Trumpets No End

Henry "Red" Allen

Body and Soul (1935, Vocalion 2965)
Allen, trumpet, vocal; Dicky Wells, trombone; Cecil Scott, clarinet, tenor sax; Chu Berry, tenor sax; Horace Henderson, piano, arranger; Bernard Addison, guitar; John Kirby, string bass; George Stafford, drums
NYC, April 29, 1935

You (1936, Vocalion 3244)
Allen, trumpet, vocal; J.C. Higginbotham, trombone; Scott, clarinet; possibly Tab Smith, alto sax; Happy Caldwell, tenor sax; Jimmy Reynolds, piano; Lawrence Lucie, guitar; Elmer James, string bass; Walter Johnson, drums
NYC, May 21, 1936

Ride, Red, Ride (1935)
MILLS BLUE RHYTHM BAND
Lucky Millinder, leader, vocal; Wardell Jones, Shelton Hemphill, Allen, trumpets; George Washington, J.C Higginbotham, trombones; Gene Mikell, Crawford Wethington, Joe Garland, Buster Bailey, reeds; Edgar Hayes, piano; Lawrence Lucie, guitar; Elmer James, string bass; O’Neil Spencer, drums, Will Hudson, arranger.
New York, July 2, 1935

Firebird (1933 )
SPIKE HUGHES AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Allen, Howard Scott, Leonard Davis ( or Bill Dillard), trumpets; Dicky Wells, Wilbur DeParis, George Washington, trombones; Benny Carter, Wayman Carver, Howard Johnson, Coleman Hawkins, Chu Berry, reeds; Nicholas Rodriguez, piano; Lawrence Lucie, guitar; Ernest Hill, string bass; Sid Catlett, drums
New York, May 19, 1933

Sweet Sorrow Blues (1933)
Same as personnel on “Firebird” except Bill Dillard, trumpet, definite, and Luis Russell, piano; replaces Rodriguez
Same location, May 18, 1933

Nagasaki (1933, Columbia 2825-D)
FLETCHER HENDERSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Henderson, leader and arranger; Russell Smith, Bobby Stark, trumpets; Allen, trumpet and vocal; Dicky Wells, Claude Jones, trombones; Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson, clarinet, alto sax; Coleman Hawkins, tenor sax and clarinet; Horace Henderson, piano; Bernard Addison, guitar; John Kirby, string bass; Walter Johnson, drums
New York, September 22, 1933

Wrappin’ It Up (The Lindy Glide) (1934, Decca 157)
FLETCHER HENDERSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Henderson, leader and arranger; Allen, Russell Smith, Irving Randolph, trumpets; Claude Jones, Keg Johnson, trombones; Buster Bailey, Russell Procope, Hilton Jefferson, Ben Webster, reeds; Horace Henderson, piano; Lawrence Lucie, guitar; Elmer James, string bass; Walter Johnson, drums
New York, September 12, 1934

Sentimental and Melancholy (1937, Brunswick 7844)
TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Wilson, piano; Allen, trumpet; Prince Robinson, clarinet and tenor sax; Cecil Scott, clarinet and tenor sax; Jimmy McLin, guitar; John Kirby, string bass; Cozy Cole, drums, Billie Holiday, vocal
New York, February 18, 1937

Wild Bill Davison

Panama (1943, Commodore 1511)
Davison, trumpet; Georg Brunis, trombone; Pee Wee Russell, clarinet; Gene Schroeder, piano; Eddie Condon, guitar; Bob Casey, string bass; George Wettling, drums
NYC, November 27, 1943

Little Girl (1945, Commodore 635)
Davison, trumpet; Lou McGarity, trombone; Russell, clarinet; Dick Cary, piano; Condon, guitar; Casey, string bass; Danny Alvin, drums
NYC, January 19, 1945

I’m Confessin’ (1945, Commodore 563)
Davison, trumpet, Vernon Brown, trombone; Edmund Hall, clarinet; Schoeder, piano, rhythm section same as “Little Girl”NYC, September 19, 1945

Collier’s Clambake
Collier’s Climb (Key Change Blues) (1951, Columbia 45153/54)
GEORGE WETTLING’S JAZZ BAND
Wettling, drums, leader; Davison, trumpet; Jimmy Archey, trombone; Edmund Hall, clarinet; Joe Sullivan, piano; Condon, guitar; Casey, string bass
NYC, March 8, 1951

