Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Saturday Night Jam

Jon Seiger led The All Stars into the most unique Saturday Night Jam that we have ever witnessed!

Jon is charming, personable, entertainer, a master of New Orleans Jazz.  His singing and playing inspires the band.

Cornet/trumpet – Jon Seiger, Alex Owen
Clarinet – Joe Midiri
Trombone – Emma Sayles,Tom Boates, Ben Griffin, Ray Skalski,
Mike Rocha (of New Bedford’s SouthCoast Jazz Orchestra)
Piano – Jeff Barnhart, Frank LiVorsi
Tuba – Al Bernard
Drums – Bob Bequillard, Molly Sayles
(somebody let me know who I missed!)

They opened with Avalon, fine hot jazz, with Barnhart on piano, and continued with Basin St. Blues.

Young New Orleans Jazz players, including Art Hovey’s Sugarfoot members Molly Sayles on drums and sister Emma on trombone, were outstanding; Alex Owen solo on trumpet, two trombones comping.

Jon said this day really was different – the youngsters were leading the oldsters for a change!  Joe Midiri provided encouragement and support on fiery clarinet.

New York’s Frank LiVolsi demonstrated his fantastic stride piano on Sweet Georgia Brown.

Frank is really dedicated to playing Ragtime.  He is enrolled at URI in Mechanical Engineering, so we may have him around New England for a few more years!

They moved to genuine, “bluesy blues”, with Blues in the Night.  Nice change of pace!

We can’t have a Festival Band, or Big Jam without tubist Albie Bernard!!

He’s one of our favorites!

Barnhart returned to piano and picked up the beat for a hot Hindustan.

A fan from the audience asked Jon if he still could play trumpet while standing on his head, as he used to do.  Jon hemmed and hawed for a few seconds, then stepped off the stage.  Balancing with his feet on a pole, he did just that – played trumpet while standing on his head!

He even stunned the band.  We wouldn’t believe it if we hadn’t seen (and heard it!)

Getting serious, Jon jumped back on the stage and said “This Festival wouldn’t be complete without The Saints.  An emotionally charged Jon changed the words to “I want to be in Essex!”

They closed with Jon on vocal for Show Me The Way To Go Home.

Jon Seiger is an exceptional human being, and led a truly exceptional Jazz Jam – Folks won’t ever forget this one!

2012 – HOT STEAMED JAZZ FESTIVAL’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY!

The Hot Steamed Jazz Festival will continue next year – some bands have already been booked. It will take that long to finish this site, adding new embedded videos as they get processed. Come back once in a while to see and hear these great bands – and see you next year!

 

2012

The Hot Steamed Jazz Festival celebrated a successful 20th Anniversary thanks to a  dedicated group of people who love Traditional Jazz and work to keep its Jazz presence in Essex, Connecticut.

Congratulations to President and Chairman Karen E. Senn, Shirley Bombaci Vice President, for their hard work, and also Nina Sulinski treasurer, Beth Fitzsimmons secretary,  and a large crew of volunteers including Isobel Allen, Bob & Sue Brummet, David and Marge Olmsted, Judy Postemsky and more, who presented 12 bands, plus a Saturday night Jam and Sunday Gospel Service.   

Their choice of bands was judicious,  

Jeff Barnhart – Connecticut
Galvanized Jazz Band – Connecticut
Riverboat Ramblers – Connecticut
Festival All Stars – All over
Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band – Connecticut (mostly)
The Midiri Brothers – New Jersey
Swing Times Five led by Jeff Hughes – Massachusetts
Ben Mauger’s Vintage Jazz Band – Pennsylvania
Wolverine Jazz Band – Massachusetts
Sugarfoot  Youth Band – Connecticut
Saturday Night Big Jam
Gospel Service with Jon Seiger
Funky Butt Jazz Band
Dan Levinson’s Millenium All Stars – New York
Bob Seeley – Michigan

Other News and History Related to the Festival

20th Anniversary Cake Presentation

HOT STEAMED JAZZ FESTIVAL

by Lauren Humpage

Twenty one years ago, near the close of The Great Connecticut Traditional Jazz Festival in Essex, CT I had a casual late evening conversation with Joe and Shirley Bombaci and Bpombaci and (if my memory is correct) Darcie Deaville the jazz fiddler with Igor Glenn’s Jazz Cowboys, who was staying at Joe and Shirley’s house for the weekend festival.

