Sunday, July 24, 2011

Danny Hull Newsletter: Musically This Week Vol XIII, No 45

Hullo friends.  Sunday morning.  I actually set the alarm for 8:00 in the hopes of getting this done before the concert today with Barbara Jean at Shakespeare Hill.  But now it's 10:30 and not a single word of consequence is written.  Say hullo to the world's slowest starter.  Were it not for a Tuesday deadline, nothing would get done.

Today, 7/24 at Shakespeare Hill     2:00 - 4:00
Barbara Jean, vocals     Bobby Jones, piano     Cameron Kayne, bass     yours truly, drum set
Barbara Jean brings her silky, smooth vocal stylings and her clever tunes to Shakespeare Hill.  If you've heard her at the former Bobby McGee's or at the Ellicottville Jazz Festival, you are already charmed.  Perfect intonation and Sinatra-like phrasing would be enough to set her apart, but what is truly exceptional about Barbara Jean is that she writes her own tunes:  lyrics, melody, and chord changes.  I've told this story before, but it's worth repeating:  Before I ever heard her sing, Barbara Jean gave me her recently released CD, Sweet.  And the truth is, I was really more interested in hearing how Mike Jones & Cameron Kayne sounded on the recording.  I stuck the disc in the car CD changer, and along with this genuine, uncluttered voice and swinging piano, were these standards I didn't recognize.  Now I thought I was relatively versed in the Great American Songbook, but I didn't know any of these tunes.  Curiosity being what it is, I turned to the liner notes to discover that Barbara Jean had written 15 of the 17 tunes on the record!  She has already had one of her tunes licensed by a daytime television program, and she is now preparing to go into the studio to record her sophomore effort.  So bring your cooler and your fold-up chair, and join us for Week 3 of this summer's Buffalo News Sunday Jazz Series, this year at Shakespeare Hill.
Tuesday, 7/26 at the Iris Restaurant     7:30 - 10:30
Three Brothers & a Distant Cousin
Phil Sims - trombone & arrangements     Andy Weinzler, Russ D'Alba & Kelly Bucheger - tenor saxes     Michael T. Jones - piano     Cameron Kayne - bass   your host - drum set
Considering my intimacy with procrastination, it's a wonder that this gig gets booked at all.  But booked it is, and thanks to a work ethic I admire in Phil Sims, an amazing night it will be.  This band actually emerged when Phil presented himself with a rather daunting challenge, and wrote some killer arrangements to answer said challenge.  To wit, can a trombone player - who has to move a long, unwieldy metal tube to inexact positions - physically keep up with three monster tenor saxophonists whose technical responsibility is to wiggle their fingers really fast?  Personal challenge identified, arrangements written, and the Three Brothers were born...  When you consider the concept and Phil's choice for sidemen, you'll not want to miss this very special singular performance of a most unique musical ensemble.  Still at the same location, now under new ownership and a new name...  Please join us at the Iris Restaurant, Maple & Sweet Home Roads in the Maple-Ridge Plaza.  Good music, good food, good people, chilled spirits, air conditioning, and always a great hang.
Thursday, 7/28 at Russell Park in Akron     noon - 1:00
Laurie Bordonaro, vocals     Ben Mozee, saxophone     Michael T. Jones, piano     Sabu Adeyola, bass     yours truly, drum set
Here's what you do:  Throw your portable lawn chair in the car and take the leisurely drive to Russell park in Mayberry.  Grab your lunch at Guy's Subs, cross the street to the Park, and take in Laurie's concert.  Simply, a perfect day...  Laurie's love for everything she commits to is evident in the care she invests in each meal served at Guy's, and the unmitigated joy with which she sings her song.  A student of both the Berklee and LA schools of music and life, she remains one of us.  Genuine and loving, she swings as hard as any singer on the national stage.  And all you have to do is drive to Akron.

next Sunday, 7/31 at Shakespeare Hill     2:00 - 4:00
Don Rice, tenor saxophone     Bobby Jones, piano     Jim Colemon, bass     your correspondent, drum set
Sunday Jazz at the Albright-Knox, this summer on Shakespeare Hill, is reputed to be the longest running free jazz concert series in the country.  And Don Rice returns for the 21st consecutive year.  That's got to be some sort of record in and of itself.  Will you join us for our annual reunion?
next Tuesday, 8/2 at the Iris Restaurant     7:30 - 10:30
Barbara Jean, vocals     Michael T. Jones, piano     Cameron Kayne, bass     your host, drum set
upcoming at the Iris Restaurant...
Tuesday, 8/9 Don Menza
Tuesday, 8/16 Laurie Bordonaro
Tuesday, 8/23 Pete Malinverni & Jody Sandhaus
Tuesday, 8/30 Mike Kelly
Tuesday, 9/13 Tim Clarke & George Kane
Tuesday, 9/20 Matt Michaud
links...