Roy Eldridge

Heckler’s Hop (1937, Vocalion 3577)
Eldridge, trumpet; Scoops Carry, Joe Eldridge, Dave Young, saxes; Teddy Cole, piano; John Collins, guitar; Truck Parham, string bass; Zutty Singleton, drums
Chicago, January 23, 1937

The Gasser (1943, Brunswick 80117)
Eldridge, trumpet; Joe Eldridge, Andrew Gardner, Ike Quebec, Tom Archia, saxes; Rozelle Gayle, piano, Ted Sturgis, string bass; Harold “Doc” West, drums
Chicago, November 16, 1943

Lookie, Lookie, Lookie (Here Comes Cookie)(1935, Perfect 16093)
TEDDY HILL AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Hill, tenor sax and leader; Eldridge, Bill Coleman, Bill Dillard, trumpets; Dicky Wells, trombone; Russell Procope, Howard Johnson, Chu Berry, saxes; Sam Allen, piano; John Smith, guitar; Richard Fulbright, string bass; Bill Beason, drums
NYC, February 26, 1935

After You’ve Gone (1941, O’Keh 6278)
Let Me Off Uptown (1941, O’Keh 6210)
GENE KRUPA AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Krupa, drums and leader; Eldridge (vocal on “Let Me Off Uptown”), Graham Young, Torg Halten, Norman Murphy, trumpets; Babe Wagner, Jay Keliher, John Grassi, trombones; Mascagni Ruffo, Clint Neagley, Sam Musiker, Walter Bates, saxes; Bob Kitsis, piano; Ray Biondi, guitar; Biddy Bastien, string bass; Anita O’Day, vocal on “Let Me Off Uptown”NYC (Uptown), May 8, 1941,(Gone), June 5, 1941

If You Were Mine (1935, Brunswick 7554)
TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Wilson, piano and leader; Eldridge, trumpet; Benny Morton, trombone; Chu Berry, tenor sax; Dave Barbour, guitar; John Kirby, string bass; Cozy Cole, drums, Billie Holiday, vocalNYC, October 25, 1935

What Shall I Say? (1939, Brunswick 8314)
TEDDY WILSON AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Wilson, piano and leader; Eldridge, trumpet; Ernie Powell, clarinet and tenor sax; Benny Carter, alto and tenor saxes; Danny Barker, guitar; Milt Hinton, string bass; Cole, drums, Holiday, vocal
NYC, January 30, 1939

The Sad Sack (1945, Victor 20-1647)
Scuttlebutt (1945, Victor 20-1929)
ARTIE SHAW AND HIS GRAMMERCY FIVE
Shaw, clarinet and leader; Eldridge, trumpet; Dodo Marmarosa, piano; Barney Kessel, guitar; Morris Rayman, string bass; Lou Fromm, drumsNYC, (Sad Sack), January 9, 1945 (Scuttlebutt), July 31, 1945

Little Jazz (1945, Victor 20-1668)
ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRAShaw, clarinet and leader; Eldridge, George Schwartz, Bernie Glow, Paul Cohen, trumpets; Harry Rodgers, Ollie Wilson, Bob Swift, Gus Ischia, trombones; Rudolph Tanza, Lou Prisby, Herbie Steward, Jon Walton, Chuck Gentry, saxes; same rhythm section as on Grammercy Five sessions
Hollywood, CA April 5, 1945

Bobby Hackett

That Da Da Strain (1938, O’Keh 4142)
Hackett, cornet; Georg Brunis, trombone; Pee Wee Russell, clarinet; Bernie Billings, tenor sax; Dave Bowman, piano; Eddie Condon, guitar; Clyde Newcombe, bass; Johnny Blowers, drums
NYC, February 16, 1938

Poor Butterfly (1938, O’keh 4499)
Personnel same as “That Da Da Strain except Brad Gowans, valve trombone, replaces Brunis; Ernie Caceres, baritone sax, replaces Billings; Andy Picard, drums, replaces Blowers
NYC, November, 4, 1938

Embraceable You (1939, O’Keh 4877)
Hackett, cornet; Sterling Bose, Jack Thompson, trumpets; Gowans, valve trombone; George Troup, trombone; Russell, Billings, Caceres, Louis Colombo, reeds; Bowman, piano; Condon, guitar; Sid Jacobs, string bass; Don Carter, drums
NYC April 13, 1939

