Buffalo Live Jazz

Perspective...

Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people.

- Carl Sagan

Health,

Hope,

Dialogue,

Respect,

Tolerance,

and Friendships.

dan

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Danny Hull: Musically This Week Vol XV, No 5

Hello everyone. A special night indeed...

Tuesday, 10/9 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 10:30

Craig Kastelnik, Hammond B3 Patty Flaherty, vocals Chuck Buffamonte, guitar your host, drum set

Last week in Bobby Jones, we featured one of the greatest B3 artists in the world. This week, in Craig Kastelnik, the same compliment applies. Hype? Nope. Truth. If you remember the days at our curiously lit location when Patty & Craig drove north for their two appearances every year, you know I'm not blowing smoke. This much we do know: There are elite musicians the world over, most of whom we don't know anything about. There are great musicians who never achieve fame, as there are mediocre musicians who do. Some elite musicians choose not to tour, others don't choose to test the rigors of New York City. I mentioned last week that Bobby Jones turned down the gig with Tower of Power. Tower of Power! He wanted to stay here. Craig is another such musician. He flirted with the big stage as keyboardist for Eddie Money in his younger days. More recently he has taken some short tours with Nina Simone's daughter (simply "Simone"), and he and Patty have also been featured with the legendary Bernard Purdie. But though the equal of say, Joey D, neither Bobby nor Craig enjoy that kind of fame. However, I defy the casual listener to take a blindfold test and hear the difference that said fame implies. We invite you to join us as we celebrate a homecoming and feature another of the world's elite B3 artists. The Iris Restaurant - in the plaza at the intersection of Maple & Sweet Home Roads in Amherst. 831-3271. Good music, good food, good people, world-class artists, chilled spirits, and a great hang.

next Tuesday, 10/16 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 10:30

Miles Tucker, tenor saxophone Wayne Tucker, trumpet George Caldwell, piano Sabu Adeyola, bass your host, drum set

upcoming at the Iris Restaurant...

Tuesday, 10/23 Nelson M. Starr

Tuesday. 10/30 Bruce Johnstone with Sax & Violins

Tuesday, 11/13 Tom Bronzetti CD Release

Tuesday, 12/18 Sein Oh

links...

And here we are...

I should not proceed by land to the East, as is customary, but by a Westerly route, in which direction we have hitherto no certain evidence that any one has gone.

- Christopher Columbus, August 3, 1492

Health,

Hope,

Dialogue,

Respect,

Tolerance,

and Friendships.

dan

Monday, October 1, 2012

Danny Hull: Musically This Week Vol XV, No 4

Hello everyone. B3 Heaven at the Iris for the next two Tuesdays...

Tuesday, 10/2 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 10:30

Darcy Hepner, tenor saxophone Bobby Jones, Hammond B3 your host, drum set

Darcy Hepner

And we can thank Darcy Hepner for getting us started. Oh, yeah. Who? Best to go to www.darcyhepner.com/bio.htm for a rather impressive update, but here's a synopsis: Darcy's father, Dr. Lee Hepner, was the founder of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and a Professor of Music at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Darcy first came to music as a cellist, whereupon he won a scholarship to the famed Congress of Strings in Cincinnati. Shortly after, he discovered the Beatles and the electric guitar. "That was my recreational thing," he recalls. "I was playing guitar and had a little band that did Blood, Sweat & Tears stuff. But the saxophonist couldn’t play anything that I wrote, so out of frustration I just said, 'Gimme that, it can’t be that hard.' And here we are, live at the Iris, in the company of one of the greatest B3 players in the world. This organ trio thing was Darcy's idea. I hope his studies with Pat La Barbera, Sonny Stitt, Lee Konitz and Bob Mintzer prepared him for his night of feature with Bobby Jones. Or maybe his teaching experience at Berklee. His five years with Blood, Sweat & Tears? Or his experience on the stand with Tony Bennett, B.B. King, Aretha Franklin, Sergio Mendes, Henry Mancini, Mel Tormé, the Artie Shaw Orchestra, David Liebman, Kenny Wheeler, or Louie Bellson... Jones is formidable. But with credentials like the aforementioned, Darcy will be ready. How about you? Bobby Jones at the B3 should command a full house by himself. With the addition of a world-class tenor player whose schedule rarely allows a trip to Buffalo, you might want to get there early. The Iris Restaurant - in the plaza at the intersection of Maple & Sweet Home Roads in Amherst. 831-3271. Good music, good food, good people, world-class artists, chilled spirits, and a great hang.

