December 2010 Vol. 16, Issue. 9 16 Years Serving the Jazz Community For More Information: www.jazzerie.com notes The Monthly Newsletter of JazzErie THIS IS THE LAST ISSUE OF NEWS NOTES YOU WILL RECEIVE IF YOU DID NOT RENEW YOUR JAZZERIE MEMBERSHIP FOR 2010-2011. There is still time to renew your membership. Send in your membership using the Membership Form on the back of the newsletter. Include your membership fee. Mail to JazzErie, P.O. Box 8833, Erie, Pa 16505-0833 JazzErie Alto and soprano saxophonist, Tia Fuller, will perform with her trio at The Ambassador, upper Peach, Erie, on December 29, at 8PM Born in Aurora, Colorado, Tia Fuller’s first influence in jazz was her parents. They were jazz musicians. She grew up listening to them rehearse in their home. She also listened to the music of jazz greats John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughn and Charlie Parker She began playing classical piano when she was just three years old, studied the flute when she was nine, and took up the saxophone in high school. She continued her music education at Spelman College, Atlanta. It was there that she played with the late Ray Charles. She honed her skills as a musician in the jazz clubs of Atlanta. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA degree in Music. Later she acquired a Master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Colorado. Tia was selected to be a member of the all female band which toured with Beyonce. As a member of this band she toured through the States, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Her skills can be heard on “Me, Myself and I” on the Beyonce Experience DVD. She has played along side Nancy Wilson and has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,””The Today Show,””Good Morning America,” and “American Music Awards” Fuller has recorded three CDs on which she is leader: “Pillar of Strength” “Healing Space” and “Decisive Steps” The last two are on the “Mack” label. Members of her group are expected to be her sister, pianist, Shamie Royston, bass Mimi Jones, and drummer Rudy Royston. If you attend only the concert, the price is Students $5, Non Member $25, and Jazz Erie Members $20. If you attend the dinner and concert, price is Students $23.50, Non Members $43.50, and $38.50 for JazzErie members. Reservations for dinner must be made in advance by calling 866-9999. Dinner choice is Chicken Marsala or a 6 oz. Sirloin filet, each of which comes with roasted red potatoes and mixed vegetables; or Pasta Primavera. All three come with tossed salad, rolls and butter, and coffee or tea. TIA FULLER @ THE AMBASSADOR, 12/29
Transcript
December 2010Vol. 16, Issue. 9
16 Years Serving the Jazz Community
For More Information: www.jazzerie.com
notesThe Monthly Newsletter of JazzErie
THIS IS THE LAST ISSUE OF NEWS NOTES YOU WILL RECEIVE IF YOU DID NOT RENEW YOUR JAZZERIE
MEMBERSHIP FOR 2010-2011. There is still time to renew
your membership. Send in your membership using the Membership Form on the back of the newsletter. Include your membership fee. Mail to JazzErie, P.O. Box 8833, Erie, Pa 16505-0833
JazzErie
Alto and soprano saxophonist, Tia Fuller, will perform with her trio at The Ambassador, upper Peach, Erie, on December 29, at 8PM
Born in Aurora, Colorado, Tia Fuller’s first influence in jazz was her parents. They were jazz musicians. She grew up listening to them rehearse in their home. She also listened to the music of jazz greats John Coltrane, Sarah Vaughn and Charlie Parker
She began playing classical piano when she was just three years old, studied the flute when she was nine, and took up the saxophone in high school. She continued her music education at Spelman College, Atlanta. It was there that she played with the late Ray Charles. She honed her skills as a musician in the jazz clubs of Atlanta. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA degree in Music. Later she acquired a Master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Colorado.
Tia was selected to be a member of the all female band which toured with Beyonce. As a member of this band she toured through the States, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Her skills can be heard on “Me, Myself and I” on the Beyonce Experience DVD. She has played along side Nancy Wilson and has appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,””The Today Show,””Good Morning America,” and “American Music Awards”
Fuller has recorded three CDs on which she is leader: “Pillar of Strength”
“Healing Space” and “Decisive Steps” The last two are on the “Mack” label.
