were incomplete or mixed up with other arrangements of the same song from different eras. From what we saw Duke never wrote out the drum parts, rarely the bass and once in a while an intro for himself. While John studied “Solitude” one of his personal favorites, my goal was to try to get some arrangements copied for our alternate Monday night big band and for a smaller unit of Swingadelic that does an Ellington program in some Hudson County elementary schools. I got an original sketch of “The Mooche”, partial arrangements of “Jeep’s Blues” and “Blues To Be Here”, a fairly complete arrangement of a ballad called “All Too Soon” (a trombone feature for Lawrence Brown) and what I considered a prize, a complete arrangement of 6 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes the 30’s era “The Gal From Joe’s”. This was a bittersweet find because Swingadelic was recently asked to record this for a new movie featuring Michele Hurd and Rita Moreno, and I had been up late many nights transcribing from an mp3 file and transposing parts for the band. Had I known it was in a box in Washington DC! It was a productive and relaxing two days and we hope to be able to return next year. The band will be doing some “all Ellington” programs in 2006. Check our news page on www.swingadelic.com for a link to “The Gal from Joe’s” and see our media pages for Ellington tune’s we’ve recorded on our CD’s. “In A Mellow Tone” from Boogie Boo!, “Country Gal” from Organ-ized! And, “Way Back Blues” from Big Band Blues. Something Old - Something New SHIRLEY HORN BY PAUL RICHARDS Jazz Pianist and vocalist Shirley Horn died, October 20th 2005, in her native Washington DC of complications from diabetes. Her smooth, sultry voice and dexterous piano playing transformed any song she performed into a satisfyingly intimate experience for the listener. A child prodigy, Horn began playing at age 4 leading to classical composition studies at Howard University when she was only 12 years old. Turning down an offer to attend the prestigious Julliard School due to financial limitations, Horn continued at Howard before she discovered jazz through pianists such as Erroll Garner and Ahmad Jamal. In 1960, she recorded her first album “Embers and Ashes” in New York City and eventually caught the attention of Miles Davis. Davis offered her the chance to open for him at the Village Vanguard exposing her to a larger jazz audience. After an unsuccessful attempt by Quincy Jones to cast her as a stand-up singer and finding it difficult to compete with the rising rock scene, she returned home to be a wife and mother. Not until 1980, after concert promoters heard her play at a local music convention and brought her to Holland to perform, was the jazz world finally able to appreciate Shirley Horn’s extraordinary sound. Her revival led to a recording deal with Verve and the release of a live performance at the Hollywood’s Vine Street Bar and Grill titled “I Thought About You” (1987). Perfectly capturing her inimitably delicate vocal and piano style, it was Horn’s &DIANA KRALL first major-label release in over twenty years. Shirley Horn performed at sold out concert halls and was lauded the world over as a first class jazz artist by music critics. She was inducted into the Washington Area Music Awards Hall of Fame in 1987 and recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts for lifelong contributions to jazz last year. A self-proclaimed musical descendant of Shirley Horn, popular jazz singer and pianist, Diana Krall, also began playing piano when she was only 4 years old. Born to a musical family in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, Krall was already playing jazz at local restaurants by her fifteenth birthday. Through the efforts of bassist, Ray Brown, she was exposed to influential teachers and producers and by age seventeen Krall had won a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston. After 3 terms, jazz pianist Jimmie Rowles took her under his wing in Los Angeles before Krall relocated in New York City in 1990. With the release of her first album “Stepping Out” (1993), Krall commenced a long standing and musically rewarding relationship with bassist John Clayton and drummer Jeff Hamilton. Now we find them together again with the November 1st release of “Christmas Songs” (2005). Produced by Tommy LiPuma and Diana Krall, the recording features a dozen holiday classics arranged by John Clayton, Johnny Mandel and Diana Krall. “Christmas Songs” serves nostalgically as both a tribute to the classic holiday recordings by Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney and Nat King Cole as well as a chance for Diana to perform the songs she loved singing with her family growing up in Nanaimo. “Yes, it’s a Christmas album, but I wanted to make this record in a style that the great singers that I admire used to make. I approached this record like I would any other jazz record. It had to swing!” Krall contends in a recent Verve press release. And swing it does, accompanied by the wonderful Clayton/Hamilton Orchestra as well as regular touring band members: guitarist Andrew Wilson and bassist Robert Hurst. Opening with a cooking version of “Jingle Bells, Krall and company take us on an enjoyable jaunt through a dozen classic holiday tunes such as “Let It Snow”, “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” as well as a charming rendition of “Sleigh Ride”. There are wonderfully personal moments throughout as on “Winter Wonderland” with Krall adding the line “we’ll frolic and play the Canadian way”, an appealing reference to her beloved homeland. Ballads such as “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve”, “The Christmas Song” and Irving Berlin’s classic “White Christmas” are as delightfully smooth as hot cocoa on a cold winter’s night. All in all, “Christmas Songs” is a joyous toast to the holiday season and a splendid stocking stuffer to boot. Diana Krall, “Christmas Songs” (featuring the Clayton/Hamilton Jazz Orchestra) Verve 2005 1. Jingle Bells 2. Let It Snow 3. The Christmas Song 4. Winter Wonderland 5. I’ll Be Home For Christmas 6. Christmas Time Is Here 7. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 8. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 9. White Christmas 10. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve 11. Sleigh Ride 12. Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep Jazz and Blues Notes Winter 2006 9 LISTEN BY JOE MUCCIOLI We all listen to music differently from one another. We listen on different levels and for different reasons. For example, we may look at a painting and come away with a very different idea of what it means than others viewing the same work. Also, our habits and perceptions tend to change over time and perhaps we mature in our appreciation with experience and exposure. If you have ever taken an art appreciation course or heard anyone analyze a great painting or sculpture, you begin to “see” more in the artwork. More depth perhaps, more expression, or you may even begin to notice things that were never there for you upon the first viewing. For me it was a realization that the great masters were not just painting with color and brush strokes but were actually painting “light.” This put art in a completely new perspective. Listening to music is very much the same. With exposure to new sounds and with a little coaching on what to listen for, a music lover can come to profound revelations about music, and broaden the experience tremendously. And when I say "new sounds" I am speaking not only of new artists, new music fresh on the scene, but also of music from the earliest days that we have recorded. Listen to early Ragtime, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Louis Armstrong, Fletcher Henderson, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmy Lunceford, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, Art Tatum, Django Reinhart, Coleman Hawkins, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk, Miles Davis… just for a start. Each one brought us classic performances of this new American music, a 10 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes music that has come to be known as Jazz. Luckily we have much of it preserved on recordings. Music does not happen in a vacuum. Innovation and the progression of musical style is derivative. Musical artists and composers listen and learn from early works, add something of themselves and then present it as something that is hopefully fresh, enjoyable to an audience, and true to themselves in terms of artistic expression. It is up to us, the listeners, to try and find those connections. To relate previous innovations and development to what we are listing to currently. Of course, we need to be exposed to and listen with an open mind to early examples and styles in order to make those connections. In the course of my own work I listen to a tremendous amount of “classic” jazz as well as European influenced (classical) concert music. In fact I tend to program and perform music that brings the two genres together towards an understanding of the origins and influences that flow both ways. The term “jazz “ is often used to categorize so many different styles of expression that it can become inaccurate or misleading. Many believe that Jazz Music is strictly an improvised art form. While today, there are indeed improvisatory elements inherent in