A String of Pearls (1941, Bluebird)
GLENN MILLER AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Miller, leader and trombone; Hackett, cornet and guitar; Alex Fila, R.D. McMickle, Billy May, John Best, trumpets; Frank D'Annolfo, Jim Priddy, trombones; Gordon "Tex" Beneke, Wilbur Schwartz, Ernie Caceres, Babe Russin, Al Klink; saxes; J. C. "Chummy" McGregor, piano; Ed Goldberg; string bass; Maurice Purtill, drums
NYC, November 3, 1941

A Room With A View (1950, Columbia 39019)
Hackett, cornet (possibly trumpet); Charlie Queener, piano; Danny Perri, guitar; Bob Casey, string bass; Cliff Leeman, drums
NYC, September 15, 1950

At The Jazz Band Ball
Lazy Mood
Cornet Chop Suey
Tin Roof Blues (1957, Capitol T-857)
Hackett, cornet; Ernie Caceres, clarinet and baritone sax; Tom Gwaltney, clarinet and vibraphone; Dick Cary, alto horn; John Dengler, tuba; Mickey Crane, piano; Milt Hinton, string bass; Nat Ray, drums
NYC (Lazy Mood) March 27, 1957, (Cornet Chop Suey, Tin Roof Blues) April 4, 1957, (At The Jazz Band Ball) April 10, 1957

A Woman’s Intuition
Any Time, Any Place, Anywhere(1950, Columbia 39204)
LEE WILEY AND BOBBY HACKETT WITH JOE BUSHKIN AND HIS SWINGING STRINGS
Wiley, vocal; Hackett, cornet; Bushkin, piano, celeste; Artie Manners, Jimmy Lytell, clarinet; Herb Baumel, Alex Pearce, Gabriel Banat, violins; Dick Dickler, viola; George Koutzem, cello; Robert Chauvigny, 2nd piano; Marcel Boniface, accordion; Bill Goodall, string bass; Charlie Smith, drums
NYC, December 12, 1950

Manhattan
I’ve Got A Crush On You (1950, Columbia 39202/03)
Personnel same as December 12 date except omit clarinets, Pearce, violin, 2nd piano, accordion
NYC, December 14, 1950

Frankie Newton

Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone (1937, Variety 518)
Who's Sorry Now? (1937, Variety 647)
Newton, trumpet; Edmund Hall, clarinet; Pete Brown, alto sax; Cecil Scott, tenor sax; Don Frye, piano; John Smith, guitar; Richard Fulbright, string bass, Cozy Cole, drums
NYC, March 5, 1937

Hot Lips Page

Skull Duggery
I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart (1938, Bluebird B-7567/83)
Page, Eddie Mullins, Bobby Moore, trumpets; George Stevenson, Harry White, trombone; Ulysses Scott, Ben Smith, Benny Waters, Ernie Powell, saxes; Jimmy Reynolds, piano; Connie Wainwright, guitar; Abe Bolar, string bass; Alfred Taylor, drums
NYC, April 27, 1938

Lafayette (1940, Decca 18124)
Harlem Rhumbain' The Blues (1940, Decca 8531)
Page, trumpet; Eddie Barefield, Don Stovall, Don Byas, saxes; Pete Johnson, piano; John Collins, piano; Abe Bolar, string bass; A.G.Godley, drums
NYC, (Lafayette) November 11, 1940 (Harlem Rhumbain' The Blues) December 3, 1940

Milenburg Joys (1932)
BENNIE MOTEN AND HIS KANSAS CITY ORCHESTRA
Page, Joe Keyes, Dee Stewart, trumpets; Dan Minor, trombone; Eddie Durham, trombone and guitar; Eddie Barefield, Jack Washington, Ben Webster, saxes; Count Basie, piano; Leroy Berry, guitar; Walter Page, string bass; Willie McWashington, drums
Camden, NJ, December 13, 1932

Blues In The Night Victor Victor 27609
St. James Infirmary (Parts 1 and 2) Victor 27685
ARTIE SHAW AND HIS ORCHESTRA
Shaw, clarinet; Page (vocal on "Blues In The Night"), Max Kaminski, Lee Castle, Steve Lipkins, trumpets; Jack Jenney, Ray Conniff, Morey Samuel, trombones; Les Robinson, Charlie DiMaggio, George Auld, Mickey Folus, Art Baker, reeds; Johnny Guarneri, piano; Mike Bryan, guitar; Eddie McKinney, string bass; Dave Tough, drums
NYC, (Blues In The Night) September 2, 1941 (St James Infirmary) November 12, 1941

Long Gone Blues (1939, Columbia 37586)
BILLIE HOLIDAY AND HER ORCHESTRA
Holiday, vocal; Page, trumpet; Tab Smith, alto sax; Kenneth Hollan, Stanley Payne, tenors saxes; Ken Kersey, piano; Jimmy Mclin, guitar; John Williams, string bass; Eddie Daugherty, drums
NYC, March 21, 1939
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TSJS Cryptogram - November 2011

"TAF OMZ NQ OAAX MZP OAAX OMZ NQ TAF,

MZP QMOT OMZ NQ NAFT.

