Thursday, January 28, 2010

A Saturday night packed with jazz

A benefit for Haitian relief Saturday will bring John Bianculli with Jackie Jones and friends; Black Symphony Circle; Gary Kaplan with the Fletchers; Sailors in Rags; Isabel Ruano; Brian Szura and friends; and Mark and Sedna together at Highland Park High School auditorium 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. Admission is a donation at the door to charities supporting Haiti relief — they’ve set a minimum request of $15 for adults and $5 for children.

Thursday, Jan. 28
David Sanborn will take the stage at the South Orange Performing Arts Center with Joey DeFrancesco at 8 p.m. – hit that hyperlink and see if there are any tickets left.

Rio Clemente will be at The Bernards Inn, 27 Mine Brook Road 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. tonight. He’ll be at the Bickford Theater, 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morristown, 8 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday, and returns to Attilios Tavern in Dover Tuesday night … busy man.

The Jazz Celebration Big Band is back at the Temperance House, 5 S. State St., Newtown,Pa., tonight, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The 17-piece band features vocalist Claudia Perry. Reservations are recommended – call 215-860-9975.

Friday, Jan. 29
The John Bianculli Trio adds vocalist Jackie Jones and drummer Jonathon Peretz for tonight’s entertainment at
Christopher’s at the Heldrich Hotel, 10 Livingston Ave. in New Brunswick. There’s no cover for the music, offered from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.

Dick Gratton holds the chair at Chambers Walk Café in Lawrenceville, playing from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Lauren Hooker is known for her arrangements of standards that utilize her three-octave range for best effect. Hear and see her at the Hibiscus Restaurant in the Morristown Inn, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Pianist Dre Barnes will be at Steakhouse 85 in New Brunswick.

Small World Coffee is bringing the jazz-funk music of Soul Cycle to Princeton. 8;30 p.m. on Witherspoon St. – just follow the groove …

Saturday, Jan. 30
Percussionist Randy Sutin joins the Jazz Disciples at the Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St. in Trenton, today. Music starts at 3 p.m.

Dick Gratton returns to Bordentown’s Farnsworth House, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Branford Marsalis Quartet will be at McCarter Theater at 7:30 p.m. ‘Nuff said … except Esperanza Spalding is with him.

Weather forecasters are calling for a cold spell this weekend; jazz forecasters are calling for a hot spell at Kingston’s United Methodist Church -- Dave Kaczorowski (bass), Adrian Valosin (drums) and Jim Desalvo (piano) will be the heat on the church’s “Hot Jazz on a Cold Night” series. Get warm at 7 p.m. The church is at 9 Church St. in Kingston (just off Route 28).

Reeds, Rhythm and All That Brass will swing Saturday night away, performing at the First Presbyterian Church, 14 Hanover Road, East Hanover, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. The event is a swing dance concert – but listeners are welcome, too. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, call 908-591-6491 or go to www.folkproject.org.

Sunday, Jan. 31
Vocalist Marcus Goldhaber has been collecting raves while singing at the Night Hotel in New York – he’s making his New Jersey debut at The Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst today, with shows at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. He’ll perform with The Jon Davis Trio, including Martin Wind on bass, and Marcello Pellitteri on drums. Cover charge is $10.

Pam Purvis, Bob Ackerman and Matt Chertkoff are at Cecil’s in West Orange at 5:30 p.m. Not enough? Pam will be at the Hibiscus Restaurant Feb. 5, so you can enjoy more of her singing.

Monday, Feb. 1
Jim Jasion and His Jazz (the Somerset Jazz Consortium Horn Squad) will be at Home Town Buffet, 561 US Highway 1, Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 2
Pianist … composer … vocalist … Lou Watson offers audiences a lot – check him out Tuesday at the Hibiscus Restaurant from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Somerset Jazz Consortium jam session lead by Jim Jasion has moved to the Subterranean Recording Studios in Edison. Call Jim if you’re interested in joining -- 732-325-7464.

Wednesday, Feb. 3
The Somerset Jazz Consortium Second Generation Band will be at Home Town Buffet on Route 1 in Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Vocalist Margie Notte lights up Libretti’s Restaurant, 554 Orange St. in Orange, at 7 p.m. Wednesdays.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Jazz socials and fundraisers

There are some special events this weekend -- check Friday night's Princeton High School Big Band Dance fundraiser, and Sunday's New Jersey Jazz Society social.

Thursday, Jan. 21
The Eric Mintel Quartet will perform 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Thursday night through January at Mediterra, on Hulfish Street in Princeton.