jazz there are also melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures that can be traced directly to a blending of European, African, South American, Caribbean, and even Eastern traditions. In fact the earliest forms of what we now call “jazz” had little improvisation. In New Orleans this music was not even first heard in speakeasy or bordellos, it was heard in the streets, in parades, picnics and civic events. An outgrowth of European marches and cakewalks through the syncopated rhythms of ragtime music to the very beginnings of jazz, melody was the prime factor. The great Louis Armstrong led the way in the development of improvised solos within the structure of a song. His solos were strong and brilliant. So much so that local musicians would listen to his records and copy his solos note for note and play them exactly that way in their own bands. This then wasn’t improvisation but imitation. Soon musicians began to learn how to improvise and therefore put a personal stamp on the standard tunes they would play. Jazz Music is a uniquely American art form. It is an amalgam of several disparate cultures blending into one swinging melting pot. It celebrates American values and portrays clear democratic ideals. Although in the beginning it was the result of a race of people transplanted against their will to American soil. It was a reaction to the oppression and the horrors they endured. It was an expression in music of what could not be said openly. Jazz has become a music that is much more than mere pop or dance forms. It is pure expression of individualism within the confines of social structure. Jazz is born of hope and freedom, even though it was pioneered and performed by a people who were routinely denied the full extent of the American dream. Today, this music is celebrated and performed the world over by people of every race and culture. Jazz music remains the greatest music to listen to on so many levels. Jazz can express profound artistic expression, giving us an excuse to be happy even if only for just a little while. Tap your feet, swing and sway, dance, strut, bob and weave, it is clearly infectious. The Blues is admittedly an essential element in Jazz. Born of similar roots, though the blues from rural America and jazz from the cities, the two styles veered off in different directions. The evolution of each exists side by side often crossing paths and borrowing from each other. To quote the great composer/pianist/band leader Duke Ellington, ”Music should be beyond category.” He wasn't concerned with categories, only with presenting the best music that he could. Personally, taking clues from my own musical heroes, I try to listen for music that has integrity, no matter the style or era. I listen to appreciate the artistic expression, the humor and the passion portrayed. To me, there are but two kinds of music, “good” music … and that other kind. The greats, from the early pioneers to the modern day jazz artists incorporate the Blues as one of the musical forms. Usually in 12 bar segments (though not always), and with a chordal structure passing through three tonal centers I, IV, and V (Chords built on the first degree of the scale, the fourth degree, and the fifth respectively). Jazz musicians and composers have elaborated on this and added further harmonic intricacies and while the overall structure was retained, the feeling and flavor can be quite different. Listen to Louis Armstrong on “West End Blues” from Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five recorded June 28, 1928. (Available on CD: The complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings, Columbia/Legacy C4K 63527) Armstrong is credited correctly as the source and inspiration of all jazz and even all American popular music that comes after him. In Jazz, A History of America’s Music, published by Alfred A. Knopf, Geoffrey C Ward wrote; …It is almost impossible to overstate Armstrong’s influence. He helped create the coherent solo, fused the sound of the blues with the American popular song, extended the range of the trumpet, and played on it with such power and rich musical imagination that half a century later, Miles Davis could say, “you can’t play anything on a horn that Louis hasn’t played. I mean even modern.” In “West End Blues”, Armstrong offered up one of the handful of unsurpassed artistic achievements of the 20th century. Listen to his superb phrasing and how the band follows smoothly under his lead. The Brilliant opening trumpet flourish shows off the power, glory, and at the same time, the sensitivity of his playing. This introduction, incidentally, was quoted extensively years later by trumpeter Bunny Berigan in his intro to the tune “I Cant Get Started With You”. This is something that jazz musicians often do. As a tribute they will quote a small passage of a former artist's solo and incorporate it in there own improvisations. Armstrong brought about a change from the earlier jazz tunes in that they had mostly a two beat feel. In “West End Blues” listen for the laid back, four beats to a bar, blues form and, even if you are not a schooled musician, listen to the harmonic changes along the way. Count out each 12 bar section or “chorus”, and try to hear how the last few bars of each wind down harmonically and prepares you for the next one. As a hint, the trombone begins the second 12-bar chorus. Listen to the conversation Armstrong has as he sings short alternating phrases with clarinetist Jimmy Strong. This type of wordless “scat” singing is used here as a sort of ‘call and response’ with the clarinet. The first time anything like it appears on record is by Armstrong himself in another of the Hot Fives; ”Heebie Jeebies” recorded almost two years earlier. Scat singing influenced countless jazz singers for generations to come. Yet another masterful moment is the great solo by pianist Earl Hines blurring the lines between composition and improvisation. Hines was perhaps the first musician who could keep up with Armstrong’s brilliant creativity. And afterwards, when the band begins the final chorus, listen for the subtle harmonic changes underneath Armstrong’s long held high C. Then he descends with a similar flourish that he began the tune, only this time in tempo and leaving the piano to lead the way out to a final tag ending. When young musicians ask me about how to learn to play jazz, I always tell them to listen to Louis Armstrong. Listen for two weeks to nothing but “Satchmo”. Listen even if that is not your style or your taste in music. This is the foundation of all that follows. You need to know where you came from to know where you are going. And, as the great 20th century philosopher, Yogi Berra once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up somewhere else.” D Dr r op D Dea ead Gr aphic a p hi c D es e s ig ign T h a t w on 't Ki Th K i l l y ou ou If you©re looking to pack a punch in the marketplace with professional and wildly creative graphic design, look no further! Leeii g h S t L toe o ec ck kee r Gr a p hi c D es esign, L LLC LC w w w . l e ig ighst toe o e cke c ke r. r . com c om 203-9 203 -9 12-1105 Music evolves because musicians listen to each other and to all that has come before them. Frank Sinatra, who always had the best available musicians, was very generous to them in his praise and acknowledgement. He always said that he learned his craft from the musicians he worked with. He learned how to phrase from them. He learned by listening. They of course learned by listening to others and to old recordings. There is a great tradition in jazz of passing down and sharing information about how to play this music. Interestingly, the song we visited above, “West End Blues”; the song that changed music forever; the song that inspired so many musicians; that song was actually written by Armstrong’s own mentor. The man who changed his life by bringing Satchmo to the barbecue as it were, that celebrated New Orleans cornetist, and by all accounts the prime architect of early jazz, Joe “King” Oliver. It is now incumbent on us to keep this great music alive. To celebrate it by learning and by hearing as much as we can. By attending live music events. And by supporting this great art form in every way. And what better way to celebrate jazz than to invoke a poem by the great jazz singer Jon Hendricks … the shortest jazz poem ever written. “Listen”. Jazz and Blues Notes Winter 2006 11 Frankie Larocka Tribute Friday, September 16, 2005 Crossroads Restaurant, Garwood, NJ Hot Monkey Love Featuring Earl Slick & Anthony Krizan with Special Guests & Friends BY LOU ACEVEDO Hot Monkey Love drummer, Frankie LaRocka (b. c 1954 - d. 11 May 2005) had an illustrious musical career. A former member of the band Scandal, Frankie also played drums on various stints over the years with Bon Jovi, David Johansen, Bryan Adams and John Waite. Later, Frankie began working for Sony (Epic Records) as A&R man and producer, where he signed and produced the Spin Doctors’ 1991 debut Pocketful of Kryptonite, and later produced the soundtrack for the 1993 movie Philadephia. By the end of his career at Sony, Frankie had become VP of the A&R Department, and was once again playing drums with Hot Monkey Love. Frankie died after undertaking heart surgery in New York in May 2005. Friday, September 16th. Checking the calendar, I see it’s time for Joan and me to head off to attend the Frankie