Members of her group are expected to be her sister, pianist, Shamie Royston,
bass Mimi Jones, and drummer Rudy Royston.
If you attend only the concert, the price is Students $5, Non Member $25, and Jazz Erie Members $20. If you attend the dinner and concert, price is Students $23.50, Non Members $43.50, and $38.50 for JazzErie members. Reservations for dinner must be made in advance by calling 866-9999. Dinner choice is Chicken Marsala or a 6 oz. Sirloin filet, each of which comes with roasted red potatoes and mixed vegetables; or Pasta Primavera. All three come with tossed salad, rolls and butter, and coffee or tea.
TIA FULLER@ THE AMBASSADOR, 12/29
Page 2 JazzErie Notes
Jazz EriE
2010-2011 Board of Directors
President.........................Dick ThompsonVice President ............................. Ted ElyTreasurer ........................... Rich Giardina
DirectorsPaul Bates Charles LuteJohn Marzalek Ed Goebel Scott Meier Rob Hoff Liz Scarpelli Charles Joy Patricia Tellers Al Lubiejewski Mary E. Watson Michael Leal Allen Zurcher
Past PresidentsDavid F. Van Amburg 1994-1995 (Founding President)Atty. Al Lubiejewski 1995-1997Virginia M. Pelkowski 1997-1999R. Patrick Rodgers 1999-2002Steve Eidell 2002-2003Tom McLaren 2003-2005Carl Hultman 2005-2008Ed Goebel 2008-2010
JazzEriE NotEs is published in jazz performance months by JazzErie which is a subsidiary organization of the Erie Art Museum, a nonprofit organization.
JazzErie NotesEditor - Tom McLaren
published byThe Erie Art Museum for JazzErie
printed byPIP Printing
2827 West 26th St. • Erie, PA 16506
Deadline is the 15th of each month.Send articles to:
JazzErie is a com-munity of music lovers and musicians and, a member-ship organization dedicated to sharing with children, adults and one another an awareness and love of
music, particularly jazz. JazzErie brings together people who want to listen to jazz, learn about it, play it and just live it.
Check out our website at www.jazzerie.com for complete
information on current and upcoming events.
JAZZERIE DISCUSSION
GROUP
By Charles Ventrello
Ray Barretto’s album, “Ancestral Messages,” provides the introductory music for this evening. The congas master includes trumpeter Ray Vega and sax-flutist Jay Rodriguez in this septet for ten selections of compelling latin-jazz. Two jazz standards and a pop tune are given fresh Afro-Cuban trim: “Freedom Jazz Dance,” “Killer Joe” and
“Beautiful Love.” An ensemble of vitality and sensitivity.
Sensitivity prevails, this time in the form of a big band. Yes, it is possible. It’s not all higher, louder, faster. And the prize for the warmest, most dynamically subtle band goes to Thad Jones/Mel Lewis. Don Schwab chooses an up-tempo swinger, “Free Sample” and a Jones original ballad, “All My Yesterdays,” Fine solos by Jerry Dodgian and Billy Harper.
On this 1985 recording Phil Woods is a guest with the stellar Rob McConnell Big Band. The ballad, “Quintessance”
is predictably bully. Guido Basso is featured next on “Just One of Those Things,” a study in tempo consisting of very fast to medium and a gradual accelerando to break-neck. Basso and the band are capital. Thanks to Jim Metzler.
As attendance at this gathering is lighter than usual, we are thankful that Denny Kitchen is seldom without several cd’s within his reach. First up is homage to recently deceased vocalist, Abbey Lincoln. (pictured below. Ed Note: Lincoln died in Manhatten Aug 14, 2010 at the age of 80) She sings “Brother, Can You Spare A Dime” from the album “You Gotta Pay the Band” and she makes it sound like she really needs that dime. Great singers, like great actors, live the story. Great backup musicians too: Stan Getz, Charlie Haden, Hank Jones and Mark Johnson.