Rio Clemente is back at The Bernards Inn, 27 Mine Brook Road 7 p.m.- 10 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 22
The Princeton High School Studio Band and Jazz Ensemble will put the swing in a fundraising Big Band Dance, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday at PHS. The Studio Band will be performing in Carnegie Hall March 5, so catch them before they hit the big time. Funds raised will be used to support the school’s musical education programs and band travel. Ticket are $6 for adults; $4 for students and seniors. Food and beverages will be available for sale. Click here for more information.

The John Bianculli Trio adds vocalist Jackie Jones and drummer Jonathon Peretz for tonight’s entertainment at
Christopher’s at the Heldrich Hotel, 10 Livingston Ave. in New Brunswick. There’s no cover for the music, offered from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.

Dick Gratton returns to the Chambers Walk Café in Lawrenceville, playing from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. He’ll head to the Farnsworth House in Bordentown, Jan. 9.

Rio Clemente has a one-man engagement at the Watchung Art Center at 8 p.m.
Tomorrow, he’s at the Milton United Methodist Church at 4 p.m. for a solo concert, followed by a light meal – call 973-697-2120 for reservations or more information.

It’s a match for the ages: Jazz Vs. Space Tiger, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Beanwood Coffee Shop, 222 Farnsworth Ave. in Bordentown. I think jazz wins ...

Jane Stuart will be singing at the Hibiscus Restaurant in the Morristown Inn, playing from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Jim Lapidus steps in at Steakhouse 85 in New Brunswick.

Saturday, Jan. 23
Innovative trumpeter John Swana will blow minds and his trumpet at the Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St. in Trenton, for the Jazz Disciples. Music starts at 3 p.m.

Dick Gratton is heading down Route 206 today, for a gig at Bordentown’s Farnsworth House, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 24
Love jazz music? Why not share your affections with like-minded folk: head to Shanghai Jazz today at 3 p.m. for the New Jersey Jazz Society Social. You can meet lots of fellow jazzbos, and enjoy Jerry Bruno and Bucky Pizzarelli. There’s a $10 food or beverage minimum at Shanghai Jazz, and a $10 admission if you’re not a member of NJJS (but you can click here and take care of that).

The Eric Olsen Trio will perform at the Bernardsville Public Library at 3 p.m., part of the “Sundays at Three” series funded by the Friends of the Bernardsville Public Library. Doors open at 2:45 p.m., and light refreshments will be served at intermission. No sign-up is needed.

Pam Purvis, Bob Ackerman and Matt Chertkoff are at Cecil’s in West Orange at 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 25
Jim Jasion and His Jazz (the Somerset Jazz Consortium Horn Squad) will be at Home Town Buffet, 561 US Highway 1, Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 26
Pianist Tomoko Ohno has a lot going on these days – she’s a regular featured artists at Trumpets Jazz Club, and a member of the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. Tuesday, she’ll be at the Hibiscus Restaurant from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Somerset Jazz Consortium jam session lead by Jim Jasion has moved to the Subterranean Recording Studios in Edison. Call Jim if you’re interested in joining -- 732-325-7464.

Wednesday, Jan. 27
The Somerset Jazz Consortium Second Generation Band will be at Home Town Buffet on Route 1 in Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Vocalist Margie Notte lights up Libretti’s Restaurant, 554 Orange St. in Orange, at 7 p.m. Wednesdays.

Patty Cronheim is back at Princeton’s Mediterra Restaurant, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Coming up ...
You can catch the David Sanborn Quartet, with Joey DeFrancesco, at the South Orange Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m. Jan. 28 – if you reserve your tickets.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

A great weekend for fans of guitar jazz

This weekend is full of great events, including several noteworthy guitarists in the area: B.D. Lenz, Frank Vignola and Joshua Breakstone are performing in Central Jersey, along with local favorites like Dick Gratton. It's a six-string spectacular.

Thursday, Jan. 14
The Eric Mintel Quartet will perform 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Thursday night through January at Mediterra, on Hulfish Street in Princeton.

Rio Clemente is back at The Bernards Inn, 27 Mine Brook Road 7 p.m.- 10 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 15
Catch The John Bianculli Trio, with Tom Baker on drums, and Jed Levy on sax, at Steakhouse 85, 85 Church St. in New Brunswick. There’s no cover charge, but help show support for the band by enjoying some food and drinks while there.

Pat Tandy and her trio will be at
Christopher’s at the Heldrich Hotel, 10 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.