LaRocka Tribute Concert at Crossroads in Garwood, New Jersey. Confirmed players on the line-up with Hot Monkey Love would be Earl Slick, the former lead guitarist for David Bowie and Anthony Krizan, lead guitarist for the Spin Doctors and John Waite. Playing drums for Hot Monkey Love would be Ray Grappone of Hipbone Records. Arriving at about 8:30 p.m., we sit down, order some drinks and two large bowls of seafood gumbo. One by one, the members of Hot Monkey Love stop by the table to greet us and thank us for coming to the tribute. Lead vocalist Jack O’Neill introduces us to Earl Slick, giving him the scoop about JSJBF and the work the Foundation does in the area. Throughout our dinner, the stage has become packed with musicians. Now the lights dim and the members of Hot Monkey Love - “Cowboy” Bob Delrosso, Jumpin’ Jordan Lee and Jack “Beau” O’Neill, take the stage. Jack begins by thanking the standing-room-only crowd for coming, and announces that they would start the evening off with Frankie’s favorite song, an acoustic version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Angel.” Goosebumps were in order here, as the band performed this song with emotion and passion befitting the occasion and the honor of their friend and fellow band member - the audience was visibly moved. Earl Slick is up first, taking a seat with his acoustic guitar. He puts a slide on his finger and the band breaks into very deep blues versions of “Rain” and “Me and the Devil.” Earl is playing slide as if he was being chased by the Devil himself! We’ve all seen slide acoustic players, but watching and listening to this man play guitar is plainly jaw-dropping special! Next, drummer Ray Grappone is introduced, along with guitarist/keyboard player Dave Fields (formerly of Roxy Perry). Earl and Bob switch from acoustic to electric guitars and Jack announces that it’s time to kick some ass! Bob leads the band into a rousing version of John Lee Hooker’s 12 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes “Boom Boom,” which the band covered on its GOT MONKEY LOVE CD. “99 Pounds” followed, then Anthony Krizan was brought to the stage. From the opening chords of “Stray Cat Blues” and right on into “Cross Eyed Cat,” Bob, Anthony and Earl were just tearing up the stage with fiery guitar licks. Next, Dave “Snakeman” Runyon, blues harpist for the Hot Sauce Band is announced, and the band rips into Junior Wells’ “Come On In My House.” Now, Vicky Bell (back-up vocalist for Alexis P. Suter), Anthony Krizan, along with Hot Sauce lead guitarist, Mike Krizan and Arne Wendt on Keyboards joined the band and played throughout the night. Frankie LaRocka would have been very proud! Frankie passed three weeks before The Red Bank Festival. I was honored to have called him a friend. I personally honored Frankie with a lifetime achievement award and a portrait painted by the great artist and friend of JSJBF, John Froelich at this year’s Red Bank Festival. Frankie’s final legacy came courtesy of his hand-chosen band mates, Bob, Jordan, and Jack, who donated all proceeds from the tribute in Frankie’s name to the Katrina Relief through The American Federation of Musicians Disaster Relief Fund. Jazz and Blues Notes Winter 2006 13 14 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes Official Guide to First Night in downtown Red Bank, NJ BUTTON Prices Adults . . . . $10.00 Children under 5 . . . Free BUTTON SALE SITES A Time to Kiln 50 Broad Street 732-450-9525 PNC Bank 150 Broad Street 732-224-8116 Count Basie Theatre 99 Monmouth Street 732-842-9000 Red Bank RiverCenter 20 Broad Street, 2nd Floor 732-842-4244 Foodtown Supermarkets Red Bank, Port Monmouth, Atlantic, Ocean, Wanamassa stores 732-747-6800 SaladWorks 13 Broad Street 732-219-0444 Funk & Standard 40 Broad Street 732-219-5885 Häagen Dazs 90 Broad Street 732-747-6978 Marriott Red Bank, Lincroft locations Smoothie King 65 Broad Street 732-747-2130 Sovereign Banks Red Bank, Middletown, Little Silver, Long Branch, West Long Branch, Ocean, Holmdel branches Two River Community Bank Red Bank, Middletown, Tinton Falls, Port Monmouth, Atlantic Highlands, West Long Branch, Farmindale branches THANKS TO OUR FIRST NIGHT FRIENDS Borough of Red Bank Hon. Edward J. McKenna, Jr. - Mayor Stanley Sickels - Fire Marshal Bob Evans - Department of Public Works Red Bank Police The Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation Monmouth County Arts Council Monmouth County Office of Tourism and Economic Development 16 First Night Guide Fidelity Investments Count Basie Theatre Red Bank River Center Red Bank Visitors Center Red Bank Department of Parks and Recreation Two River Theatre Company Brookdale Community College Greater Media Hub Two River Times Asbury Park Press Channel 12 News PlanetConnect Red Bank Woman’s Club Häagen Dazs United Methodist Church First Baptist Church Red Bank Middle School Red Bank Catholic 90.5 The Night Brookdale Radio CD 101.9 Smooth Jazz DW Smith For the BEST EXPERIENCE: Please check locations and starting times carefully! PLAN YOUR EVENING EARLY and schedule at least one alternative event... STUDY THE SITE MAP and choose a nearby alternative... BE FLEXIBLE - if you are unable to get into an event, choose an alternate. It is important to have planned ahead. AT LEAST 10 MINUTES are scheduled between performances... BRING A FLASHLIGHT... ARRIVE EARLY... WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES, CAR POOL, HAVE FUN!!! AT THE CONCLUSION OF EACH PERFORMANCE please leave the venue promptly... PLEASE - absolutely NO SMOKING, eating or drinking in any venue (unless the venue offers food and drink). PLAN EXTRA TIME to get to and from the venues on the outer edges of the map. PLEASE NOTE: Schedule is subject to change. Please check schedules posted at each location for any last minute additions or changes! Many local restaurants have decided to stay open or extend their normal dining hours for New Year’s Eve. You should call to make reservations, IN ADVANCE, to be assured of getting a table. DRESS FOR THE WEATHER... Dress in layers so you can take off extra clothing as you settle into a venue. Remember to bundle up again when you return to the streets. If the temperature is expected to be extremely cold, remember hats, gloves, scarves, etc. You don’t want to ruin your evening because you are too cold... REMEMBER - PLAN OUT YOUR EVENING AND YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME! First Night Guide 17 18 First Night Guide Committee GERI ALLARD Fidelity Investments ERNIE LACKY AIG Direct RICH BRANDWEIN CEO - PlanetConnect DORIS LAZUR Lazur Chiropractor KATI BROWER Volunteer Co-Chair MARGARET MASS Director - Red Bank Visitors Center HARRIET COOK Red Bank RiverCenter TRISH RUMOLA Executive Director - Red Bank RiverCenter NICHOLAS COPPOLA DW Smith Associates ED RUSSELL CommVault CHERYL CUMMINGS Director - The Brookdale Network RONNYE SCHREIBER President - PlanetConnect PAUL DELERY Marriott Residence Inn BOB SCHULMAN Board Member, Volunteer Center of Monmouth County JEANNE DEYOUNG Monmouth County Tourism PASHA ELLIS Volunteer Co-Chair DENNIS ESCHBACH President - JSJBF BOB EVANS Director - Red Bank Parks & Recreation MARYBETH HAZEL Award-winning Mezzo Soprano RON STEELMAN Director of Marketing, Two River Theater DIANE ST. JOHN Director of Marketing, Count Basie Theatre FRANK VALENTINO Fort Monmouth TAMORA YOUNG Red Bank Parks & Recreations Dept PROFILE: First Night Performer Veronica Koleshnick Veronica is 11 years old and loving it. Born in Brooklyn. Veronica moved to Freehold, New Jersey at the age of 4 and started her performing career at 4 ½ dancing Ballet. She still performs with the PAE of Redbank, and yearly in the Nutcracker and the spring shows. This year she will be one of the Clara’s in the Nutcracker, which has been her dream. Veronica performed last year at Redbank’ First Night. She has been singing since she was 2 years old in Doctor's offices. Veronica performed at Hershey Park and Great Adventure for the PAE. This past summer she went on tour in Italy with The Concordia Vocal Group. They performed in Rome, Venice and Florence, singing in St. Peter’s in Rome, St Mary’s, St. Giovanni, and St. Marks. They toured Italy for 10 days. Veronica believes in using her talent to help others. She performed at St. Rose of Lima in Freehold at the Haiti fundraiser in 2004 and 2005. She would like to be a recording artist and her dream is to be on Broadway. She has signed to be a standby for the current National Tour of Annie. First Night Guide 19 Schedule for Fi 20 First Night Guide rst night events First Night Guide 21 Navesink River Rt. PUBLIC PARKING e s id er Wharf St. Riv PUBLIC Pl et re St Pl 13 St g Irving cL ce ing Pla Hard Br 7 an ch South St ly Waver Elm Place Street East Leo nard St L t al S C an Hudson Earl St 8 Linden Place PUBLIC PARKING HEADQUARTERS l eroy P e Avenu Maple PUBLIC PARKING West Herbert St Street Pearl Locust Ave Place Reckless M en ar rin Street Chestnut 10 Peters Place PUBLIC PARKING Clay St 3 ond Pl Street Oakland Wallace Street Sp Drumm NJT Broad Street Wall 14 PUBLIC PARKING 9 et uth Stre Monmo 11 PUBLIC 2 Gol5d St PARKING 4 White PUBLIC PARKING ie as Pl nt 12PARKING Street PUBLIC PARKING West Leonard St Fro tB Coun / t e tre S anic Mech n Bridge Street Shrewsbury Avenue st We t. be C ue et Stre Glo Av en treet ront S West F Pl iew erv Riv w 35 Br o West Catherine St st Ea West River Street B n ge er Pl ce Bergen Pla South Bridge Ave 6 ee t South Pearl Str n Place er/Berge rk a P s e m Drs. Ja Bank Rt. 35 s n Spring Newma 2. COUNT BASIE THEATRE Dance Studio 99 Monmouth Street 520 7. RED BANK MIDDLE SCHOOL Art Room Auditorium, Cafeteria, Gym 76 Branch Avenue 11. THE ART ALLIANCE OF MONMOUTH COUNTY 33 Monmouth Street 4. HÄAGEN DAZS 90 Broad Street 8. RED BANK WOMAN’S CLUB Headquarters 164 Broad Street 12. TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH Great Hall 65 West Front Street 5. HONEY CHILD MUSIC 73 Monmouth Street 9. RICKY’S CANDY 47 Broad Street 6. LUNCH BREAK 121 Drs. James Parker Boulevard 10. ST. JAMES CATHOLIC CHURCH (RBC) Auditorium 94 Broad Street 3. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Sanctuary 84 Maple Avenue 22 First Night Guide 13. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Chapel Fellowship Hall, Sanctuary, Room 114 247 Broad Street 14. VANDELAY CAFÉ 39 Broad Street World-class experience. Local delivery. Guidance1 from a leader in money management – at no charge. Stop by your local Fidelity Investor Center for free insight from one of our investment specialists and develop strategies to help you reach your short- and long-term goals. Identify and fill in gaps in your portfolio WE’LL HELP YOU: Create a smart investment or retirement plan Explore tax-advantaged investment strategies for your retirement income and estate-planning needs Call 1-800-753-0602 or stop by today to arrange a complimentary personal consultation. Red Bank/Shrewsbury Investor Center 530 Broad Street Shrewsbury, NJ (Across from the Grove Shopping Center) 1 Guidance is provided by Fidelity Representatives through the use of Fidelity PortfolioPlanner®: Portfolio Review. Portfolio Review and the Retirement Income Planner are educational tools and not intended to serve as the primary or sole basis for your investment or tax-planning decisions. They were developed by Strategic Advisers, Inc., a registered investment adviser and a Fidelity Investments company, and by Fidelity Brokerage Services, Member NYSE, SIPC. 402346 Red Bank First Night PerformerS DANCE MONMOUTH FOLK DANCERS Monmouth Folk Dancers - The Monmouth Folk Dancers meets every Tuesday evening from 7:00 to 10:30 in the Methodist Church in Red Bank and does International folk danceing. Last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the group. The dances are mainly East European but also include the Middle East: Turkish, Israeli, and even some from Asian countries. We welcome anyone who likes to dance, men and women, all ages, even if you are inexperienced. You don't need a partner-it is just a fun evening. 13B. United Methodist Church FAMILY BALLOON ANIMALS Balloon Animals for children! 9. Ricki’s Candy M’ZUME' RHYTHM ACADEMY M’Zumé Rhythm Academy is a collective of drummers and dancers sharing and celebrating life through the experience of drums and dance and song. While our focus is the dynamic sounds of Carnival, M’Zumé combines the powerful percussive sounds of Africa, Brazil and The Caribbean. The result is a wave of sound able to transport you into a world of pulsating rhythms. For many years and in many places around the world the exhilarating rhythms of carnival have drawn local residents and travelers alike. M’Zumé brings the sounds of carnival home to you, drawing us all from our individual lives into the universal family, as only music can. CHEROKEE NATION OF NJ MR. D & FRIENDS American Indian Demonstrations 7C. Red Bank Middle School Mr. D is a ventriloquist. Some say his closest friends are dummies, but he and Zak, Mac, Dan, and Carmen may take offense! 5. Honey Child Music DAWNIE OF PEANUT BUTTER -N- JAMMIN Dawnie’s been the #1 Children’s Original Performer on the scene since the late ‘80s when she started with Peanut Butter-n-Jammin Music Co. A mentor to many up-and-coming new artists, her energy with the children is unmatchable! Now, you can find her new national release of Silly Critter Talk in stores throughout America this November! ISIS TRIBE African rhythms by young people. 7C. Red Bank Middle School JERSEY SHORE STORYTELLERS Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of entertainment. Experience the lost art of the tale. Jersey Shore StoryTellers was founded in 1994 and has 15 active artists who perform poetry and stories. In addition to performing at Red Bank First Night, you’ll find them performing at Borders, Barnes & Nobles, Libraries and Hospitals. 13D. United Methodist Church JUDYTH SOMMER Judyth will be spinning childrens tales. 13D. United Methodist Church LOCAL COMMOTION’S SISTER FRIENDS Local Commotion’s Sister-Friend Singers- stirring songs that shaped America sung a cappella. The trio consists of proprietor, Kati Beddow Brower, Diane Wran-Farris and Susie Russo. (Member Sue Russo passed away December 1st; this performance will be in her memory.) Their voices are a blend of wonderful tones and harmonies. Just think of the sounds as half of Sweet Honey and the Rock! Local Commotion’s mission is to integrate performance with education, going beyond the scope of historical text. 13A. United Methodist Church MISS SHERRI Miss Sherri makes music with Children ranging in age from 3 months to 10 years. Children will enjoy this 24 First Night Guide interactive musical experience which includes singing and dancing, playing instruments, and cooperative musical games. 5. Honey Child Music ROB MURRAY Rob is a part-time professional magician. He also travels the world performing with one of the only fullscale magic play productions in the business known as Carnival For The Mind. Rob is not only the production’s leading character, but he is also the playwright. He has performed on stages in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, St. Louis, Las Vegas, Charlottesville, and next month travels to Amsterdam, Belfast and even a one-night show on London’s West End! However, he is most excited to return to Red Bank for a return performance in First Night. 9. Ricki’s Candy; 10. St. James (RBC) RYAN SHAPIRO Ryan is a magician who brings a very modern approach to the world of magic. He regularly performs for children and adults, and amazes everyone with his expert card magic. He has won several awards for his magic, and has performed at stadewide talent shows. 9. Ricki’s Candy; 10. St. James (RBC) THE MAGIC OF DEVIN Devin is a young magician who performs on-stage and off-stage. He specializes in close-up and walkaround magic for parties and special events. Devin has won the “Al Hillman Excellence in Magic” award for his card magic. 9. Ricki’s Candy; 10. St. James (RBC) YOSI Winner of Six national awards, Yosi performs his original and traditional songs at various concert stages throughout North East USA & beyond. From school & library events to regional music festivals, Yosi’s shows are whimsical, imaginative and enthusiastic for his young audiences! MUSIC BROAD STREET TROUBADORS A.R.D. An eclectic mix of English Folk songs. 3. First Baptist Church Though this band consists of talented young musicians their sound is influenced by classic rock. They play original songs with a few classic covers throughout their show. This is their third year performing at First Night Red Bank. 13B. United Methodist Church AL WRIGHT UNIT One of the finest jazz bands anywhere, the Al Wright Unit truly lives up to its name. The group has performed in clubs, concert halls, and stadiums in London, Paris, Rome and Mexico City. They have also played at the Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall, and other clubs throughout the US. 6. Lunch Break PIPES AND DRUMS OF THE ATLANTIC WATCH The award-winning Pipes and Drums of the Atlantic Watch performs regularly and locally in New Jersey. The band also performs internationally-having played in Scotland and Bermuda-as well as other parts of the country, including Hawaii, Louisiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Connecticut. A Red Bank First Night Tradition. 7D. Red Bank Middle School CHORUS OF ATLANTIC Who among us hasn’t listened to the melodic magic of a barbershop quartet? The tradition of this truly American art form is alive and well with the Chorus of the Atlantic. The group has sung its sweetly satisfying four-part harmonies throughout New Jersey and beyond, and has contributed its time and talents to entertaining the needy at homes, hospitals, and other local centers. To experience this “a Capella” quartet is to catch a slice of American culture and musical history, while being delightfully entertained. Barbershopping is alive and well in Red Bank! Come join us! 13C. United Methodist Church CHRISIE SANTONI When someone asks, “What is her sound, who does she sound like?” The best response to be given is, “She sounds like Chrisie.” There are rare instances when a person possesses a unique aptitude for telling stories about life in a signature fashion. When this occurs it is difficult to draw comparisons. CHUCK LAMBERT BAND BILLY RYAN The Chuck Lambert Band is a 5-piece powerhouse blues band. While drawing upon the influences of many Blues genres, such as Chicago and Texas-style blues and Kansas City jump, they also inject an original perspective into their performances. Playing the blues for over 40 years, Chuck Lambert complements his fiery guitar playing with compelling vocals. Chuck delivers string after string of blues “bullets,” but he can also sound as soft as an acoustic 12-string guitar. 