The Great Connecticut Traditional Jazz Festival was being transferred from Essex to a camp ground in Moodus, Connecticut and pushed out to July.
Jim Almond, a conductor at the Essex Railroad Museum, suggested to Joe and Shirley that they maintain a festival here in Essex.
Although at that time the jazz followers attending numbered in the thousands, I for one was not sure if  The Hot Steamed Jazz Festival would be profitable. Would fans return to the area within 45 days of the large 3-day TGCTJF in July for another festival much smaller in size? 

In the first couple of years, it was a struggle and ran in the red, and the Bombacis had to cover the losses.  Eventually they were able to find sponsors and get the festival to where it is today.  For twenty years fans have returned to the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival, and still do with great enthusiasm.
Originally, it was two venues, the engine house and one large tent, but for about the past nine years it has been in two large tents. The general atmosphere has been enthusiasm and excitement for performers and followers alike. Although crowds have never reached the level experienced at that TGCTJF, attendance has been in the low hundreds. (A good measure being in general, the present age of the followers of the music.)  But it is still a 3-day festival of excellent quality… maybe one of the best small festivals in the country. 
The weather is not a problem – no matter what mother nature throws at this festival, the excitement and quality persists from the first note played early Friday evening to the last note played late Sunday afternoon. Why? Partly because it’s an intimate informal outdoor experience where friendships and camaraderie between followers/supporters and musicians intermingle continually and effortlessly everywhere on the grounds between sets all weekend long.
The quality of musicianship? My word! The best of the best from those that have been the top dogs for years to the new upcoming talent that are deservedly making names for themselves nationally and internationally in the jazz world we all love.
I’m not a great one to remark on one tune over another. My interest and memory locks into the overall total performance of any individual or group – what happened musically and how the audience reacts.
More of Lauren’s comments on the Bands’ pages.

HOLE IN THE WALL GANG CAMP

Proceeds from this festival go to the late Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, which is now celebrating its 25th year.  There were several representatives from the Camp at the Festival.

Maria has been part of the camp for 20 years.  She said it serves 20,000 kids and families in New England at no charge every year. The Community comes together, and the kids get to connect with others like themselves. It makes a fantastic summer for them! 

Natali is a cancer survivor, now 20 years in remission. Paul Newman taught her how to play pool when she was 9 years old!

My special thanks to Lauren Humpage for providing some history and short, succinct, comments on the bands.

Marce

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Bob Seeley

Bob Seeley – 4 sets – soloist – The world renowned Boogie-Woogie pianist of industrial strength from Michigan was back for (I believe) his 5th straight year. Simply Wow! He and Jeff did a four-hands-on duet in his second set that had the audience on their feet for a standing ovation when finished. There are very few that can do what Bob Seeley does!                                       Lauren Humpage

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An 83-year-old scamp, who jumps up and down from the stage like a teenager. Bob Seeley takes boogie woogie tunes of the masters he learned from, like Mead Lux Lewis, Pete Johnson,  and Albert Ammons, as well as contemporaries, just to see what he can do with them.   History lessons are part of his package.

He said during WWII, most of the music was Pop.  Boogie Woogie was a fast, happy Blues.  Sippy Wallace’s Suitcase Blues.

In 1948 Freddy Martin and Josh Pinochle took  Rimsky Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumble Bee and turned it into a boogie. 

Lewis, Johnson and Ammons hung out of Mead. Jimmy Yangtze was older, they listened and learned from him.  Many songs at the time referred to railroads and trains.  Yangtze Special was named after a steam train, you can actually hear the engine start, the wheels slipping. 

He said he’d try a classic Bish boogie woogie that was done on two pianos back when he was about 16 years old. He managed it one one piano, with flying fingers!

Boogie Woogie doesn’t have to be fast. He slowed down for a boogie Freddie Slack played in the 40’s.  Strange Cargo was Freddie’s theme song.