Monday, July 18, 2011

Danny Hull Newsletter: Musically This Week Vol XIII, No 44

Hullo friends.  Monday morning.  Sitting here listening to Michael Royal's Transition, and I should know better.  Can't do it - that is write while listening.  I'm hearing Mike's deep sense of swing, his inventive soli, his harmonic adventures, his lines, his groove, and his joy of playing.  Kind of reminds me of the critic's challenge...  How does one describe music with mere words?
Tuesday, 7/19 at the Iris Restaurant     7:30 - 10:30
Michael Royal, piano     Phil Sims, trombone     Jim Colemon, bass     your host, drum set
So rather than reduce the music to an inadequate description, can we coax you into deciding for yourself?  After owning Buffalo some 20 years ago, Michael moved to Sarasota.  And though we have our share of world-class piano players still among us, one doesn't replace an artist as individual as Michael Royal.  Which brings me to the gift of this gig, if I may digress...  Simply, I am so very grateful for this venue.  Since September of 1998 our Tuesday jazz experiment has provided for reunions of this nature.  Michael Royal this week, Don Menza on 8/9, Pete & Jody on 8/23... And my man Mike Kelly just confirmed for both the Lewiston Jazz Festival and for Tuesday, 8/30.  We couldn't have done it without Mike Milkie.  We couldn't have done it without our loyal audience.  And we wouldn't be alive today were it not for the vision of the new ownership at the Maple Entertainment Complex.  Thanks to everyone for your continued contribution.  We'll stay with it for as long as the fates allow.  It goes without saying that if you want to reacquaint yourself with Michael Royal's artistry, this will be your only Buffalo opportunity this year.  Mike did appear to a packed house at our curiously lit location back in the summer of '09, and this week we feature him in the company of his life-long Buffalo friends Phil Sims & Jim Colemon.  But this time we feature him on Hamburg Music's 6 foot Yamaha.  Don't miss this singular performance, now at the new Iris Restaurant - good music, good food, good people, chilled spirits, air conditioning, and still a great hang.
Sunday, 7/24 at Shakespeare Hill 2:00 - 4:00
Barbara Jean, vocals     Bobby Jones, piano     Cameron Kayne, bass     yours truly, drum set
Barbara Jean brings her silky, smooth vocal stylings and her clever tunes to Shakespeare Hill next Sunday.  If you've heard her at the former Bobby McGee's or at the Ellicottville Jazz Festival, you are already charmed.  Perfect intonation and Sinatra-like phrasing would be enough to set her apart, but what is truly exceptional about Barbara Jean is that she writes her own tunes:  lyrics, melody, and chord changes.  And they're good!  Why the exclamation point?  Because most musicians groan when the singer on the gig says, "Can we play this tune I wrote?"  I've told this story before, but it's worth repeating:  Before I ever heard her sing, Barbara Jean gave me her recently released CD, Sweet.  And the truth is, I was really more interested in hearing how Mike Jones & Cameron Kayne sounded on the recording.  I stuck the disc in the car CD changer, and along with this genuine, uncluttered voice and swinging piano, were these standards I didn't recognize.  Now I thought I was relatively versed in the Great American Songbook, but I didn't know any of these tunes.  Curiosity being what it is, I turned to the liner notes to discover that Barbara Jean had written them 15 of the 17 tunes on the record!  She has already had one of her tunes licensed by a daytime television program, and she is now preparing to go into the studio to record her sophomore effort.  So bring your cooler and your fold-up chair, and join us for Week 3 of this summer's Buffalo News Sunday Jazz Series, this year at Shakespeare Hill.
next Tuesday, 7/26 at the Iris Restaurant     7:30 - 10:30
Three Brothers & a Distant Cousin
Phil Sims - trombone & arrangements     Andy Weinzler, Russ D'Alba & Kelly Bucheger - tenor saxes     Michael T. Jones - piano     Cameron Kayne - bass   your host - drum set
upcoming at the Iris Restaurant...
Tuesday, 8/2                Barbara Jean
Tuesday, 8/9 Don Menza
Tuesday, 8/16 Laurie Bordonaro
Tuesday, 8/23 Pete Malinverni & Jody Sandhaus
Tuesday, 8/30 Mike Kelly
Tuesday, 9/13 Tim Clarke & George Kane
Tuesday, 9/20 Matt Michaud
links...
Find your voice and make your contribution...
Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.
 - Herbie Hancock