7B. Red Bank Middle School Formerly with Clarence Clemmons & The Red Bank Rockers. Mr. Ryan’s guitar delivery is serious, forthright and dead on! Never one to follow the crowd, his approach to the blues is crisp, clean and fresh. A friend to the blues scene for many years, he’s played with such legendary talent as Nicky Addio and organist Jeff Levine. Mr. Ryan is joined by Bill Lilley (AKA Lazybones) on harmonica and vocals. Circle Round the Sun is the acoustic/folk duo of Marie Trontell and Jay Wilensky. Insightful and expressive singers, Marie and Jay put their distinctive stamp on the best of contemporary songwriting, with the goal of bringing sweet harmonies to great songs. 2. Count Basie Theatre B.D. LENZ Hailed as one of the top 20 “up and coming” jazz musicians of New Jersey by the Newark Star-Ledger, and recently featured in the New York Times, noted guitarist B.D. Lenz leads an original band which has best been described as “a spirited mixture of sounds in the contemporary vein, ranging from the sprightly to the hard-wailing” (Curt Yeske - The Trenton Times). BALLYHAUNIS Enjoy traditional Irish folk music and step dancing with Ed Russell on guitar and lead vocals; Mike McKee on Irish fiddle, and Tom McKee on tin whistle, Bodhran, and lead guitar; And enjoy the beauty and energy of Irish Step Dancing performed by champions Julia Russell and Elizabeth Russell and Mary Cate Kane. You won’t be disappointed! 12. Trinity Episcopal Church BOB FARLEY A well known local talent, Mr. Farley has been doing his brand of wholesome humor and one liners for many years. Whether Bob has been a master of ceremonies or done straight comedy, he has always been a crowd pleaser for young and old. 6. Lunch Break CIRCLE ROUND THE SUN DEBBIE WILLIS One of the most unique voices anywhere belongs to the gifted Debbie Willis. As a jazz singer, her voice can be described as smooth and silky with a little bit of smoke. Her sound is sultry and sophisticated, yet her gospel roots come shining through. Debbie's phrasing and interpretation of the lyrics make her a hit with each audience she performs for. She has synthesized her influences from Elvis, Aretha, Stevie Wonder, and others into a blend that is all hers. 8. Red Bank Woman’s Club DENNIS PETERS Musically, the sets for The Dennis Peters Band mirror those who have inspired them to play. From the Beatles and Clapton to Stevie Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy, the trio each take a piece from their icons and bring it to the stage. First Night Guide 25 Red Bank First Night PerformerS FRANK FOTUSKY Acoustic Blues - Rev. Davis, Fuller, John Jackson, Pink Anderson, McTell, Bo Carter and contemporaries like Paul Geremia, Roy Book Binder, Steve Mann, and so on and a whole bunch of originals. 2. Count Basie Theatre FRANK GLAZ Satirical singer-songwriter. He has also played at many First Night celebrations, is a regular on the NJ coffeehouse scene, and his songs are heard often on folk music radio programs in the Garden State. 11. The Art Alliance of Monmouth County GARY STRUNCIUS/ DEBBIE LAWTON Gary Struncius and Debbie Lawton met in a coffeehouse in the 1970’s and began performing together in 1979. They perform traditional and contemporary folk music ranging from Anglo-American ballads to blues to country to original compositions. Gary plays guitar as their voices blend in harmony. Debbie has also learned to play the spoons and enjoys teaching them to children. Gary and Debbie often perform at elementary schools and museums. 3. First Baptist Church music will only say but the best. Some of Matt’s most recent accomplishments include sharing the stage with world famous drummer Buddy Miles, an invite to play at Les Paul’s Birthday Party, and was also one of the finalists in the Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar Competition. He performed at the first NYC tribute to legendary blues-rock guitarist Rory Gallagher, winning him a standing ovation from a sold out crowd. 7D. Red Bank Middle School OUTSIDE THE BOX Outside The Box is a teenage blues band from the Jersy Shore. Jeff Cafone plays rhythm/lead guitar and is the vocalist, Mark Masefield on keyboards, Warren Thieleman plays bass, and Matt Wade is on drums/keyboards. Their musical style has been influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmy Vivino, Al Kooper, The Band, BB King, Billy Hector and Ray Charles. They have performed at The Stone Pony, El Lobo Negro, Crossroads, and The Saint in Asbury Park. They have also performed at various fundraisers and at the Harley Davidson of Ocean County special events. Blues music...teenagers...an Oxymoron? Not when you think “Outside The Box”. 7B. Red Bank Middle School JIM MURPHY & THE PINE BARONS SHADETREE MECHANICS Jim Murphy organized The Pine Barons in 1969 while broadcasting country music shows on WJLK in Asbury Park. Thirty-eight years later they continue to delight thousands of fans in the tri-state area with their unique blend of traditional country music in the bluegrass style. 12. Trinity Episcopal Church When was the last time you saw a band having as much fun playing as the people watching them play? Just such a band is Shadetree Mechanics. THE MARTIN BLONDES Patti Bramson, a veteran of the Jersey Shore music scene, is known from Point Pleasant to Basking Ridge for her soft acoustic musical style while musical partner Karen Anne's exquisite angelic voice has been heard throughout Monmouth, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Mercer Counties. Together, they are known as The Martin Blondes. MARY AND DIANNE Mary LeBus, harpist from Monmouth County NJ, plays for weddings, Christenings, church services, parties, and does a variety of musical programs for adults and children. She will be playing as a duet with her flute partner Diane. MARYBETH HAZEL If you love the power and majesty of Opera, look no further than award-winning Mezzo Soprano Marybeth Hazel. Winner of the 1991 Garden State Opera competition and solo artist with the Metro Lyric Opera Company of Asbury Park, she has sung with Opera at Florham, Beheme Opera, Hudson Valley Opera, the Piccola Operaa Company Philadelphia, Opera Classics of New Jersey, and Singers Theatre of New York. 13A. United Methodist Church MATT O’REE Matt O’Ree, has been cranking out the blues-rock genre since an early teen. With all the trappings of a genuine guitar hero, he plays with fire in his fingers and blues in his soul. Anyone who has experienced his 26 First Night Guide (continued from page SHREWSBURY CHORALE The Shrewsbury Chorale is an ensemble of mixed voices which performs a wide variety of music, including light classical favorites, the best of Broadway, arrangements of beloved folk songs, and holiday and patriotic favorites. 13C. United Methodist Church SOUL PROJECT Hot Blues band displaced by Hurricane Katrina. SPRING Acoustic pop with a groove 13A. United Methodist Church TERRAPLANE BLUES TRIO Think sweaty dancers, raunchy rhythm, mean slide g uitar, heartfelt vocals, gritty harp and loads of fun...This is what Terraplane Blues is all about. They take you back to those juke joint times and have you forgettin’ all your worries and feelin’ what it’s like to have a passionate time. With a 9 year history, and 2 CD releases, their awards include: 2000 International Blues Challenge Finalist & 2005 International Songwriting Competition Semi-Finalist. With a 9 year history, and 2 CD releases, their awards include: 2000 International Blues Challenge Finalist & 2005 International Songwriting Competition Semi-Finalist. 8. Red Bank Woman’s Club THE TONEMASTERS Over the years word of a Tonemaster gig has become synonymous with a “Get down, foot stompin’, good time blues party”. Their mix of swingin’ good time blues has been a favorite among tri-state audiences 25) since 1994. Finding a stylistic niche not often heard on the local blues circuit, they mix West Coast “Jump Blues” with a more sophisticated “Uptown” style while keeping plenty of the gritty "Chicago and Texas”infused shuffles in the mix. Their show is a pure unadulterated BLUES PARTY paying homage to the style of masters from T-Bone Walker and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson to Albert King and Count Basie ... all the while creating music that is unmistakably their own. This eclectic mix results in a very satifying experience for blues lovers in the crowd, while sending the listeners new to the genre off to search this music out. 4. Häagen Dazs TOMMY ANTON Feedbag recording artist Tommy Anton www.tommyanton.com specializes in raising the positive energy of gatherings with music that celebrates conscious evolution and self-transformation. Nominated in the “Best Male Solo” category of the Asbury Music Awards for the past two years, Anton is a favorite on the local scene, as well as an active coast-to-coast touring artist. Raw foodist and environmentalist, Tommy often bicycles to shows, trailer and equipment in tow, inspiring his audiences by modeling sustainable transportation choices. WENDY ZOFFER Wendy Zoffer is a flutist extraordinaire. Her clear lilting tone and fluid style are a breath of fresh air to the listener. Classically trained, Wendy has crossed over to the world of jazz, blues and popular standards. She expresses her enthusiasm and love of music whether she plays pop, standards, Broadway, Brazilian, or jazz. Wendy shapes classic melodies with exquisite feeling extracting the full melodic potential of