Secondly, an important rising figure among younger artists, tenorman Wayne Escoffery. He plays with vigor, muscle and fresh ideas on the tune “Locke’s Vibe” (Joe Locke plays vibes on the album.) Also performing on the album, “Veneration,” are Lewis Nash, drums, and Hans Glawischnig, bass. Great listening, highly recommended. Closing the evening is tenor woman Chelsea Baratz. On the tune, “Philos Groove,” she ,demonstrates a big warm sound which invites comparison to Webster, Hawkins and Byas with a modern temperament.
Issue No. 185 Page 3
By Gary Finney
Sunday: the Village Vanguard. The holiest of New York’s jazz clubs is akin to St. Peter’s or Notre Dame. Hearing Motian, Frisell and Lovano here, who are as close to perennial favorites in this hallowed basement as possible, is like hearing Bach’s Mass In B Minor performed in one of the aforementioned cathedrals.
Watching Paul Motian play, I’m instantly reminded of Miles’ instructions to John McLaughlin during the Silent Way sessions, “Play like you don’t know how to play.” Motian’s halting, arrested rhythms, with sudden, bursting accents, prod the trio in loping fashion. It’s wholly fascinating.
Ever cerebral, Bill Frisell darts in and out like a hummingbird with oblique lines and punctuation. The busyness of his foot rivals his hands as effect switches are turned on/off in dizzying array for a heady effect.
Joe Lovano glues it all together. Precariously perched on the high wire between “in” and “out” playing, his ferocious horn adds grounding when required and soars with abandon when the flock is in flight. It’s all positively enthralling.
Brian Blade’s Fellowship Band plays Tuesday’s early set at the Vanguard. Dovetailing with aerobatic precision, the rubato horn lines float over roiling
rhythms punctuated by gunshot accents while the throbbing bass serves as the anchor. The band is obviously having fun as they audibly spur each other to vertiginous heights. A Myron Walden solo nearly sets the club ablaze; a Melvin Butler solo on a gospel tune makes believers out of atheists. The crowd roars its approval.
David Binney plays Tuesday’s late set at 55 Bar. His quartet, which doesn’t mimic mid ‘60s Miles despite incorporating a Fender Rhodes, is a welcome relief. Dan Weiss’ drumming is the most traditional, regarding timekeeping, thus far, but is parsecs from merely pedestrian. Binney’s alto is a broken spigot as thoughtful notes gush out in torrents while he mines the horn’s lower register. It’s a blowing session to remember!
New York City. Nothing else compares.
A VISIT TO THE VANGUARD
This project was supported by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency, through its regional ar ts funding partnership , Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA). State funding for the arts depends upon an annual appropriation by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. PPA is administered in this region by the Arts Council
B 3 Organist Tony Monaco, performing and recording artist, appears at Matthews Trattoria on Saturday, Dec 11, 8 to 11PM. He will be coming off a world tour of Japan, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and other exotic destinations. He has established a solid career as leader and sideman, recording regularly on Chicken Coup Records and playing a busy schedule of gigs. Tony will be joined by local musicians: Drummer Joe Dorris, guitarist Frank Singer, sax player Phil Papotnik and percussionist Nick Ronzitti. Cost: $5. Reservations required for dinner.
TONY MONACO AT MATTHEWS
TRATTORIA
TheJazz Linewww.jazzerie.com
Page 4 JazzErie Notes
COLONY PUB & GRILLE 2670 West 8th St. • 838-2162
Colony Jazz Trio 7-10PM Thursday:Howard Hamme, Harry Jacobson, and
Carl Alanakian
SCOTTY’S JAZZ CLUB 301 German St. • 459-3800
Call the club for current bookings.
DOCKSIDER1015 State St. • 454-9700
!!! CLUB OWNERS !!!JazzErie welcomes the chance to promote
jazz bands or events at your club. You may have special jazz groups during the holidays
in December and January. Tell us what jazz group is scheduled (including charge).
