All jazz events scheduled for Ma Glockner's Restaurant, Bellingham, Mass., have been canceled, because the restaurant has closed. Beginning this month (October), the Sherborn Inn, Sherborn, Mass., has canceled traditional jazz for the last Tuesday monthly, which will necessitate schedule changes, which I don't have yet.

The Harry James Orchestra, led by Fred Radke, and the Platters performed at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, Worcester, Mass., Aug. 23. HJO featured show tunes, standards, love songs, and music from the golden age of swing.

Stan McDonald's Blue Horizon Jazz Band appeared at the Sherborn Inn Aug. 19. The musicians were McDonald on soprano sax, clarinet and vocals; trumpeter Jeff Stout; trombonist Gerry Gagnon; pianist Ross Petot; bassist Al Ehrenfried; and drummer Dave Bragdon.

Trumpeter Jeff Hughes' Lost in the Sauce was at the Sherborn Inn Aug. 26, and Sinti Rhythm, a gypsy jazz band, with vocalist Mollie Malone, performed at the Sherborn Inn on Sept. 2. Doctor John Clark's Wolverine Jazz Band played Sept. 7 at the Bacon Free Library, South Natick, Mass., and Sept. 9 at the Sherborn Inn.

The New Black Eagle Jazz Band performed in concert at Music at Mount Gretna, Penn., Aug. 2 and 3; at the opera house in Boothbay Harbor, Me., Aug. 23; and at Colby Sawyer College, New London, N.H., Aug. 30.

On Sept. 11, the Hot-Jazz Duo -- John Clark on clarinet and saxes, and pianist Henry (thins) Francis -- performed in a concert sponsored by Classic Jazz at the Lincoln Library, at Bemis Hall, Lincoln, Mass. Clark and Francis played tunes from Two for Tea, their new CD.

Reedman Craig Ball's White Heat Swing Orchestra's small group, the Back Bay Rhythm Makers, was featured Aug. 2 for the polo club's centennial anniversary celebration at the Myopia Hunt Club in South Hamilton, Mass. The "Dancing Under the Stars" series at the Boston Harbor Hotel featured WHSO three times in August. WHSO's guest vocalists were American Idol star John Stevens singing George Gershwin and Cole Porter tunes on Aug.13; Steve Marvin, singing a tribute to Frank Sinatra Aug. 20; and Eula Lawrence, billed as "Boston's First Lady of Song," Aug. 27.

Guitarist Eric Baldwin'a Quintet, with reedman John Clark, featured the music of Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman when the group played at Ma Glockner's Aug. 17.

Also on Aug. 17, the Cape Cod Jazz Society held a membership meeting at the Brewster Ladies Library, Brewster, Mass. Performing at the meeting were the CCJS All Stars, featuring three winners of CCJS scholarships: trombonist Brian Paulding, guitarist Frank Cogliano and drummer Ben Paulding. Bassist Dave Shorten also played with the group.

The Dixie Diehards Dixieland Band will be featured at 8 p.m., Nov. 9, at the Amazing Things Arts Center, 160 Hollis St., Framingham, Mass. Call (508) 405-2787 for additional information.

In Connecticut, cornetist Fred Vigorito's Galvanized Jazz Band played Aug. 13 in concert at Ashlar, an assisted living home in Newtown, with trombonist Craig Grant and banjoist Bob Price as guests, and Aug. 16, at Music Mountain, Falls Village, Conn., with trombonist Art Baron and Price as guests; GJB and guests received a good reception from the audience there. GJB was featured Sept. 7 at the morning jazz service of the Madison Congregational Church, and in the afternoon at the jazz picnic put on by the Cheshire Congregational Church.

On Sept. 14, trombonist Jim Fryer and Price were featured guests of GJB in concert at the Stamford Arts, Crafts and Blues Festival at Latham Park, Stamford. GJB will appear with Coast Guard trombonist Ben Griffin, Oct. 26, and, with trombonist Tom Boates, Nov. 9, at Marisa's Restaurant, Trumbull. Reservations can be obtained from (203) 459-4225. GJB, with Grant, Price and vocalist Jane Campedelli, will be featured Nov. 21-23 at the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic, Clearwater, Fla. Check www.jazzclassic.net for additional information.

Drummer Bill Logozzo's Heartbeat Jazz Band, with trombonist Skip Hughes, was at Oliver's Restaurant, Essex, Conn., Aug. 21 and Sept. 4.

In Maine, trumpeter Carl (The Judge) Branford's Port City 4 were featured Aug. 10 and 24 at the jazz brunch at the Azure Cafe, Freeport. Branford served for 26 years as a trial judge in the Maine Superior Court system.

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.

October 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.