When the war ended, boogie-woogie faded. Freddie played piano for a little while, drinking heavily, he died at 52.  People who hit the top did not live a full life.  Seeley says “The music business is not easy.”

There was a request for WC Handy, his most famous tune, St. Louis Blues – he played the Earl Hynes version.  Fast bouncy, boogie, with some stride.  Then moved to something not boogie, Malagueña, written by Ernesto Lecuona.  He played it in stride, quoting a big of “She don’t wear no pants in the southern part of France”. 

Meade ‘Lux’ Lewis was about 5 feet tall and weighed about 300 pounds. His boogie – Tell Your Story Blues tells a story.  The right hand holds the conversation, while the left hand keeps the eight-beat. 

Cow Cow Davenport was a boogie woogie player in the 20’s and 30’s.  He composed Cow Cow Boogie.  Sold it outright.  Trad bands play it too.

Mama Don’t ‘low – that song is usually used to identify the players in a band. He used it to enumerate all the different kinds of music, citing examples.  Mama Don’t ‘low no Scott Joplin, Irving Berlin. Ragtime (Maple Leaf Rag) James P. Johnson (Charleston) Fats Waller (Honeysuckle Rose) Duke Ellington (A Train – left hand traveling all over the low end of the piano).  George Gershwin (I Got Rhythm) left hand in a hopping stride.  He ended with an Irving Berlin (God Bless America.)

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Amazing pianist.  His second set was totally different. and just as fascinating.

Mead Lux Lewis’s Six Wheel Chaser, Juan Tisol’s Caravan, going from boogie into rapid stride. He slowed for Jelly Roll Morton’s Dead Man Blues (“a favorite in the nursing homes.  Another one is After You’ve Gone“.)  

Boogie Woogie Man, his Bumble Boogie cannot be described – you must see it!  Eric Devine videotaped it.  All in good time.

Mr. Freddie Blues.  He moved quickly from one to another pianist, remembering all the best pianists of the past.

He said Errol Garner was “one of the greatest ever”. 

Jerome Kern’s Yesterdays started with as a ballad, morphing into an lively boogie, fingers dancing across the keyboard.

Pete Johnson – stride pianist – wrote Death Ray Boogie – named after that look, that stare, that Benny Goodman gave his players.  He played more leisurely for Fats Waller’s  Cuttin’ The Boogie.

He said Jelly Roll Morton hated the boogie, but it was ‘in’ at the time so they all had to play it. So Fat’s contribution in a cutting contest was Handful Of Keys.  That should show them!

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Bob had the last set on Sunday afternoon in the Hole in the Wall Tent, Galvanized was playing in the Louis Armstrong Tent.  Fred Vigorito led the Galvanized Jazz Band marching into the tent and there was a free-for-all.

If you look carefully, you’ll find Joel Schiavone on banjo, hiding in the background. 

That concluded a fine weekend of great jazz. Bands have already been booked for next year. Volunteers – get ready for another one!!

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Dan Levinson’s New Millennium All Stars

videos by Eric Devine

Dan Levinson – Reeds, Andy Schumm – Cornet, Matt Musselman – Trombone, Gordon Webster – Piano, Molly Ryan – Guitar and Vocals, Rob Adkins – Bass, Kevin Dorn – Drums

Early Jazz from the 20’s and 30’s appears to be fading away with us, the generation that was raised on it.  Trad and Dixieland Festivals that have been thriving for 25-30 years are either closing completely, or incorporating other genres to fill the seats.  Fortunately for us,  Dan Levinson has devoted his life into finding and teaching our kind of music to some of the younger, upcoming musicians, so that it doesn’t just disappear.

He’s brought hundreds of them to the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival, for all but one year of its existence.  This year, he really picked some All Stars who have built names of their own, some even have their own bands – playing Our Kind Of Music.  Hence The New Millennium All Stars.

It’s obvious that they enjoy it!

Clarinet Marmalade, Baby Won’t You Please Come Home, Fidgety Feet.