JazzErie is happy to promote your jazz events. Send your information to
THE BREWERIE at UNION STATION123 West 14th St. • 454-2200
Dec 3 Duke ShermanDec 4 The HeliotropesJan 8 The HeliotropesJan 22 String Theory
ALTO CUCINA3531 West Lake Road • 835-3900
Wednesdays, Sam Hyman
NELSON’S TAVERN1033 State St. • 454-4300
CONCERTS & AREA EVENTSPITTSBURGHManchester Craftsmen’s Guild, 1815 Metropolitan St., Pittsburgh, PA 15233. Call 412/322-0800 or visit www.mcgjazz.com.
Pittsburgh Jazz Societywww.pittsburghjazz.org
CLEVELANDFor information on events in the Cleveland area go to: www.wruw.org and click on Northeast Ohio Jazz Calendar
Nighttown Restaurant, go to www.nighttowncleveland.com.
La BELLA BISTRO802 W. 18th • 456-2244 • BYOB
Reservations EncouragedThursdays, 6:30-9:30PM
Dec 2 Tony Grey and Joel PolacciDec 9 Paula Holmes and Dick BuckelDec 16th Two Girls AloneDec 23rd Diane Davies .Dec 30th Diane Davies and John KyticDec 31 New Years: “Tri This” 6-10PM
BAY BREEZE LOUNGE25 East 10th St.
6:00 - 9:00 pmNov 29 Eric Brewer and FriendsDec 3 Mary Alice BrownDec 10 Eric Brewer and FriendsDec 17 Steve Trohoske
(No band on Christmas Eve or New Years)
ROMOLO CHOCOLATES 1525 W 8th St. • 452-1933
MATTHEW’S TRATTORIA153 E. 13th St. • 459-6458 • 7-10pm
Dec 3 Tony Grey and Joel PolacciDec 10 Joe Dorris and Frank SingerDec 11 B3 Organist Tony Monaco $5Dec 17 Mary Alice Brown
No music on the 24th and 31st.Matthews is closed on New Years Eve
RIVERSIDE INN AT CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS
398 4645
Dec 31 New Years: Diane Davies and Soft Touch 9PM to 1AM featuring Bruce Johnstone, sax, and John Kytic, keyboard
“JAZZ RADIO”By Charles Joy
so I’m in New York
New York, New York
New York City
Staten Island, Brooklyn
Queens, the Bronx
Manhattan, yeah Manhattan
all alone
my baby far away
oh, so low
life pressing down on me
the tragedy, the glory
let there be music, cool music
jazz, the voice of the trumpet
a saxophone, anything
this lousy hotel radio
really poor reception, almost nothing
digital controls,
what did I settle for
a female vocalist, pretty scratchy?
not Billie Holiday
wish I was in Erie
in Erie there is always jazz
it’s easy, start at the bottom of the
dial
Issue No. 185 Page 5
HOW DO YOU DO ALL THAT?
The Short Version
Stuff 100+ musicians in a Volkswagen, and what do you get? JazzErie’s first year performances, plus 280 paid members, and 50% of the community knowing about JazzErie.
So Why Are You Here, Bub?
We defined our mission to bring together people of all ages who want to listen to jazz, learn about it, play it and just live it.
We set three goals:
1. To promote interaction among professional and amateur musicians, and private and public jazz performance by both.
2. To become the hub of communications about jazz in the tri-
state region.
3. To share improvisational jazz music with children and youth, and the community at large, facilitating their interest and learning.
Committees Rule
After many years you come to hard conclusions, like “committees and meetings are the creation of the devil.” But most of our committees were the exception: Executive, Finance & Development, Member Communications & Support, Membership & Marketing, Education, and Performance.
Rabbits From A Hat
After the first 3 months we had over 150 paid members. With no funding other than modest membership dues, we:
• Developed a series of workshops for the public. Our first exposed people to the use of computers in music composition and performance.
• Instituted jam sessions for all musicians to develop and maintain improvisational skills.
• Planned the first annual big band dance in the fall of 1995 with a nationally known jazz orchestra as a service to the community and a fund raiser for JazzErie.