her material - ”it sounds as if she is singing through her flute.” Wendy will be joined by Singer/Songwriter Carol Selick and Pianist Dave Schlossberg. Carol has appeared recently at the NJ Independent Music Festival, Carnegie Center Concerts in Princeton, and with Wendy and Dave at the Plainsboro Festival of the Arts. 14. Vandelay Café XL Cliff Williams, Bass & Background Vocals, Carmella Ferrara, Keyboards & Vocals , Marie Doberentz, Lead Vocals & Percussion, Walt Doberentz, Drums & background vocals. Their first CD, Shades, is a self produced CD of all original material. XL performances are filled with an eclectic mix of covers and originals from Jazz standards to Funk! POETRY/THEATER TONY SLOAN DAP (DRUMS & POETRY) A variety of popular and classical music played on the Spanish guitar and sung. 11. The Art Alliance of Monmouth County The Dap Project- a band of musicial innovators with an exciting new way of presenting poetry and dance with the fusion of tribal percussion and jazz 8. Red Bank Woman’s Club TRI CITY JAZZ Tri City performs innovative jazz music in a range of styles. It’s the sound of the streets of Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park. Tri City Jazz (formerly “ProJazz”) came together in 1990. The group has been heard at La Havana New Hope, Marriott Princeton Forrestal Hotel, at area Starbucks, First Night events in Red Bank and Toms River, and at a variety of jazz festivals. A recent notable performance was before 4,000 at the CD-ROM Conference’s opening reception in San Francisco. 14. Vandelay Café VERNONICA KOLESHNICK Child singer 11 years old and loving it. Born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Freehold New Jersey at the age of 4. Veronica performed last year at Red bank First Night. She has performed in Hershey Park and Great Adventure. This past summer she went on tour to Italy with The Concordia Youth Chorale they performed in Rome, Venice and Florence and for the Pope. Singing a little bit of Classical, Broadway and Pop, enjoy some of your favorite songs with her. VICKI SMITH TRIO A spirited jazz vocalist with a penchant for the classics of the Swing Era, Vickie Smith has received acclaim for her unique ability to breathe new life into these masterpieces. Captivating audiences of all ages, Smith's performances pay tribute to Swing Era legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Rosemary Clooney, Duke Ellington and Peggy Lee. FRANK VALENTINO Frank J. Valentino’s poetry is about the scenes, faces and landscapes that he encounters along the way. Many of his poems are about the New Jersey Shore area where he lives and where his family has deep roots. He has published five collections of his poems they are titled; TAKE THE TIME, STATUES IN THE PARK, THREE TUNES AND A VIBE, JERSEY DINER and ALONG THE WAY. He is currently working on a new and collected edition of his work and also his first children’s book of poetry to be published in 2006. He has performed many readings of his work at schools, libraries, bookstores and festivals. He is also the founder of the “Food For Thought Benefit Poetry Reading Series”. He lives in Tinton Falls, New Jersey with his wife artist Carla Valentino and their son. 13D. United Methodist Church PROFILE OF STARS Karen Kelly is a singer/entertainer/impersonator. She has done many variety shows throughout New Jersey, Florida and North Carolina. Karen is astonishing changeable and has a remarkable voice. See her perform personalities such as Marilyn Monroe, Cher, Liza Minnelli, Madonna and Tina Turner. Some of her favorite tunes come from Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Carousel, Les Miserable, Patsy Cline, and Connie Francis, Barbra Steisand, Brenda Lee and Karen Carpenter. Don’t miss this versatile show of Karen doing costume and wig changes First Night Guide 27 WISHES OUR LOYAL RED BANK LISTENERS A HAPPY FIRST NIGHT & A GREAT YEAR TO COME! 28 First Night Guide T U O G N I REACH Through its musical and educational programs, JSJBF is deeply involved in the community and is committed to using music to improve all our lives. JSJBF and the Woman’s Club of Red Bank raised $1,500 for the MusicCares Fund to support New Orleans musicians who were victims of Hurricane Katrina. $1,500 JSJBF completed the first month of its “Reckless Steamy Nights” series at the Woman’s Club of Red Bank. Proceeds from these events were split between the Scholarship Programs, with $1,020 going to each organization. $1,020 The International Paper Corporation presented JSJBF with a grant of $3,250. Thanks to IPC, JSJBF Board Member Lou Acevedo, and all our wonderful Volunteers. JSJBF will now be able to begin a new chapter in its educational programming. $3,250 Pay to the Order of: JSJBF International Paper Three thousand John Lubrisco, of IPC, also a foundation member, and Helen Owens, Human Resources Director, and Grants, IPC, with Lou. Corporation $3,250.00 Two Hundred INTERN PAPER ATIONA CORPORATION L Fifty BUILDING LOCAL JAZZ COMMUNITIES BY NAT HENTOFF Reprinted with permission Jazztimes Magazine Nov 2005 T he festivals, Jazz at Lincoln Center and other jazz institutions are valuable because they add an extra dimension of excitement when (and if) they program imaginatively. And because of the publicity they engender, they add new listeners to the music. But local and regional jazz societies provide a much more intimate ambience. Their members come often, get to know one another and hear local musicians along with the visiting stars. The first live jazz I heard before I could disguise my age and slide into Boston nightclubs was at Sunday brunch sessions by a jazz society with the local Vinal Rhythm Kings, a swingDixieland band with big-time guests. The regulars in the audience included a gas-station attendant and a bank vice president, among other diversified enthusiasts. In Last month’s column, “Growing Grassroots Jazz” (which you can read online at jazztimes.com), I wrote of the exemplary Western North Carolina Jazz Society in Asheville, founded by the resourceful Bo Farson. I cited one of his goals: funding a jazz-in-the-schools program in his community. (There are other jazz societies that already Regional jazz societies provide a intimate ambience... move into the schools, among them the San Jose, New Mexico, Jazz Society.) An historic breakthrough in bringing what Art Blakey would have called “the gospel of jazz” and its history into classrooms is continuing in all of the fifth-grade classes of the Sarasota public schools-due to the Jazz Club of Sarasota, 30 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes which created “Jazz Links: Jazz Connects to History.” Through interconnected history and music classes, the public-school students trace, for instance, “the great migration of African-Americans from the South to the North” while in the music classes they hear the players and composers of this pulsating music-from the wandering blues bards to the multidimensional sounds of surprise since. At the end of each unit, musicians from the area come in to make the lessons come off the page -and to be interviewed by the students. (Some of the kids have been compelled to form jazz combos of their own.) However, encouraging the formation of other venturesome jazz societies in more cities and towns also requires some nuts-and-bolts advice on how to make them work. For that, I turn again to Farson and the Western North Carolina Jazz Society. After making known this lively new addition to the community, Farson advises, “Get pledges for a one-year membership, explaining that when you get 100 pledges, or however many you think you’ll need, you'll ask for the money. But don’t collect the money without being able to announce the first performance. Before out first show, we had $3,000 in reserve, not having to worry whether the gate would cover expenses.” But how do you get the pledges? If the local public-radio station has a jazz program, that can be a start. But you also have to do some basic research in the community. Says Farson: “Arrange meetings with community leaders who love jazz.” That takes some doing, but I’ve found a remarkable array of people in my travels-judges, heads of advertising agencies, newspaper editors, preachers and defense attorneys-who dig the music. If you find just one to start with, he or she will tell you about others. In Asheville, Farson connected with the publisher and president of the local newspaper, and as he found more jazz people he asked them for names and phone numbers of others in the community to whom Sidney Bechet, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk were household names. Next, Farson counsels, “incorporate in your state as a not-for-profit. Info is available online. Our cost was, I believe $60. Apply, if necessary, for the state’s permission to solicit funds. When you are confident that you will begin performances, start plans to apply to the IRS for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. By consulting a model application from another organization, I did the application myself. A Google search will reveal many organizations that specialize in this.” Also needed is a board of directors to demonstrate that that jazz society has roots in the community; Farson tells me he had just moved to Asheville three years before founding the society, and after finding community leaders to be on the board, “I assured them that the time commitment was nil.” Their names alone provided “credibility,” he says. For the second year of the Western North Carolina Jazz Society, Farson says. “We moved to a ‘working board’ concept-all board members agreed to devote approximately 15 hours per month to various projects.” Having been on various not-for-profit civilliberties and civil-rights boards, I’ve found that, after I insisted that I had only limited time for any assignments, the spirit of that organization moved me to do more. I expect this has also been the case for voluntary jazz-society board members elsewhere, for whom jazz is a necessity of life. Farson also says, “As a matter of principle, we want to continue to feature local and regional musicians in a significant number of shows,” which I was glad to hear. Building local jazz communities should involve not only listeners to the music but also the local players who will benefit from the recognition as well as from whatever gigs they get from the society. One last vital requirement, which Norman Granz insisted on wherever his musicians played anywhere in the world: “An absolute requirement for me was a [good] piano,” Farson says, “at least a good baby grand.” If you want any more advice, jazz missionary Farson can be found at wncjazzsociety.org. May thousands of jazz societies bloom! 