Check out Rob Adkins on the string bass:

New Millenium ensembles are superb, and Dan gives each a chance to STAR! Milenberg Joys

Molly now also plays guitar.   Darkness on the Delta
Smoldering interchange between the front liners, especially Dan on tenor and Matt Musselman on trombone.

With Dan on tenor sax, she continued with I Can’t Give You Anything But Love

She recently kickstarted a fund for a new Swing CD which has already reached it’s goal.  We’re looking forward to it!

http://mollyryan.com

Dan took off on clarinet for There’ll Be Some Changes Madeand the New Millenium pursued him, even letting drummer Kevin Dorn take some licks.

Kevin has been one of the busiest drummers of this genre all over the country.  Settling in New York, he started his own band, The Traditional Jazz Collective – now known as The Big 72.

We look forward to hearing him every year!

Andy Schumm prefers to work as a ’20s musician than a modern player – that started after he heard a Victor recording of Bix Beiderbecke.

Andy plays with many bands, including Jon Erik Kelso’s EarRegulars, Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, and The West End Band.

He, like Dan, is an advocate for teaching young students good music.

Matt “Grandpa” Musselman assimilated a group of of Manhattan School of Music graduates and started a band in 2006 called Grandpa Musselman and His Syncopaters, playing classic New Orleans Music.

Rob Adkins is new to us.   He has a relentless pulse on the string bass. (See his solo on The Original Dixieland One Step again.)

He plays with many classic NY bands, including Gordon Webster, and regularly with Gordon Au’s  Grand St. Stompers.

Every year, Dan Levinson brings in another group of young musicians. Thank you, Dan. We’re grateful to you for preserving our kind of music, and looking forward to who and what you will feature next year!

http://www.danlevinson.com

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Funky Butt Jazz Band

Funky Butt Jazz Band – 1 set – 4 pieces – created by Pete Campbell-cornet 30 plus years ago and now in the hands of his son Pierce/guitar/vocals, with Paul Boehmke-clarinet/sax, Tony Pasqualoni-bass and John Rispoli-drums, it’s trad jazz with a whole new almost folky sound and feel. Pierce’s vocal voicing has an interesting musky tone to it that draws the listeners attention. Backed by the quality of the local pro’s and the selections and keys selected made that one set a most memorable experience with the desire to hear more.                          Lauren Humpage

Funky Butt is a bit more modern than Traditional Jazz, nevertheless they had a fine choice of tunes and were a pleasure to hear. Pierce opened with I Can’t Give You Anything But Love (for his wife’s birthday), and Billie Holiday’s Come Rain or Come Shinewith Paul’s sophisticated alto sax, and dynamic drumming by Rispoli.

A perfect description of this whole weekend – Summertime, nice and warm.
The first time Pierce ever heard this tune was at his grandmother’s in St. Louis – where it gets REALLY HOT!

Driven by an intense, rambunctious drummer, they picked up the beat for a sizzling Dinah, then followed with a mellifluous Wonderful World.

Pierce introduced the next tunes – “In New Orleans, folks want to walk in the shade – not the Sunny Side of the Street.”

And what could 15¢ in N.O. get you? One Meat Ball.

Wish I Could Swing Like My Sister Kate, superb string bass solo.

A change of pace – St. Louis Blueswas the first blues Pierce heard, done by Sammy Rimmington.

Cute song, funky Ain’t She Sweet segued into Nancy. 
One of his favorites, written in 1861, the Battle Hymn of the Republic“Glory Glory Halleluiah”.

Combining fine jazz, humor and history, Pierce and the Funky Butt Jazz Band are pure, unreserved entertainment.

http://www.piercecampbell.com/funky_butt/

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Sugarfoot Jazz Band

Sugarfoot Youth Jazz Band – 1 set – 13 pieces – Created in 2006 by Art Hovey (GJB bass/sousaphone) and interested supporters, this grade 8 to12 youth performing trad band has taken CT by storm. With a few CD’s and many performances throughout CT, most of these kids have had opportunities afforded them that some adults only dream of. A couple of these youth have real professional music potential.                                  Lauren Humpage

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Trumpets: Alex Owen and Anne Michaud
Clarinet: Emily Selzer
Trombones: Emma Sayles and Louis Nocera
Piano: Robert Young
Banjo: Ben Shorten
Sousaphone: Danny Selzer
Tuba: Matt Jennett
Vocals: Alanna Burke

Art Hovey’s students have grown into talented musicians, and absorbed his fondness for the music of the 20’s and 30’s. It’s obvious that their hearts are in this music – they keep returning, years later, to play with his new students.