• Developed a great monthly newsletter.
• Created an organizational structure to accomplish much with virtually no resources.
• Held 12 monthly meetings and concerts open to the public.
• Pulled off the first Jazz & Blues walk –
6 clubs, 6 bands, 10 bucks.
• Supported WQLN FM’s commitment to a new jazz radio program exposing listeners to regional musicians and promoting live jazz in our town.
• And a ton more.
I don’t have the 1995 calendar, but here’s 1996’s.
Thanks For All The Fish
Disclaimer: If your name is missing below, it’s not because I don’t remember and appreciate your hard work. I get to blame Tom McLaren’s word limit.
A few hundred volunteers helped in every way possible. And at the end of the year, I tried to thank the people who worked the hardest through the 1995 JazzErie awards:
Floyd Williams Memorial Love of Jazz: Charles Ventrello for JazzErie performance leadership.
Broadcast Jazz: WQLN Radio & JazzClub, Brady Lewis, Tom McLaren & Stan Bialomizy.
The History of JazzErie - Episode 4THE SHOEBOX LETTERSFAULTY MEMORIES OF THE EARLY DAYS OF JAZZERIE
By David Van Amburg,...first president of JazzErie
Page 6 JazzErie Notes
Community Jazz Awareness: Times Publishing Company, Doug Rieder, Dave Richards & Al Lubiejewski.
Live Music: Scully’s Pub for 52 weeks of Jazz in Erie & Smugglers’ Wharf, Mike Kubasik, Owner for providing the first home to JazzErie.
Keeper of the Flame: John Vanco for everything.
Thanks For Caring: Phil Papotnik and Phil Shively for keeping jazz alive in Erie.
Floyd Williams Memorial Live Your Dreams Scholarship: Tony Alford.
Communications: Jerry Sobrowski for managing the entire newsletter.
Rabbit out of the Hat: Virginia Pelkowski, Betty Barber. Sheldon Peterson and Joe Dorris for making the Jazz Festival and JazzWalk a success.
Jazz Photo: Art Becker.
Disappointments & Recommendations
I don’t have many. I could have used a few more hours of sleep.
What I really wanted was a website and to move to eLetters and away from print. But not many people appreciated the value of the Internet then.
Phil Shively offered a trip to Bermuda to the person who brought in the most new members. (Really!) But no one competed. Still, we had 750 paid members by the end of the first year.
I tried to explain that we needed to be more inclusive, renaming the organization to JazzErieBlues, and expose younger folks who like blues to the next step – jazz. We were already half way there with the very successful Jazz & Blues walk. Otherwise, our fruit would wither on the vine.
Try as I might, I couldn’t get much of a trail of breadcrumbs. Where are the photos, videos, audio recordings, mp3s of past and upcoming performers? I hope you’re doing better than I did.
I left the members with a 4-page farewell and a lot of recommendations. You can find them if you’re interested.
Sunsets & Sunrises
Remember the Rolling Stones song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”? The lyrical hook is “But if you try sometime, you find you get what you need”.
I’m not sure why I needed to become JazzErie’s first president. But JazzErie certainly helped fulfill my lifelong desire for my community to be vibrant and filled with successful, creative people.
Every five years, I seem to take on a new project. The current one should help JazzErie reach out to 10,000 or more new people. It’s called EnjoyErie.com, a comprehensive regional events calendar. Please use it, share your events – for JazzErie, your local business, club, whatever means something to you. It’s free. Tell your friends.
The Beat Goes On
Al Lubiejewski, with his VP, Stan Bialomizy, did a phenomenal job of picking up the pieces we left them. Maybe Al or someone else would like to continue the story and tell you who won the 1996 JazzErie awards.
JazzErie is a grateful recipient of support from the Arts Council of Erie.
What I love the most is that JazzErie
still lives after 16 years. I awaken every Sunday and thank you for keeping it alive. May you have many more years of beautiful music.