NGF TAF AD OAAX, YMZ, VMLL UE VMLL."

-XAGUE MDYEFDAZS

TSJS Cryptogram - October, 2011

"IYE DKUO OKMR CYVY VSUO SD GKC DRO VKCD

YXO IYE GOBO QYSXQ DY ZVKI SX IYEB VSPO.

GRKD XYDOC DY RSD KXN GROX DY RSD DROW

- DRKD'C DRO COMBOD."

-ZOO GOO BECCOVV

TSJS Cryptogram - September, 2011

Xurq ue m xaf xuwq vmll... uf 'e nqef itqz kag uybdahueq...

-Sqadsq Sqdetiuz

Quote

Hint: E = S

Review - Bob Seeley

The Time: Sunday, June 19, 2011, 2:00 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.
The Place: The Porch Club, 4th and Howard Streets, Riverton, NJ
Bob Seeley, piano

Seeley doesn't so much play a piano as wrestle it – and sometimes caress it – into submission. His left hand operates with the strength and precision of a piston-driven power tool while his right darts and counterpoints about with the slick, effortless grace of a young Muhammad Ali. Which is, of course, another aspect of this extraordinary concert: How does a man born in 1928 out-muscle and out-energize just about everybody else in a packed room combined, including a boy named Dominick who appeared to be about 16 and later pronounced Bob as awesome, man... totally outta sight?

Dominick wasn’t the only customer having a wild old time. Seeley wasn’t four bars into his opening Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie before every foot within this reviewer’s sight was tapping – and none of them more than Bob’s. The artist wore a fine pair of brown and black two-toned shoes suggesting the elegance of a lost age, and first one, and then the other, started banging out the hypnotic beat: sometimes a heel, sometimes a toe, sometimes both feet going at once. By bar 16 a sweat broke out on Seeley’s forehead and he seemed to hunker down into the piano bench, his shoulders and head now rocking along with the high-style feet. There was a moment of stunned silence at the end of this initial salvo, the audience perhaps wondering whether to leap to a standing ovation so early in any performance, the silence followed by several whoops and applause.

Bob turned on his portable electric fan and got back to work.

Switching up tempos, and volume level, he slid his way into a thoroughly down & dirty After Hours (“the national anthem of black people at the time”) followed by a personalized version of Earl Hines’s Saint Louis Blues and Meade Lux Lewis’s Honky Tonk Train. 99% of boogie is based on a simple 12-bar blues. No matter how dynamic a player, a certain amount of repetition is bound to creep in, and Seeley cleverly minimized the repetitive nature of the form by varying his tempos from piece to piece and mixing in popular material with different rhythms and/or harmonic structures such as Juan Tizol’s Caravan and Louie Prima’s Sing, Sing, Sing... the last, by the way, causing the audience to sway dangerously in its chairs and most of our standing-room-only people to dance somewhat feverishly in place. Bob closed the set by shaking things up yet again, this time offering a hoarsely-sung version of Mama Don’t ‘Low containing bits and pieces of Maple Leaf Rag, The Charleston, Honeysuckle Rose, A-Train, I Got Rhythm, and as if that ain’t enough, God Bless America too.

The artist then turned off his electric fan, mopped his face with a handkerchief, and threw himself into chatting most amiably, answering questions, shaking hands, accepting congratulations, and selling CDs. More than one person commented that whoa, not only is the man a genius but he’s a heck of a nice guy besides.

The second set opened with Sandy Catz suggesting that Bob’s fan probably wasn’t as much for cooling him as for cooling the piano, as otherwise it might burst into flames.

Seeley immediately proved this to be a concern with a hand-blurring rendition of Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons’ Boogie Woogie Dream. Then, changing pace yet again, he followed Dream with Jelly Roll Morton’s Dead Man Blues, the Death Ray Boogie, an Amazing Grace that had the audience spontaneously clapping along, and a slow to warp-speed Closer Walk With Thee -- upon which Chic Bach thankfully delivered large quantities of paper towels front and center so the indefatigable performer could clean up both his dripping self and wipe the keyboard down besides.