Health,
Hope,
Dialogue,
Respect,
Tolerance,
and Peace.
dan

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Danny Hull Newsletter: Musically This Week Vol XIII, No 43

Hullo friends.  Sunday night, home after an exhilarating afternoon concert with Joe Gransden on Shakespeare Hill - fully in the sun...  As you likely know, this summer's Buffalo News sponsored concerts have been moved to the stage used by Shakespeare in the Park while the Art Gallery steps are being repaired.  And it's a great venue, except that there is no cover or canopy.  I'm thinking about renting my forehead to a lighthouse somewhere...  But Joey owned the crowd, playing to an audience that included friends from his high school days, and he's been invited back to co-appear with Don Rice on 7/31.  We'll let you know...
And while we were able to celebrate life, music, and friends on a perfect July afternoon, we did so under the weight of another loss to our jazz community.  It is with an abiding respect that we say goodbye and thank you to the legendary Dick Fadale.  An era has ended.  Of all the renown musicians who have given fame to our home town, it is the name Fadale that is known best as Buffalo's First Family of Jazz.  And Dick was the patriarch.  No musician was more complete.  No one swung harder.  Dick Fadale defined an era in Buffalo.  He was the bandleader on Channel 7 in the 60's before the station made the dubious decision to go with Johnny & Jimmy.  One of Dick's early quartets featured guitarist Ray Chamberlain, bassist Wally Schuman & drummer Mel Lewis.  Dick's vocal arrangements gave rise to The Sedates in the 60's & Snow Angel in the 70's.  Instrumentally, "Fadale" featured Bobby Militello & Paul Viapiano, along with sons Rick & Paul.  There will never be another like him.  Before Dick moved to Florida and while he was still working here at home, it was my honor to have been his first call sub if both his son Paul or his nephew Charlie were busy.  I cherish memories and lessons.  The good news is I have some recordings on mini disc that I'll both treasure and share with the family.  So godspeed, Dick.  Thank you for the swing, the humor. and the singular distinction of having shared your music.  You are missed.

Tuesday, 7/12 at the Iris Restaurant     7:30 - 10:30
Ron Corsaro & the Upstate Express
Ron Corsaro, piano & arrangements     Dick Griffo & Kenny Kuriscak, saxophones     John Hasselback, trombone     Tim Clarke, trumpet     Wayne Moose, bass     your host, drum set
Our July hit with Ronnie & the Upstate Express is a tradition we started at our curiously lit location in 2004 as a way to play Ronnie's charts and preview his Thursday series at the Lewiston gazebo.  So honor the tradition we do.  Stop in if you can.  The crowds have been great the last month of Tuesdays.  Needless to say we'd like to keep filling the room as we grow under our new ownership.  As always, our theme remains, only now in the Iris Restaurant at the Maple Entertainment Complex - good music, good food, good people, chilled spirits, and a great hang.
next Tuesday, 7/19 at the Iris Restaurant     7:30 - 10:30
Michael Royal, piano     Phil Sims, trombone     Jim Colemon, bass     your host, drum set
upcoming at the Iris Restaurant...
Tuesday, 7/26 3 Brothers & a Distant Cousin
Tuesday, 8/2               Barbara Jean
Tuesday, 8/9 Don Menza
Tuesday, 8/16 Laurie Bordonaro
Tuesday, 8/23 Pete Malinverni & Jody Sandhaus
links...
Dick Fadale  1928-2011
He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man.
 - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Health,
Hope,
Dialogue,
Respect,
Tolerance,
and Peace.
dan