The band set sparks flying with their opener, Fidgety Feet, their theme song, and moved to a favorite, Night Train.

Molly Sayles on drums, perfect control, great technique.  Alex Owen from New York on trumpet. Alex recently graduated from Connecticut College. 

John Clark, leader of the popular Wolverine Jazz Band, played with one of Art’s earlier bands when he was attending Connecticut College. John is seen here (with the hat) with Louis Nocera and Emma Sayles on trombone.

Molly started Black & Tan Fantasy with a fine intro on the tom-tom.

Matt Jennett tuba, Danny Selzer sousaphone

Robert Young, piano

Alanna Burke, now a charming young woman, returned from college with a couple of her special vocals, All Of Me and After You’ve Gone, backed by Emma Sayles trombone, and John Clark alto sax.

Emily Selzer (clarinet) was featured on Melancholy, with John Clark, Louis Nocera, and Emma Sayles.

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band’s Teasing Rag, was an OD one-step.  They concluded with a beautiful Blue Bayou.

One of Art Hovey’s earlier youth bands, 1993, was called the “Squabble Hill Intercollegiate Backyard Band”, with Jeff Barnhart assisting on piano, his sister Jen on trombone, and John Clark, then a senior at Connecticut College. (photo courtesy of Art Hovey.)

Thank you, Art Hovey, for your many years dedicated to teaching young people the appreciation of Jazz History and our kind of music!

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Wolverine Jazz Band

Wolverine Jazz Band – 3 sets – 7 pieces – Dr. John Clark, master of the reeds, leader and so much more with musicians who have graced us for most of the 20 years, with beautiful trad jazz. Of late he has taken tunes written in the 80’s and remodeled them into the trad jazz format.
A wonderful experience to hear these fantastic new arrangements and how well they work.  On board was the incomparable Jimmy Mazzy, the person and musician that most trad lovers just can’t get enough of hearing, plus Jeff Hughes-cornet, Tom Boates-trombone, Ross Petot-piano, Rick MacWilliams-tuba and Dave Didriksen-drums.                                                                        Lauren Humpage

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The Wolverines have been playing together since 1995 and have become one of the top New England Bands, with invitations to Festivals all over the country, playing their hot, blistering jazz! 

We first heard Clark, one of the youngest band leaders of this genre, when he stepped in for Steve Wright and Gary Rodberg in Ray Smith’s Paramount Jazz band. He has since reached the pinacle of reed-playing, with clarinet, alto, bari and bass sax.  Jeff Hughes’s music comes straight from the heart, whether on Bix, Berigan, even Harry James.  Boates trombone is second to none.  This front line plays some of the finest Trad/Dixieland Jazz in the country. 

This day was no different. They started with South Rampart St. Parade that left the crowd flabbergasted.

When My Dreamboat Comes Homefeatured Jimmy on vocal, with John Clark on bari sax, and Ross’s fabulous stride piano.

From Duke Ellington’s Cotton Club, The Mooche, fantastic with muted cornet and trombone trading fours. From their new CD, Street Beat, a sweet ballad, How Can I Be Blue?

Larry Conley’s composition made famous by Jelly Roll Morton, their favorite Tijuana, gave Rick MacWilliams a fine tuba solo.  W.C. Handy’s Memphis Blues, was accentuated by Jimmy’s infamous scatting.

The dynamic duo, Dave Didriksen drums and Rick MacWilliams tuba drive the band with a steady beat. 

Some swing, especially for the dancers – Jive At Five, trombone and cornet playing arresting sounds on open bell. 

Ross was featured on his own  arrangement of Caravan (clarinet interweaving in Arabic style) the front line comping.