Wednesday, 10/3 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 9:30

Buffalo Brass open rehearsal

Phil is preparing the band for a hit this Saturday, music mostly of the straight ahead and swinging variety. You're invited to watch and listen as Phil tunes us up. Pretty interesting from an observer's standpoint...

Saturday, 10/6 at the Iris Restaurant 8:00 - 11:00 $7.00 at the door

Phil DiRe Buffalo Bop

Phil Di Re, tenor saxophone Bobby Militello, alto sax & flute Richie Merlo, trumpet & flugelhorn John Hasselback, trombone Matt Michaud, guitar Wayne Moose, bass Lisa Hasselback, piano Louie Marino, drum set

I'll meet you there? My gig with the Buffalo Brass this Saturday goes till 8:00. Tear down, load up, and head straight to the Iris for Phil DiRe's latest concept, "The Power of Eight". I can't wait to hear Louie Marino hold this band together and navigate it through the myriad of textures, solos, rhythms, meters, and concepts. Louie is the patriarch of drummers in Buffalo. No drummer brings more experience, more swing, or more creative soloing to the music. Sticks, brushes, mallets, any meter, any tempo, any bag... And when you hear Louie solo, you hear music - not a bunch of drums regaled by blunt force. You hear music. In the hands of a master like Louie, the melody and the form are all there for the ear, rendered by the primal instrument of the human spirit. The rest of the band isn't bad either - not a bad idea by Phil to invite a beloved and rather well known alto player to round out the sax section. And to complete the horn section Phil has recruited John Hasselback, who himself is not only seasoned soloist, but a walking jazz encyclopedia, and Richie Merlo, whose round sound blends ideally with John's. "The Power of Eight" adds two chord contributors whose harmonic concepts provide a lush foundation for each soloist's improvisational adventure. Matt Michaud's musicality has caught the attention of both Phil and Bobby Militello. And Lisa? Lisa just hears it all. She is simply the kind of pianist that can be called upon for any musical responsibility. She'll massage a singer through any standard, in any key. She'll read, she'll solo, and she'll swing. And who did Phil trust to anchor this band, with its rather intimidating roster of musical heavyweights? Wayne Moose is a guy who not only lays it down, but is a bassist with a rare gift: Wayne's solos are at once rhythmically inventive and melodic - not an easy endeavor on an unwieldy instrument that is bigger than most defensive linemen. Thus "The Power of Eight". At eight. This Saturday at the Iris.

next Tuesday, 10/9 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 10:30

Craig Kastelnik, Hammond B3 Patty Flaherty, vocals Chuck Buffamonte, guitar your host, drum set

upcoming at the Iris Restaurant...

Tuesday, 10/16 Miles & Wayne Tucker

Tuesday, 10/23 Nelson M. Starr

Tuesday. 10/30 Bruce Johnstone with Sax & Violins

Tuesday, 11/13 Tom Bronzetti CD Release

Tuesday, 12/18 Sein Oh

links...

www.darcyhepner.com/bio.htm

How rich?

People say (Romney's) too rich and out of touch. I've tried to point out that he has many homes without elevators.

- Conservative columnist David Brooks

Health,

Hope,

Dialogue,

Respect,

Tolerance,

and Friendships.

dan

Friday, September 21, 2012

Buffalo News Club Watch: Statler City sets the mood

http://www.buffnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120921/GUSTO/120929910/1031

Statler City sets the mood you want, with cocktail jazz and a downstairs disco

BY BRENDA ALESII

SPECIAL TO THE NEWS

On a hot and steamy Friday, we escaped the heat and walked into the beautifully restored downtown Buffalo icon now rechristened as Statler City. Relief from the oppressive humidity came in more ways than one: While it was refreshingly air-conditioned throughout the lobby and the downstairs disco, the cool factor started the moment we heard cocktail piano jazz, the kind of atmosphere music that is culled from the Great American Songbook - Cole Porter, George Gershwin, movie themes that recall Fred Astaire dancing on the silver screen.