This wasn’t, the reviewer hastens to add, a sweltering day at The Porch Club: Nine-tenths of the ambient heat was being generated by the hard-working Bob Seeley and was pretty much confined to within a yard or so of Ground Zero.

Seeley varied his second set by telling several “insider” stories as well altering music styles: how Fats Waller wrote I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, and Sunny Side of The Street, and sold both in bars for the price of a drink, plus the tipping habits of Detroit Mafia figures. Musically, he asked for requests and played all except Blueberry Hill – one would assume because the tune normally requires singing and the earlier Mama Don’t ‘Low had all but rubbed Bob’s voice raw. Among the other requests, all fulfilled, were Take The Lobsters off The Ice, Bear Cat Crawl, Viper’s Drag, Chicago Flyer, and an almost supersonic Bumble Boogie -- a variation based on Rimsky Korsokov’s Flight Of The Bumblebee made famous by Jack Fina in 1948. He finished the set, and show, with a blazing arrangement of Taboo that incorporated everything other than the kitchen sink: major, minor, slow, fast, Latin, a straight swing four beats, stride, eight-beat boogie, you name it. And after a long-delayed standing ovation he cranked out a quick chorus of Show Me The Way to Go Home with the audience joining in, took a bow, shut off his electric fan, and went back to shaking hands and selling a few last CDs.

The only complaint this reviewer heard was how with this kind of music, after a while you wanted to get up and dance... you know, get up and DO IT!

TOURING TIN PAN ALLEY, DONALDSON WITH TEX WYNDHAM

The Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 22nd, 2011
The Place: Community Arts Center, 414 Plush Mill Road, Wallingford, PA
Tex Wyndham, piano, vocals

Back in January, 2011 Tri-State Jazz Society kicked off its piano series. The first pianist for the series was Mark Kramer, a pianist better known in modern jazz circles. In reviewing the January concert, I felt it was a half-hearted effort. While Mr. Kramer got the facts right, his performance lacked the spirit of the period. In contrast, watching Tex Wyndham perform Tin Pan Alley tunes and songs by Walter Donaldson on Sunday, I could not avoid the joy in the man’s eyes and body language as he performed.

Mr. Wyndham told me before the concert, that he was looking forward to this concert. Piano, he said, was his main instrument, and after touring the country at festivals, and cruises, this Sunday was his first piano concert in his hometown. What a pity that it was the lowest attended concert this year.

As I alluded to in an earlier paragraph, Wyndham divided the two sets, with the first set a tour through “Tin Pan Alley’s Golden Age” and the second a tribute to composer Walter Donaldson.

Songs from 1903 to 1940 were performed in the first set, which was the bulk of the Tin Pan Alley period. As he described in between songs, the music had a cheerful, feel good quality – qualities, he said, that are nowhere to be found in today’s popular music. Tunes ran the gamut from light rags (Leo Berliner’s “Africana,” Abe Olman’s “Candlestick Rag”), stride (Hoagy Carmichael’s “Come Easy-Go Easy Love”), and controversial (for the time) numbers ( Irving Berlin’s “Dance of the Grizzley Bear”, Kahn-Egan-Whiting’s “Bimini Bay”). The wittily suggestive “Grizzley Bear” and the alcohol-induced “Bimini Bay” were the best of a very diverse selection of songs. Most unusual was Weston and Lee’s “With Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm,” about the ghost of Anne Boleyn haunting England, seeking revenge on Henry the VIII.

At Sundown, Changes, Cuckoo In The Clock, Dancing In the Moonlight, Did I Remember?, I’d Be Lost Without You, I’ve Had My Moments, It’s Been So Long, Just Like A Melody Out Of The Sky, Little White Lies, Mister Meadowlark, My Baby Just Cares For Me, Riptide, Sleepy Head, That’s What I Like About You, What Can I Say (After I Say I’m Sorry) have one thing in common: they were all composed by Walter Donaldson. Donaldson songwriting career almost mirrored the lifespan of Tin Pan Alley, composing songs as early as 1915 and continuing until a few years before his death in 1947.
To open this Donaldson tribute, Wyndham began with a lively number “That Certain Party” from 1925. The anecdotes Wyndham shared during this set almost stole the show from the performances. There was the story about Thomas Edison who turned down Donaldson’s “Carolina In the Morning” because of its lack of melody. And the story about “My Buddy,” thought by many to be a song about World War I, but which was in fact a memorial to Donaldson’s fiancée who had succumbed to influenza. Most touching was the story of Donaldson walking in Manhattan, approached by pan handlers of varying degrees of poverty. With each one who approached, the composer extended his hand for a handshake, discreetly slipping a $20 bill into their hands.

