August Columns
Jazz in the Heartland | TJEN Corner | View from Canada |
Jazz in Mountain Time |
Continued: Yankee Jazz Beat
On the afternoon of June 14, Vigorito performed with the Coast Guard Jazz Band in concert on the town green, Cheshire, Conn., in celebration of the town's strawberry festival.
The Essex Fire Department had a parade June 22 that began in the center of Ivoryton, Conn., with Art Hovey's Sugarfoot Youth Band providing hot jazz. Playing with the kids were three GJB members -- tubaist Hovey, reedman Russ Whitman and cornetist Fred Vigorito, who told me, "The old guys helped the young guys and gals."
Drummer Bill Logozzo's Heartbeat Jazz played at Oliver's in Essex on June 5 and 19 with Bob Price, and on July 3, with trombonist Skip Hughes. The band played at the Madison Winter Club, Madison, Conn., June 14.
Bassist Scott Kahn was with the Rockin' Heartbeats at the Elks Club, Waterbuy, Conn., June 21, and at the 95 Gathering, Wallingford, Conn. June 28.
In Connecticut, guest trombonist Jim Fryer joined reedman Noel Kaletsky and Bill's Seafood All Stars at Bill's Seafood on June 20.
Twenty-five bands will be featured from November 21 to 23 at the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic, Clearwater, Fla. One of the bands will be the Galvanized Jazz Band, with Craig Grant, Jane Campedelli and Bob Price as guests. Check www.jazzclassic.net for details.
Stan McDonald's Blue Horizon Jazz Band played its regular third Tuesday monthly gig at the Sherborn Inn, Sherborn, Mass., June 17, and the band members were McDonald, on soprano sax, clarinet and vocals; trumpeter Jeff Stout; trombonist Gerry Gagnon; pianist Ross Petot; bassist Al Ehrenfried and drummer Dave Bragdon. On June 21, BHJB was featured in concert at the Ice Cream Social at Bird Park, East Walpole, Mass. The event was sponsored by the Trustees of Reservations. On July 3, McDonald's Blue Horizon Five played its regular first Thursday monthly gig at Ma Glockner's, Restaurant, Bellingham, Mass.
The Jazz Jesters Novelty Orchestra provided hot dance music at the Sherborn Inn June 24, and on July 1, Ken Steiner and his Jazz Babies were there. That Old Feeling performed there July 8.
On June 12, pianist/vocalist Paul Broadnax, bassist Peter Kontrimas, drummer Gary Johnson, and New York vocalist Patricia Adams were featured at Ryles in Cambridge, Mass., and on June 18 Broadnax, Kontrimas and drummer Les Harris, Jr., played at Bullfinch's Restaurant, Sudbury, Mass., to benefit the Broadnax Scholarship Fund, which was established in 1987 as a memorial to Broadnax's mother, Ellastine Broadnax, soprano soloist and voice teacher in Boston. Broadnax and his group of musicians performed at the Pressroom, Portsmouth, N.H., and on June 27 at Moonstruck, Winthrop, Mass.
Broadnax's duo (Broadnax and bassist Peter Kontrimas) plays for the jazz brunch, noon to 3 p.m., every Sunday at the Acton Jazz Cafe, 452 Great Road, Acton, Mass. Call (978) 263-6161 for reservations. Broadnax also appears every Sunday evening, beginning at 8 p.m. at the Top of the Hub, Boston.
Vocalist Steve Marvin performed June 5 with Artie Barsamian and the Boston Big Band at Greyhound Park, Methuen, Mass. A later date was with trumpeter Dave Whitney and pianist Jack Senier and trio at Angelica's June 13. On June 14 and 27 and July 5, Marvin, accompanied by pianist Russ Hoffman, bassist John Pierce and drummer John Hazilla, sang at the All Seasons Table, Malden, Mass. On June 25, he was with the White Heat Swing Orchestra, which performed outside at the Grand Arch behind the waterfront Boston Harbor Hotel, Boston, when WHSO began its "Dancing Under the Stars" series. The series will be held each Wednesday evening (7:30-10 p.m.) until August 25, with a different vocalist each week. For additional details, check www.whiteheatswing.com or call (617) 354-7213.
If you have news of traditional jazz, swing or ragtime in New England, please e-mail me at algeob@aol.com or call me at (781) 762-9344. I'd like to learn more about what is happening in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont.
August 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag
P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.