Pianist Howard Goldman, looking dapper in his dark suit and matching eyeglasses, clearly enjoys what he's doing as he kibitzes with guests entering the Statler. Some are dressed to the nines as they head to wedding receptions, others are there to sit around Goldman's piano and chat him up, while others make a beeline to the nearby Lobby Bar and downstairs Rendezvous disco.

While my husband, Dan, headed to the Lobby Bar for a refreshing Tanqueray and tonic, I sat with Jim and Ryan, who enjoyed a "front row seat" encircling the piano. Jim and his wife come to the Statler from Tonawanda every Friday to enjoy the relaxed vibe. "This place puts me in a different mood," said Jim, cradling a gin and tonic. "I love the style here, the way it makes you feel like you're transported to a different time. In fact, it's the only time I wear a tie."

Next to Jim sat Ryan, a self-proclaimed beer enthusiast from the city who has become a big fan of Goldman's and the Lobby Bar since it opened earlier this year. As he quaffed a $5 Sam Adams Octoberfest, Ryan said he especially enjoys the food, local craft beer selection and timeless feel of the place.

Inside the spacious, luxurious Lobby Bar, we were greeted by Michael, a competent and friendly barkeep who has been serving customers since it opened on New Year's Eve. When asked what a typical crowd is like, he said it is an "amazing mix of 21- to 71-year-old folks who have a discerning palate." Among the more popular drinks is a Muddled Old Fashioned for $8. While Dan worked on his second T & T, I enjoyed a luscious pinot noir. Everywhere we looked, we noticed interesting and classic touches, ranging from dimly lit areas, leather chairs and sofa, a shiny shuffle board that runs down the middle of the back of the bar, and monkey lamps adorning the bar. Michael said the "Ellsworth's Special" is a popular lighter fare bar menu selection. For just $2.50, one can have a choice of beef on weck, chicken tenders or a basket of tater tots.

As we were perusing the menu, I heard someone call my name. My friend, Maureen, and her husband, Vince, were enjoying drinks a few seats down at the bar. Maureen had a Rusty Chain microbrew; Vince was quickly downing a Pyramid beer. We decided to join them downstairs at the Rendezvous, especially after we heard there was a free 40-foot buffet during Friday happy hour that includes carving stations, pasta and salads made from the folks at the Buffalo Chophouse, another of Statler owner Mark Croce's properties.

Disco classics blared loudly, the dance floor was filling up and the high-energy nightclub was getting busy. As we polished off our food and had another round of drinks, the four of us marveled at the fabulous renovations of this legendary building. Maureen noted how she and Vince, West Seneca residents, have been advocates of the city's entertainment venues for a long time. "We've been downtown fans before it was cool," she said.

I'll drink to that!

Thursday, September 20, 2012

See Mike Jones at Iris, October 26th.

For Immediate Release: September 20, 2011

Press Contact: Bruce Eaton (716) 807-6011

Jazz Piano Virtuoso Mike Jones from The Penn & Teller Show to Make Rare Solo Performance at Iris Restaurant on Friday, October 26th

Virtuoso jazz pianist and Buffalo native Mike Jones will take a night off from performing with The Penn & Teller Show in Las Vegas to make a rare solo appearance. The performance will take place in the new Iris Restaurant, 4224 Maple Road (Maple Ridge Plaza located on the corner of Maple and Sweet Home Rd.), Amherst, NY on Friday, October 26, 2012 with two sets beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door. For dinner reservations or more information contact Iris at (716) 831-3271 or visit www.irisrestaurantbuffalo.com.

Heralded for “the most remarkable pure technique of any piano player working in jazz today” by noted critic Neil Tesser, Mike Jones is “the great living Mainstream Monster of jazz piano” (Jeff Simon, The Buffalo News). After attending the Berkee School of Music the 1980s and playing in some of the East Coast's most notable clubs, Jones headed west. Since 2002 he has served as musical director and opening act (joined by recent Celebrity Apprentice star Penn Jillette on bass) for The Penn & Teller Show in Las Vegas, playing to nearly two million people in recent years and recording a series of highly-regarded CDs for Hank O’Neal’s Chiarascuro label. His most recent release Chicago Trio 2010 documents performance at Chicago's legendary Green Mill Jazz Club and is available for free download at http://www.jonesjazz.com.