Having been exposed to the Red Lions for many years, it was a refreshing diversion seeing Tex at the keyboard, not only performing the music of Tin Pan Alley and Walter Donaldson, but exuding their spirit and joy.

TSJS Cryptogram for June

VAH QGMJ TJMKZ AF

LZW KMFKZAFW

( SFV CWWH GF HSAFLAFY SOSQ )

Popular 1931 Ted Lewis recording

Hint F = N

TSJS Cryptogram

YVZYUWEU QTU VBM NLA NTF MTRA

Name of a one-time recording band

hint t = 0

REVIEW - JESSE GELBER

The Time: April 3, 2011, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Place: Community Arts Center, 414 Plush Mill Road, Wallingford, PA 19086
Jesse Gelber, piano

There was a term in the 1980’s, defining a future generation of modern jazz musicians: the young turks. If the definition was applicable to those practitioners of traditional jazz, Jessie Gelber is definitely one of them because Mr. Gelber is young enough to carry this art form to the next generation. A classically trained musician, he uses this foundation as a springboard to deliver his interpretation of early traditional jazz piano standards. Jessie plays stride at a lower energy (slower) than most masters of keyboard who have performed for TriState Jazz in the recent past. There may be a reason for this approach.

It has been argued, that the early recordings were originally created at 58 rpm, then played back at 78 rpm, giving the final results a faster, jazzier sound. This gave the performer the ability to improvise in the key of G, then have the recording played at 78rpm so it was much faster and in the key of C. Also, according to one source, with the tempo more relaxed, this allowed the recorded musicians to improvise at a slower, comfortable tempo, thus allowing for fewer mistakes (and costly re-takes). [1]

Gelber opened with a familiar rag by Chris Smith, "Ballin’ the Jack" played interpretively very slowly with great chord improvisation to woo the audience and set the mood for the afternoon. He followed with J. C Johnson’s “Louisiana”, then the familiar “Stardust” and lots of our favorites.

Some pianists have played songs with such acceleration so fleeting they don't have time to interpret, just show off outstanding technique. By Gelber’s relaxed pianistic gait, the richness of the songs’ qualities were sustained long enough to evoke their intent.

All this writing of relaxed tempi does not imply that Mr. Gelber cannot perform in the higher numerals of the metronome. In fact, the finale, Cole Porter's "Just One of Those Things” was played at the accelerated speed of a Cliff Lee fastball. Only a seasoned pro, who are comfortable at this level, could hope to compete with this presentation. In response to a well deserved standing ovation, he ended the day with "Sweet Lorraine" as if Lorraine was the girl of his dreams.

Stride piano interpretation just doesn't get any better than Jessie Gelber. - Chic Bach

[1] Alabone, Richard. “1920’s Jazz: At 78 RPM?” City of London Phonograph and Gramophone Society Ltd (CLPGS) Journal. Reprinted on website “Sandy Brown Jazz” 2011. N.P., April 05, 2011. < http://www.sandybrownjazz.co.uk/forumjazzat78rpm.html >

TSJS Cryptogram

YVZYUWEU QTU VBM NLA NTF MTRA

Name of a one-time recording band

hint t = 0

Review - Jeff Barnhart

The Time: 7:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m., Friday, March 11, 2011
The Place: The Porch Club, 4th and Howard Streets, Riverton, NJ
Jeff Barnhart, piano and vocals; Anne Barnhart, guest musician, flute

Great piano artistry continues with the TSJS piano series. On Friday night, Jeff Barnhart gave an outstanding performance. In the first half of his piano concert he played medleys of songs by three composers: Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin and Fats Waller.

Flautist Anne Barnhart was invited to accompany Jeff on Gershwin’s "Summertime,” Anne soloed at the start of the tune by leaning underneath the piano lid, playing over the piano strings, which caused the strings to echo, creating a haunting effect (A similar routine was performed when the couple performed as part of the Barnhart-Midiri Quartet, back in November, 2009). The pair concluded the Gershwin segment with a rip-roaring version of Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm."

Fats Waller, whom Jeff called his patron saint, was celebrated in the performances of "Honeysuckle Rose" and “Hold My Hand." Jeff explained that in the latter piece Fats introduced an ABCD pattern in place of the AABA approach universally being used. It isn't heard often today, but Fats loved the tune so much that he both opened and closed each of his performances with it during the early 1940's.