Ross Petot is one of our secret treasures.  He is a composer, arranger, teacher; a great pianist, specializing in stride piano. 

A family man, his stride piano is heard all over New England.

No need to describe Jimmy – he’s known all over the world.  In his own unique style, Jimmy rekindled memories of Old Cape Cod.

They closed with the title tune from one of their best selling CDs, On The Mall.

It’s been a privilege watching this band grow, and now sharing it with the rest of the world.

www.wolverinejazzband.com

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Ben Mauger’s Vintage Jazz Band

Videos added:
8/19/12 Chinatown, My Chinatown
9/5 Red Hot Mama

Ben Mauger’s Vintage Jazz Band – 3 sets – 7 pieces –  Primarily from PA and their 3rd return to THSJF, this swing Chicago style jazz band is always a joy to watch and hear, reminding many of their younger days when jazz and pop was synonymous one with the other. The surprise this year was Ray Skalski, fine arts painter from Buffalo on trombone. Superb musicians all!      Lauren Humpage

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This Vintage Jazz Band plays happy, foot stomping, Hot Traditional and Dixieland Jazz from the 20’s to the revivals of the 60’s. This year they were joined by Ray Skalski trombone, from New York, and Rick Lewis drums from Fort. Myers Florida.

Ben Mauger, cornet/leader

Ben brought along some new material, completely different from what they played last year.

They started with a high-spirited Found a New Baby, before he introduced the members of the band.

He said they were happy to be at this great event, especially because it’s for a good cause.  “And you have fun when you enjoy what you’re playing.”

He also has a new 10 piece “Roaring 20’s Hot Jazz Band”.
http://www.benmaugersvintagejazzband.com/

Piano took the intro to Leo Wood’s 1918 Somebody Stole My Gal– everyone gets a solo, then they perform fabulous intricate ensemble, polyphonic jazz.

Doug LaSala, clarinet

Ray Skalski, trombone

Doug LaSalle clarinet was featured on Sweet Georgia Brown. Fantastic!

Milton Ager’s Big Boy, 1924, excellent interchange between cornet and trombone.   Ray Skalski was featured on the classicSheik of Araby, with Ben on vocal, changing the words to “I’m the Sheik of Araby, your OIL belongs to me!”.   Ron featured in 1946 Louis Alter’s Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans, capturing the polyphony and spirit of Preservation Hall.

Ray thanked the audience for being here.  He said it was an honor to play for such a great cause.  He donated his larger-than-life acrylic and oil painting of Bix Beiderbecke to be auctioned, proceeds going to the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp.

Chinatown, My Chinatown

Rick Lewis, drums

Bruce Campbell, string bass

They continued with Duke Ellington’s Stevedore Stomp, and then their version of Royal Garden Blues.

Chuck Oettel, guitar

Bob Kreitz,piano

This band is always at the top of our list at the Hot Steamed Jazz Fest!  If you’d like to hear them for yourself, The Vintage Jazz Band has just recorded a new CD titled “Swing That Music”.  Click here for details and sound clips.

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Swing Times Five

Swing Times Five– 2 sets – 6 pieces – A creation of Jeff Hughes, Leader, Cornet-Flugelhorn, Ross Petot-piano, Lou Bocciarelli-bass, Dan Weiner-guitar, Dave Didriksen-drums, -Debby Larkin-vocals, bringing back the very tastefully and rarely heard 30’s and 40’s works of the likes of Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Victor Young, Jerome Kern and others. To my ears Jeff, a follower of Bix, has been a welcome musical source of this festival with one band or another for 18 out of twenty years and is always surrounded by the very best.

Lauren Humpage

Swing Times Five was a new band feature at the Hot Steamed.  A mellow quintet led by Jeff Hughes  They opened with their theme, Benny Carter’s When Lights Are Low.

Deb Larkin can be heard all around Boston, with hubby, trumpeter Jeff Stout. She began with her fine rendition of Dakota Staton’s It Started With The Late, Late Show.

Her saucy performance of Get Out of Townwas surprisingly backed up by the shrill whistle of the train leaving the station at the Essex Train Museum.