JazzErie’s newsletter to members who requested an e-mail version. If you asked to receive News Notes by e-mail but you didn’t receive it by e-mail, please contact JazzErie President Dick Thompson [email protected]. (that’s “q” as in question, “v” as in vitamin.) You can also contact Dick at (814) 734-4344 if you didn’t request the news letter by e-mail but now think you would like to receive it this way. Note: If you receive the news letter by e-mail you will not receive it by regular mail.
JAZZERIE THANKS THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS
FOR THEIR SUPPORT
Gannon University, 109 University Square.MacDonald, Illig, Jones and Britton, Attorneys, 100 State Street, Suite 700.Glenwood Beer, 2177 W. Grandview Boulevard.Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center, Mercyhurst College.Erie Art Museum, 411 State Street.Glass Growers Gallery, 10 E. 5th Street.World of Music, 1355 W. 26th Street.Froess Pianos and Keyboards, 2558 W. 8th Street.Romolo Chocolates, 1525 W. 8th Street.Lynch Music, Rte. 9 & Rte. 20, Fairview.Erie Book Store, 137 E. 13th Street.Raven Sound, 2617 Peach Street.Edinboro University ofPennsylvania, EdinboroPenn State Erie, The Behrend College, WesleyvilleLake Erie Fanfare, 1218 E. 38th St.Coors BeerScott Enterprises/Ambassador Center, 8040 Peach StreetEast Erie Turners Club, 829 Parade Street.Mercyhurst College, 501 E 38th St.Second Hand Rose, 351 W 26th St.Frank CorapiRockErieBuilder’s Hardware 2002 W. 16th Street
JazzOn The Radio
WQLN FM (91.3)
The Source for Jazz
Monday thru Thursday9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Jazz Flight - Rob Hoff
Friday8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Bop‘n the Blues - Al Lubiejewski10:00 PM - Midnight
Deep Blue - Jason Gibbs
Saturday8:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Saturday Swing Session-Bill Garts
11:00 PM - 1:00 AMLush Life - Aubrey Dillon
Sunday
6:00 PM - 7:00 PMRiverwalk - (Network)
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM“Jazz, Ballads & Blues”
with Al Lubiejewski9:00 – 10:00 PM
Sunday Night Jazz -Phil Atteberry
10:00 – 11:00 PMThe Third Set - Gary Finney
11:00 – 12:00 PM Jazz Cruise - Kathy Carducci
CLASSY 100 WXKC-FM (99.9)
Sunday9:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Jazz Tracks
WRIE-AM (1260)Sunday
7:00 PM - 9:00 PMBig Band Jump
Issue No. 185 Page 7
JAZZ-FM (88.5 & 104.9)Mercyhurst College“Erie’s Jazz Station”www.erieradio.com
Monday-Friday 6-10AM and Monday-Thursday 3-6PM
Helen Wigger
Monday-Friday 10AM-2PM Jeff Fox
Monday-Friday6PM to 2AM Tony Mowed
Monday 2PM “Jazz at Lincoln Center” with Wynton Marsalis
Tuesday 2PM “Jazz Profiles” with Nancy Wilson
Wednesday 2PM and Sunday 7PM “Night Lights”
with David Brent Johnson
Wednesday 3PM “Jazz At The Hurst” with
Mercyhurst College Students
Thursday 2-4PM “Jazz Variations” with Tonia King
Friday 3-6PM “Everything Jazz” with Bob Protzman
Saturday 8AM “Latin Jazz Perspective”
with Tony Vasquez
Saturday 1-3PM “Jazz Deluxe” with John Pizzarelli
Saturday3PM-Midnight Scott Hanley
Sunday 1-2PM “Jazz Scene” with Jake Longwell
Sunday 2PM-7PM Bob Studebaker
Sunday 8PM “European Jazz Stage”
Sunday 9PM “Jazz Odyssey” with Chris Kuborn
WERG (90.5 FM)Saturdays
8 – 11PM“Jazz Electric” by Mr. “J”
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Erie Art Museum
411 State Street
Erie, PA 16501
The Monthly Newsletter of JazzErie
December 2010 Vol. 16, Issue 9
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