Dick Gratton returns to the Chambers Walk Café in Lawrenceville, playing from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. He’ll head to the Farnsworth House in Bordentown, Jan. 9.

Hopewell Valley Vineyards will feature music by Jersey Jazz – David Berends, Lance Sulton, Rich Saborsky from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Steve Lynn Group will be at the Beanwood Coffee Shop, 222 Farnsworth Ave. in Bordentown.

B.D. Lenz is bringing his guitar and band to the Hibiscus Restaurant in the Morristown Inn, playing from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

If you’re in Morristown, you can also catch The Frank Vignola Trio playing 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, 21 Normandy Heights Road. Adults’ admission is $7; children 12 and under, free – teach your children well. For more information, call 973-335-9489 or go to www.folkproject.org

Jim Lapidus steps in at Steakhouse 85 in New Brunswick.

They call Francine Evans “Lady Sinatra” and if you want to know why, catch her with Joel Zelnik from 6:30 – 10:30 p.m., at Marcello’s Ristorante at 8 Lafayette Ave. in Suffern, N.Y.

The Eric Mintel Quartet moves to the Crossing Vineyard and Winery in Washington Crossing, Pa., for an 8 p.m.-to-10 p.m. gig.

Drivetime will perform at New Hope’s Triumph Brewery, 500 Union Sq. at 10 p.m. Admission is $5.

Saturday, Jan. 16
The Darla Rich Quintet is back at the Hopewell Inn, playing from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Joshua Breakstone will be picking in the Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St. in Trenton, with Trenton’s Jazz Disciples. Music starts at 3 p.m.

Laura Hull returns to Ponte Vecchio at Murray Hill Inn New Providence.

It’s Jazz in Bridgewater … at the Somerset County Vo-Tech, with Joe Midiri and the Midiri Brothers Orchestra’s tribute to Benny Goodman, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The school is at 14 Vogt Dr. in Bridgewater; tickets are $25 – check here for information on how to get them.

Sunday, Jan. 17
Pam Purvis, Bob Ackerman and Matt Chertkoff are at Cecil’s in West Orange at 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 18
Jim Jasion and His Jazz (the Somerset Jazz Consortium Horn Squad) will be at Home Town Buffet, 561 US Highway 1, Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 19
It’s the Franklin-Alison Jazz Quartet at The Witherspoon Grill, 57 Witherspoon St., Princeton, tonight. They’ll play from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Ted Brancato will be at the Hibiscus Restaurant from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight.

The Somerset Jazz Consortium jam session lead by Jim Jasion has moved to the Subterranean Recording Studios in Edison. Call Jim if you’re interested in joining -- 732-325-7464.

Wednesday, Jan. 20

The Somerset Jazz Consortium Second Generation Band will be at Home Town Buffet on Route 1 in Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Vocalist Margie Notte lights up Libretti’s Restaurant, 554 Orange St. in Orange, at 7 p.m. Wednesdays.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The New Yorker's tribute to Bird's biggest fan

In 2008, The New Yorker magazine printed a terrific article about Phil Schaap and his morning show on Columbia's WCKR-FM (89.9). The article notes Schaap's astounding and encyclopedic knowledge of Ornithology (that is, the kind that relates to Bird).
I used to pick up Schaap's program and was mezmerized -- if you've not heard it, tune in at 8:20 a.m. or catch a podcast here. Each show examines the intricacies of some of the most incredible recordings in bebop, including discussion of alternate takes -- something that can be helpful to learning musicians. There's something helpful in hearing Bird and Diz have to do multiple takes to get past the head of a tune ... of course, they played them at about 300 beats per minute ...
Schaap's knowledge is truly awesome, so much so that Columbia Records asked him to help edit and produce the complete Charlie Parker recordings reissues.
Amazingly, he's been doing this for 40 years and next month, WCKR will celebrate Schaap's career with a Feb. 2 party. If you can't make it, put on your favorite Parker recording (mine's "Star Eyes" from the "Charlie Parker with Strings" ... I know, I know, but I love the arrangement and Parker's lines), and be thankful people like Phil Schaap love this music so deeply that we can be so well educated and entertained.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Winter treats

Thursday, Jan. 7
The Eric Mintel Quartet will perform 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. every Thursday night through January at Mediterra, on Hulfish Street in Princeton. If you can’t make it out for the Thursday night jazz offering, stop in on Wednesday for Patty Cronheim.