4 Days - Next September Music, Art, Food, Drink.....Ahh! Top contemporary & jazz artists Three stages Three-thousand preferred seats Vip seating & sponsor preferred seating Vip lounge viewing areas Wine tasting Arts & crafts festival Commerce pavilion Community stage Children’s rides & activities Food & beer Excessive free parking SEPTEMBER 7 - 10, 2006 * TICKETS $25 & UP For reservations, sponsorships & marketing opportunities contact PlanetConnect, Inc. 732-933-9473 THE ROAD TO IBC- ROXY PERRY TO COMPETE AT IBC 2006 January 8th - Band Send-Off and Fundraiser at Ocean Place Resort & Spa BY SUZIE O’KANE Blues Fans - Mark your calendars now! January 8th is the date for the “Roxy Perry IBC Send Off Party and Fundraiser” at The Ocean Place Resort and Spa in Long Branch! Don’t miss the music and excitement with fabulous host bands, The Killer Blues Band, (JSJBFs representatives at IBC 2005), The Tonemasters, Outside The Box, Carlos Colina and more! Check JSJBF website for full schedule and info http://www.jsjbf.org! January 26-28, 2006 will mark the 22nd year of the International Blues Challenge. The IBC is the largest and most prestigious blues showcase in the U.S. Held in Memphis, Tennessee annually, it is the culmination of an international search by the Blues Foundation and the Foundation’s Affiliated Organizations for the cream of the crop of the blues genre. The Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation will proudly present at the 2006 IBC, JSJBF member, Roxy Perry and her 6-piece band. With just about two months before the competition, I talked to Roxy about the IBC... You have been an active participant and volunteer within the JSJBF. What does it mean for you to have been selected to represent the Foundation at IBC? It’s a great honor to have continued support from JSJBF. I was really surprised to be appointed to go to the IBC. For years the Foundation has given me and my band great performance opportunities - I couldn’t refuse! Blues Content is the heaviest-weighted criterion the judges will consider in live performance. How have you selected the material you will perform in your sets? Yes, it is serious strategy to choose the right songs. I have chosen original songs from my last two CDs, NEW YORK BLUES QUEEN and BACK IN BLUESVILLE. The set will include “Back in Bluesville,” “Whole Dog,” “Two Left Feet,” “Way Down,” and "Men Like You.” I will also do one cover - a rendition of ”House of the Rising Sun,” which is on the current CD. We only have one-half hour to represent our best original material. I am hoping my choices will present a full spectrum of what our act is about, and as usual, try to please everybody! Some people incorrectly perceive the IBC as a competition geared primarily towards bands with little professional experience. As an already established act, how do you feel a win at IBC could help promote your music? JSJBF has fantastic bands, any of which could have been appointed to go to the IBC, in my opinion. Having seen firsthand their performances at the various JSJBF events, I can say that the Foundation has a terrific pool of top-notch talent! If I should win any of the categories it will be not just for my band, but for them too. I want the world to know that I am one among the many high quality acts from our area. At any rate, I will return from Memphis with new contacts and leads that we all can share. I want the JSJBF bands to know that my band represents all the Foundation’s member bands. As in 2005, IBC will continue in 2006 with its “Best Self-Produced CD” of the year award, in which judges evaluate musical performance, audio quality of the presentation, cover art and design, and credits and liner information. Your current CD, BACK IN BLUESVILLE has recently received exceptional feedback and extensive airplay in the U.S. and abroad, and has also been nominated by JSJBF for this competition. 32 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes I am just thrilled about BACK IN BLUESVILLE being nominated for best self-produced CD. We worked very hard on it, suffered a lot to get it done and out there, and we are very proud of it. I think all the pieces are in place. I know the production is good and a lot of hard work went into designing the packaging. Considering the reviews and airplay, I’d say we have a shot. We gave people something they really like, it seems. Whether the judges will like it, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. This category would be a very important win for me. Just being nominated inspires me to continue to write, produce and record new CDs. The nomination is also helping me realize my dream of attaining a standing that will allow me to assist other up and coming bands with navigating the ins and outs of this incredibly challenging industry! So, if I should win this category... fuhgeddaboudit! I’ll have a flippin’ heart attack! (laughs) Even if I don’t win, at least I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that some lofty people gave our work a listen... And I’ll be sure they know I represent JSJBF! So the next stop is Long Branch, New Jersey at The Ocean Place Resort & Spa on January 8th. Yes, and first I’d like to thank all the bands who are coming to perform and give their support, including The Killer Blues Band, The Tonemasters, Outside The Box and Carlos Colina. It’s a great thing being a part of the JSJBF family, and it really warms my heart to have the community come together for us. I’m hoping JSJBF members and friends will come to the event to root us on and hear some great blues, while also helping us tremendously by raising funds to manage the expense of the trip. It’s going to be a great party not to be missed. I’m looking forward to seeing everybody and thanking them in person! On behalf of JSJBF, here’s wishing you, Roxy Perry - and your band every success at IBC 2006! It would make me the happiest gal alive to bring back honors for JSJBF. Thank you so much for giving me this fantastic opportunity! Drummer’s Alley Red Bank, NJ 732-450-1013 Jazz and Blues Notes Winter 2006 33 CD REVIEWS JUBILEE STOMP Terraplane Blues Flies It Straight to the Jubilee BY CHRIS BARRY (Reprint from Arts World) Whether you’re a serious blues fanatic or a rock and roller who doesn’t know two nuts worth about “The Blues,” you will dig more than a little something about this band whose members share an eight year history playing the earthiest and most roots-shaking blend of original blues heard on the Shore scene since Southside Johnny got carded at The Orchid down on Springwood, back in the pre-Stones Age… The Jersey Shore based Terraplane Blues is: Jennifer Wright, lead vocals, Gary Wright, vocals, acoustic/electric and slide guitars, Joe “Buck” Santora, electric guitars, Dr. “Philly Ray” Proctor, harmonica, Rich Downs, bass guitar and Daryl Wolkowicz on drums, and eight years in band life is a long time, but time has only sharpened these musicians’ mutual strengths into what sounds like a living, loving creature that only breathes for the Blues. We grabbed a handful of fatback off their second release, the 14 song CD Jubilee Stomp, and the band jumps right into the funk from the gitgo on opening cut “Dirty Laundry” where Jennifer’s vocal passion demands you hand over the goods, while Gary’s guitar and Philly Ray’s bluesharp stings her message on home. The slide guitar slashin’ and crunchin’ is “POSSIBILITIES” Artist: Herbie Hancock (accompanied by various artists) BY BOB MOREEN There have been many albums lately where the “star” calls on the resources of a variety of other notable performers…. with varying results. I think immediately of Sinatra’s “Duets” or John Schofield’s “That’s What I’d Say.” While I have enjoyed many of these ventures, notably Schofield’s, the end product becomes a sampler album with each track featuring the stylistic energy of the featured guest; not the artist whose name is on the cover. Herbie Hancock’s latest venture, “Possibilities,” follows these footsteps. 