The intermission was a pleasant social interlude with snacks provided by former TSJS President Pete Peterson. One of the attendees was a native from Scotland, Helen Campbell, who said she just had to come to hear Jeff.

To open the second set, Jeff made some short educational comments about stride piano and played James P. Johnson's "The Mule Walk" and Jelly Roll Morton's "The Pearls." He followed up by informing us that TSJS member Jay "JazzBo" Schultz had sent him a song titled "Red Hot Mama" to play, which Jeff first turned into a short educational interlude about the workings of Tin Pan Alley, after which he performed the song as it might have been played by several pianists in varying styles, such as boogie woogie.

Jeff next featured three tunes by Eubie Blake. The first one, "I'm Just Wild About Harry," had been written as a waltz which was rejected by Tin Pan Alley publishers, so Eubie changed it the next day into a fox trot which succeeded wildly.

The memorable concert concluded with "Blue Skies" by both Anne and Jeff. – Mike Mudry

REVIEW - PIANO SERIES - JOE HOLT

The Time: Sunday, February 27, 2011, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Place: The Porch Club, 4th and Howards Sts., Riverton, NJ
Joe Holt, piano

Direction. Getting from point A to point B. How we get from those two points varies according to the individual. For some, the quickest route serves best, not attractive for sight-seeing, but saves time. For others, taking in some scenery, and an escape from the busiest highways with its congestion, short-tempered drivers et al allows for a more pleasant drive.

Then there’s Joe Holt.

To illustrate visually a Joe Holt piano performance would go something like this: Getting in the car, starting the engine, go back in the house because he forgot something, get back in car, drive around the block three times to admire the Christmas lights, then go back to the house because he forgot to say goodbye to the pet dog, off again, one more trip around the block-this time to admire the neighbor’s ’57 Chevy, makes a U-turn, then arrives at a traffic light, makes another U-turn to go to an intersection where there is no light, takes a road less traveled to get to point B! It is an understated cliché to define Holt’s playing as the mouse in the maze hunting for the elusive piece of cheese.

To be a good stride pianist, one must have a strong left hand. All the greats had them – Smith, Johnson, Waller, etc. Mr. Holt was no exception. In some cases, he presented his left hand as a walking bass, taking “bass solos” as in the case in his performance of “Sweet Georgia Brown.” However, his right hand should not go unnoticed-the driving metaphor described in the previous paragraph is applied here. Some performances like in the opening “Aint Misbehavin’” had both hands switch parts – the bass playing melody and the treble playing bass.

All of the selections performed had their moments. “Putting on the Ritz” could be defined as “What happened after the Ritz.” Both hands stagger in opposite directions, somehow managing to hail a taxi cab to go uptown, while passing Carnegie Hall, “Anitra’s Dance” is performed, ultimately arriving at Small’s Paradise Café where the house band is playing “Sing, Sing, Sing.” “If Only” a Holt original, took a different direction. Described as a “feeling of regret,” the title fits the mood of the piece, sort of a looking back on an unpleasant past. Based loosely on the melody of “Ochi Chernye (Dark Eyes)”, the piece reminds one of Debussy’s impressionistic works. The closing, “I Got Rhythm” was the best saved for last. Describing his penchant for quoting as “my Tourettes,” Holt applied them liberally, citing diversified works as “Yes, We Have No Bananas” and “Seven, Come Eleven.” Gershwin’s composition brought out the Basie in Holt, applying the subtle treble effects the great Count was known for, even going so far as to allow a Walter Page impression with his left hand!

The relaxed encore, “If I Had You,” marked the end of an adventurous ride, arriving at Point B, safe and sound. - Jim McGann

RECALLING MUSIC OF THE PAST

RECORD RESEARCH, Issue 128, July 1974 saluted “Duke” Edward Kennedy Ellington (piano /composer/ arranger), born Washington, DC, April 29, 1899, died early 1974. The following biography by John Chilton appeared in “Who’s Who of Jazz(1970):

“During early childhood he was nicknamed “Duke” by a neighbor. He attended Armstrong H.S. in DC from February 1914 until June 1917; won a poster design contest (organized by NAACP), left high-school before graduation and started own sign-painting business. While still in High School , Duke had begun ‘gigging’ at the Washington True Reformers’ Hall, soon afterwards he began ‘subbing’ for pianist Lester Dishman at the ‘Poodle Dog Café’; while working there wrote his first composition “Soda Fountain Rag” --- soon followed by his first tune with lyrics: “What Are You Going To Do When The Bed Breaks Down?” He studied harmony with Henry Grant. He worked as relief pianist at the Abbott House and the Oriental Theater and ‘gigged’ with quite a
few bands.