A few years ago, I fell under the spell of tenorist Virginia Mayhew’s Sandan Shuffle. She’s a strong presence on the horn, and when accompanied by such all stars as Harvie S. and Victor Jones, it’s a potent combination. Now, she’s leading the Ellington Legacy Band – catch her and Ellington’s Legacy 7:30 p.m. tonight at Trumpets in Montclair.

Friday, Jan. 8
Dick Gratton returns to the Chambers Walk Café in Lawrenceville, playing from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. He’ll head to the Farnsworth House in Bordentown, Jan. 9.

Champian Fulton is headlining tonight at the Hibiscus Restaurant in the Morristown Inn, playing from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Laura Hull will be at The Adam Todd Restaurant at Cranberry Lake (Route 206 in Andover) from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. There’s no cover but a $20 minimum. Call 973-347-4004 for reservations.

Saturday, Jan. 9
Gordon James, Jose Loo, Chris Plunkett and Al Johnson will heat up Saturday night at the Salt Creek Grille in Forrestal Village (Princeton) from 7 to 11 p.m. If you prefer a more intimate setting, Gordon, Jose, Al and Mark Peterson will be at Flat 5 Records and Entertainment, 10 Throckmorton Ave. in Eatontown, Jan. 10. Gordon says, “This is a truly unique place, with a living room type atmosphere. It's also a music school and they do a great deal of community work for the underprivileged.” Admission to the show will be $10, and food will be served at $5 a plate. Check out www.flat5records.com for more information.

Andre Mutcherson is this week’s guest will visit the Candlelight Lounge, 24 Passaic St. in Trenton, for the Jazz Disciples. Music starts at 3 p.m.

The spirit and music of Benny Goodman will be enjoyed at the Somerset County Vocational Technical School, 14 Vogt Dr. in Bridgewater, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., with Joe Midiri and the Midiri Brothers Orchestra. Tickets are $20 and $25.

Sunday, Jan. 10
Pam Purvis, Bob Ackerman and Matt Chertkoff are at Cecil’s in West Orange at 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 11
Jim Jasion and His Jazz (the Somerset Jazz Consortium Horn Squad) will be at Home Town Buffet, 561 US Highway 1, Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 12
Fill up on the “High Octane Jazz” at The Witherspoon Grill, 57 Witherspoon St., Princeton, starting at 6 p.m. that will be offered by John Sheridan (on guitar), Art Stephano (bass) and Mike Ipri (drums). "The Brothers Grim" trio, as they are billed on their Web site, are part of Philadelphia’s Sixth Street Quaternion.
Betty Liste will be at the Hibiscus Restaurant from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. tonight.

The Somerset Jazz Consortium jam session lead by Jim Jasion has moved to the Subterranean Recording Studios in Edison. Call Jim if you’re interested in joining -- 732-325-7464.

Wednesday, Jan. 13
Patty Cronheim is back at Princeton’s Mediterra. She’ll be performing every Wednesday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. this month.

The Somerset Jazz Consortium Second Generation Band will be at Home Town Buffet on Route 1 in Edison, beginning at 6 p.m.

Vocalist Margie Notte lights up Libretti’s Restaurant, 554 Orange St. in Orange, at 7 p.m. Wednesdays.

Princeton University’s University Jazz Vespers Ensemble will perform in University Chapel at 8 p.m. The show is free, but you can get tickets (just to be sure) here.

Coming up: It’s not too early to make sure you’ve got a good seat at the Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour show set for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 at Princeton’s McCarter Theater. The tickets to see The Kenny Barron Trio, Regina Carter, Kurt Elling and Russell Malone start at $42. Think there will be a better bargain this year?

Saturday, January 2, 2010

'Jaz' by Mel Nusbaum

Mel Nusbaum sent this video he created about jazz. Mel's been a jazz fan since he was a kid growing up in Chicago. He started out as a guitar player, listening to Gene Ammons, Howlin Wolf and John Coltrane. He saw Miles at the Plugged Nickel, saw Wes Mongomery. His own playing has led him to playing Latin, funk, straight jazz, free jazz, and "things in between with more cool musicians," he said.

"I still love music but not the music business, which has never been good to me financially," Mel wrote. "Now I'm playing piano too, making poetry, composing tunes, doing creative projects with my hands, and making little videos. I'm working on one now about Chicago Blues to back up my illuminated collage about Maxwell Street that's on my web site." (Click here to go to his site)

Mel wrote intention in the video is to "portray the many sides of jazz and the jazz world and what jazz means to me."

See if you don't dig it, too.