The band continued with a sparkling Night and Day, Dave Didriksen keeping steady beat on the drum, Ross’s left hand slipping into stride, his specialty, while his right hand did all the ‘talking’.  Ross is the inspiration for much of their repertoire.

Richard Rogers, Surrey With The Fringe On Topgreat drumming, Dave trading fours with Lou’s string bass.

Lou Bocciarelli

Dave Didriksen

Jeff said the next tune had a Bix feeling, though he never recorded it – He played sweet, mellow flugelhorn on Skylark.

Jeff Hughes

Deb returned with another Richard Rogers, A Fine Romance. They have a lot of fun with this, Jeff adding quick, repetitive notes on cornet.  There’s a word for that, what is it?

Dan Weiner resonates energy and gives the band extra tempo and swing.

Did I Remember To Tell You That I Love You?

Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You, Lyrics by Lorenz Hart, music by Richard Rodgers.  This is definitely not a love song!  And Deb put it across perfectly  –

I'm not yours for better but for worse,
And I've learned to give the well-known witches' curse.
I've a terrible tongue, a temper for two,
And everything I've got belongs to you.

Harold Arlen’s Get Happy, string bass, and piano.

They closed with We’ll Be Together Again, with Jeff on flugelhorn.  And we will. Fortunately, we live close to the Sherborn Inn.   Join us sometime!

Hot Steamed Jazz Festival 2012 Midiri Brothers

videos by Eric Devine

Ed Wise bass, Jim Lawlor drums, Pat Mercuri guitar, Joe Midiri clarinet, Paul Midiri vibes

The Midiri Brothers – 3 sets – 5 pieces – Always the outstanding performers advancing perfection. The more they perform the better they get. I’m continually overwhelmed by the length, beauty and variety of ideas in their innovative choruses, never mind their superior ensemble work. Even the tunes that we anticipate will be played in their basic program, always have something new added to them. Performing this time as a septet sans trumpet for whatever reason were Joe and Paul, Pat Mercuri-guitar, Ed Wise-bass and Jim Lawler-drums. Lauren Humpage

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They started with Just You, Just Me, Ed Wise expertly bowing and humming the tune, as Slam Stewart did in the late ’30s. 

An educator, he sometimes lectures on the early history of jazz in turn-of-the-century New Orleans

When he’s not traveling with the Midiri Brothers or other bands, Ed has his own band that plays extensively in the Pennsylvania environs, Ed Wise and His New Orleans Band.

www.edwisemusician.com

Nice clarinet intro to Poor Butterfly, fabulous vibes. Runnin’ Wild has Pat Mercuri’s and Ed Wise’s fingers running wild!  

Pat Mercuri is one of the Philadelphia area’s most active free-lance musicians playing jazz, pop and classical music. He teaches music in N.J.  and performs with the Midiri Brothers in concerts, private events and in appearances at hotels and casinos at the New Jersey shore.

Jim Lawlor started playing drums at 20, He has been mainly with the Midiri Brothers small groups and big band since 1989.
And he sings also – on their 2nd set, fine rendition of Choo Choo Choo ch’ Boogie.

Paul brings reminiscences of Lionel Hampton – he tortures those vibes!  He is multi-intrumental, also playing trombone on On The Sunny Side Of The Street, and challenging Lawlor on drums onLimehouse Blues.   He composed Lapis Lazuli, where Joe’s clarinet and Ed’s string bass play a beautifully synchronized duet.   Paul goes wild on vibes, while Joe holds a really long, extended note on clarinet.

Joe acts as interlocutor, comedian, and sometimes a one-man front line.  Irving Berlin’s Russian Lullaby has the sweetest soprano sax you’ll ever hear, softly backed by guitar.   He gives his own extraordinary spin to Bechet’s Si Tu Vois Ma Mere.

He has Louis Armstrong down perfectly, with his scatting and that perpetual smile on Wonderful World.

In New Orleans tradition, they added a spiritual, What A Friend We have in Jesus.

This exciting band is invited to every festival, and travels extensively – especially the twin brothers.  Find them here: http://www.midiribros.com/main.php