With an outward appearance perhaps more appropriate for a heavy-metal musician than someone who has “quietly established himself as the successor to the stupefyingly virtuostic Oscar Peterson” (Neil Tesser), Mike Jones has always followed his own internal musical path, eschewing the latest jazz flavor-of-the-month for immersion in the jazz piano tradition stretching from Fats Waller and Art Tatum to the two-fisted wizardry of his mentor, the late Dave McKenna . As a jazz pianist, "Jones commands a lavish arsenal of formidable weapons: the rumbling bass lines of an Erroll Garner or Dave McKenna, the meteoric right-hand phrasings of an Art Tatum or Bud Powell, the awesome chops of an Oscar Peterson or McCoy Tyner, the natural rhythmic swing of a Hampton Hawes or Horace Silver, the unerring taste and sensitivity of a Kenny Barron, Hank Jones or Bill Evans" (Jack Bowers, Cadence). Drawing on the Great American Songbook, his performances showcase his "colossal technique, enormous repertoire and heightened sense of style" (Howard Reich, The Chicago Tribune).

Iris Restaurant is located in the Maple Entertainment Complex along with The Library, a pub featuring 50 craft beers and a great pub-style menu. Also in the complex is The Forvm, a concert venue/banquet facility with state of the art sound and lighting which is available for private parties and room rentals.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Danny Hull: Musically This Week Vol XV, No 2

Hello friends. This week...

Tuesday, 9/18 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 10:30

Colin Gordon, alto saxophone Matt Michaud, guitar Emiliano Lasansky, bass your host, drum set

What do you say about a musician you hardly know? One whom you've met only once, on the bandstand back in January, and not since? Your recollections maybe? A moment I distinctly recall is this: in some brief remarks to the audience at the close of that January fist set, when re-introducing Colin, I said "Ladies & Gentlemen, Lee Konitz." Never before that night, and not since, did I hear the legendary Lee Konitz while playing music-in-the-moment with any saxophonist, veteran or young. Colin is a student at the renown Eastman school, and this will be his sophomore appearance at our venue. I remain grateful. To our audience, without whom there would be no venue. To Mike Milkie for giving this idea a chance 15 years ago. To Vinnie Lesh at the Iris for his faith and taste. And to the Eastman school, whose faculty & students have enriched my musical existence and the ears of our audience. Thank you all. Please join us. The Iris Restaurant - in the plaza at the intersection of Maple & Sweet Home Roads in Amherst. 831-3271. Good music, good food, good people, chilled spirits, and a great hang.

Wednesday, 9/19 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 9:30

Buffalo Brass open rehearsal

Phil is rehearsing the band for a hit next month. If you're curious as to how a seasoned leader who has written the lion's share of the charts prepares his band, come check it out. Another vote of thanks to Vinnie Lesh and the Iris for providing us with free rehearsal space. If you stop in and maybe have a bite, you're actually helping to defray his overhead and keep the music in the air.

Friday, 9/21 at Canvas 8:30 - 10:30

Sir Walter Jedermann - piano & vocals John Werick - bass your correspondent - drum set

Back to my roots on this gig... I literally cut my small group teeth playing organ duo dates with Wally back in the 70's. Those were some formative years, and I owe him for that. I learned standards I had never heard, and also how to program a set. Straight ahead, bossa, waltz, ballad, pop tune - never two consecutive feels, keys, or tempi. Energy, humor, and a time feel that has momentum - those are the lessons I learned from Sir Walter. And I'm honored to do this date Friday. Stop in if you're haunting Hertel Avenue.

next Tuesday, 9/25 at the Iris Restaurant 7:30 - 10:30

Paul Tynan, trumpet Bobby Jones, piano Wayne Moose, bass your host, drum set

upcoming at the Iris Restaurant...

Tuesday, 10/2 Darcy Hepner

Tuesday, 10/9 Patty Flaherty & Craig Kastelnik

Tuesday, 10/16 Miles & Wayne Tucker

Tuesday, 10/23 Nelson M. Starr

Tuesday. 10/30 Bruce Johnstone with Sax & Violins

Tuesday, 11/6 It's Kenny's Fault

Tuesday, 11/13 Tom Bronzetti CD Release

Tuesday, 12/18 Sein Oh

links...