34 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes right on the money for the band’s take on Robert Johnson’s classic “Walkin’ Blues,” as the earthy Ms.Wright scratches that old Delta itch in perfect pitch. And both the purist and the joyously unschooled will scramble for comparisons; is she Etta James in a vocal battle with Koko Taylor, and do we hear the rangy angst of Janis as well? On this one and the others, Jennifer Wright makes her idol Etta proud and melts that mojo to a rootsy crisp. While Wright’s smoky voice tells a tale of the colors of “Asbury Nights,” as she asks you, “Didn’t this place...used to look pretty?” while Proctor’s harmonica choogles like a blues-swaggering bullfrog and the girl shows no pity. It’s “Empty Promises and Broken Dreams, the same old story with different themes” as she goes from hard and brassy to silky and transparent in a heartbeat, to tell an off beat story of the Sadbury Blues once again… Wielding more influences on her sleeve, she says to hell with the men as she sings the praises of the Blues “Queens” in a honky-tonkin’ female’s foray through Big Mamma and Koko country, with a jukejoint piano run that would make Jerry Lee or Fats proud. And then some classy torch song irony with the wronged-woman remorse of “I’d rather go blind.” The band also takes on legendary Big Bill Broonzy’s “Feel So Good,” staying faithful to the vintage tune's rowdy house rocking tempo, as the bluesharp and rhythm section eggs on the rambling gist of this blues shouting classic. And a woman can’t get any bluesier as the Terraplaners cover hitmeisters Leiber/Stoller’s “I Am A Woman” (“that can make a man outta It consists of eleven tracks with ten different artists, all bringing star power to the project. Annie Lennox gives us a lovely, bittersweet lullaby in “Hush, Hush, Hush.” Santana cooks as always in “Safiatou” assisted by Angelique Kido. We hear the minimalist Sting crooning “Sister Moon.” Christine Aguilera dishes up a soulful “A Song for You.” The producers apparently liked John Mayer’s “Stitched Up” enough to give us a 5:25 minute version and an 8:18 minute extended version; a bit excessive. One of the prettiest pieces on the album is the poignant “Don’t Explain,” featuring Damien Rice and Lisa Harrigan. I realize musicians under contract with major labels are obligated to produce a certain amount of “product.” “I need to release something in 2005 so I will call on some my industry friends, get them in YOU!”) in a funky to a T treatment that’ll give you ideas all day and night long. Somewhere along the line, Terraplane Blues go into third gear and that Delta blues slide guitar gets smoking over the band’s cover of Robert Johnson’s “If I Had Possession Over Judgment Day,” while laying the legendary Bluesman’s rollin’ and tumblin’ as far down in the scorching, swampy earth as it can get. Also dug the lady-looks-backon-love perspective of the chunky, funkin’ “Thinking ‘bout You Blues,” but save up some steam for last song/title cut “Jubilee Stomp,” a driving, blueskicking rave-up that just pulls you in with its lurching, rocking beat and brings it all home with this song that’s purely a keeper. Check out the website www.terraplaneblues.com for current performance dates, including regular appearances at Walt St Pub (Red Bank, NJ), Giamanos Upstairs Jazz Lounge (Bradley Beach, NJ) and Pine Tavern (Old Bridge, NJ). Or, call 1-877-TPBLUES (872-5837) toll free In NJ 732-212-9693. studio to do their thing, I will fill in with a few jams, we crank it out and everybody is happy.” Well, I am not! It is, although, a pleasant album. It should play very well on the Light Jazz stations. My problem is I picked it up looking for a Herbie Hancock album; he is virtually invisible. Back “in the day” Count Basie would invite Jimmy Rushing to cut a few tracks, but there was never a doubt it was Basie’s album. I am hopeful that the muses will revisit this creative artist and Herbie will come out with another signature album in 2006. One man’s opinion. The Best Entertainment on the Jersey Shore 1/28 Elvis Birthday Bash & Elvis Costume Contest! 1/27 2/4 Trinity Irish Dance Ailey II’s 2005-2006 National Tour is sponsored by 2/12 Comedy Pet Theatre 2/11 David Bromberg Band 2/21 Sing! Sing! Sing! Tribute To Benny Goodman 3/10 ”Best of Second City” starring the Second Cty National Touring Company 3/11 Emmylou Harris 3/14 - Broadway! The Star Spangled Celebration 732-842-9000 countbasietheatre.org Jazz and Blues Notes Winter 2006 35 JOKE #001 St. Peter asks the person in front of the pearly gates, “What did you do in life?” The reply - I was a physician - brought a generous smile from St. Peter who said, “Very noble profession, you are welcome in heaven. Of course, there’s nothing for you to do here as we have no illness of any kind, but you are most welcome in heaven. The bar on the left goes on forever, the buffet on the right goes on to eternity, and the pink fluffy looking cloud in the middle is where God hangs out; feel free to talk to God, eat and drink as much as you like; you are welcome in heaven.” St. Peter asks the next person, “What did you do in life?” The reply -I was a lawyer - brought a disgruntled look as St. Peter rolled his eyes and said, “Well, everyone is welcome in heaven. Of course, there’s nothing for you to do here as we have no crime or ill will or accidents of any kind, but you are welcome in heaven. The bar on the left goes on forever, the buffet on the right goes on to eternity, and the pink fluffy looking cloud in the middle is where God hangs out; feel free to talk to God, eat and drink as much as you like; you are welcome in heaven.” St. Peter asks the next person, “What did you do in life?” The reply - I was a jazz bassist - brought an excited response of delight as St. Peter excitedly said, “You’re going to love it here! The jam sessions go on forever! And you can play with Miles, or Trane, or Bill Evans. Duke Ellington writes a new piece for the band every day. There’s plenty of solo space, no weird keys, nothing out of tune, no bad notes,no bad changes, and the time is always rock solid you’re going to love it here! You didn’t park out front, did you? Stay away from the bar and the buffet table - and don’t try to talk to God - he’s busy. Could you come in through the loading dock? And do you have a sound system we could use during breaks?” Email Provenance: (How this joke got to NJ) 1) Graham Grubb, retired public school music teacher, active big band leader, and trombonist. Greensburg, PA 2) Dick Burns, an outstanding trumpet section man (a Pittsburger). 3) Scotty Hood, played bass for names like Mel Torme when they hit Pittsburgh 4) Ron Giles, great tenor, show tunes & classical, Glenmore, PA. 5) Ron Steelman, as a high school wunderkind drummer, played with Doc Severinson (twice) and a pick-up drummer for Larry Elgart once, now editing this magazine. 36 Winter 2006 Jazz and Blues Notes Luthier’s Pride Wishes JSJBF Members and Supporters A very musical New Year! Thank you for allowing us to play a part. We look forward to working with you in 2006. www .luthierspride.com 908 415 6460 Hand-Crafted Custom Guitars Made to your specifications and design JOKE #002 A “C,” an “E-flat,” and a “G” go into a bar. The bartender says: “Sorry, but we don’t serve minors.” So the E-flat leaves, and the C and the G have an open fifth between them. After a few drinks, the fifth is diminished and the G is out flat. An F comes in and tries to augment the situation, but is not sharp enough. A D comes into the bar and heads straight for the bathroom saying, “Excuse me. I’ll just be a second.” Then an A comes into the bar, but the bartender is not convinced that this relative of C is not a minor. Then the bartender notices a B-flat hiding at the end of the bar and exclaims, “Get out now. You’re the seventh minor I’ve found in this bar tonight.” The E-flat, not easily deflated, comes back to the bar the next night in a 3-piece suit with nicely shined shoes. The bartender (who used to have a nice corporate job until his company downsized) says, “You’re looking sharp tonight, come on in! This could be a major development.” This proves to be the case, as the E-flat takes off the suit, and everything else, and stands there au natural. Eventually, the C sobers up, and realizes in horror that he’s under a rest. The C is brought to trial, is found guilty of contributing to the diminution of a minor, and is sentenced to 10 years of DS without Coda at an upscale correctional facility. On appeal, however, the C is found innocent of any wrongdoing, even accidental, and that all accusations to the contrary are bassless. The bartender decides, however, that since he’s only had tenor so patrons, with the sopranout in the bathroom, and everything has become altoo much treble, he needs a rest, and closes the bar. 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GET READY! 20 Anniversary th “Count Basie would have approved.” -- The Monmouth Journal “The Jazz and Blues Festival heats up the banks of the Navesink River.” -- The Star-Ledger “Red Bank Jazz and Blues …brings smiles in the park.” -- Asbury Park Press “(The Festival is) a great opportunity to catch nationally known acts, as well as people who are just starting out.” -- Red Bank RED HOT “The largest free Jazz & Blues Festival in the northeast…awaited all year.” -- The Hub “…activities for the family...area artisans, and an array of international food.” -- Two River Times June 2, 3, & 4, 2006 www.jsjbf.org
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