“He worked New York and Atlantic City with “The Washingtonians” directed by Elmer Snowden. Early in 1924 Duke became the leader of “The Washingtonians”; during the following year he and lyricist Jo Trent wrote the score for the “Chocolate Kiddies” revue. From 1925 to 1927 the band did regular tours through New England as well as New York clubs. Starting 12-4-1927 the orchestra resided at the Cotton Club in NY until February 1931. The residency was not continuous -- the orchestra did regular tours and dates at many New York Theaters, and traveled to California (in August 1930) for local engagements and filming. The orchestra did extensive touring in 1931 (theaters), played residencies in Boston and California before returning to the Paramount, NY in February 1932, later returning to California.

“They arrived in England on June 9, 1933; residency at the London Palladium, they toured Bolton, Liverpool, Glasgow, Blackpool, etc., before playing concerts in Paris. They sailed back to New York August 2, 1933, later that year they did first southern tour, then played residency at the Cotton Club, Culver City. Toured Texas, Louisiana, Canada, etc. (summer 1935), played
residency at Congress Hotel, Chicago (May & June 1936) etc. Residency at the NY Cotton Club (from March 20, 1937) then resumed widespread touring.

“From July 1 until August 10, 1938 Duke was away from the scene whilst undergoing surgery for hernia; during this period wrote the music for the ballet “City Woman”. In March the orchestra toured France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Sweden. By 1940 Billy Strayhorn had joined Duke as staff arranger and collaborator; the orchestra continued touring and residencies, then appeared in “Jump for Joy” revue in Los Angeles from August 1941. In 1943, they did the first of the Carnegie Hall Concerts plus residency at the Hurricane Club, NY (April – Sept.)toured in 1944-5.

“After a brief spell in the hospital (spring 1948), Duke, Ray Nance and vocalist Kay Davis toured variety halls in Great Britain (June - July 1948). During the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, Duke continued to lead (and compose) with undiminished success. In the autumn of 1956 they made a triumphant return to Britain. During the 1960s they also toured throughout Europe, the Far East, the Middle East, India, Japan, South America, Senegal, etc. Early in 1970 they began a wide range of overseas tours, visiting Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.”

The magazine also contains photos and adds details on his compositions, specifics at typical locations, and more. The world knew the Duke! - Woody Backensto

Review - Mark Kramer

The Time: Sunday, January 30, 2011, 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Place: The Porch Club, Riverton, NJ
Mark Kramer, piano

The Tri-State Jazz Society began a new piano series on Sunday, and pianist Mark Kramer was invited to inaugurate the series.

Kramer's presentation was one of dramatics and education. In addition to performing the works of the influential Jazz pianists, Mr. Kramer "acted" in character, summarizing their lives and works. Louis Gottschalk, Scott Joplin, Jelly Roll Morton, James P. Johnson and Fats Waller were presented in this fashion. Treating the evolution of Jazz chronologically, Kramer pointed out the techniques that were developed over time; the influence of African rhythms and polyrhythms in the works of Gottschalk and Joplin; the Spanish clave (or "tinge") in Morton's work and the loosening of time in Johnson's and Waller's playing. Mr. Kramer even got the audience to participate in a rhythmic exercise, combining rhythm patterns based on the human heartbeat and breathing.

With all this history, demonstration and activity, one thing suffered - the music. Kramer, a pianist comfortable with modern players Eddie Gomez, the Brecker Brothers and Stanley Clarke, was entering new terrain with this concert. In most of his pianistic interpretations, Kramer's modern skills clashed with the works of the masters. Some modern players (post bop) were included and some (pre-Bop) players from the past were overlooked. Kramer acknowledged Thelonious Monk with developing space in his solos - did not Count Basie, by economizing his piano playing, allowed the sounds of Freddie Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones to filter in so the rhythm section worked as a whole unit? Would that be defined as using space?

One pleasant surprise - new faces. The audience at this concert were mostly first-time attendees, and generally enjoyed Kramer's presentation. Let's hope this is a trend!

Our next piano concert will return to the Porch Club. On February 27, pianist Joe Holt will perform "Stride Piano - A Continuing Legacy of Spontaneous Joy." at 2:00 p.m.

-Jim McGann