The StrutterTraditional Jazz in the Philadelphia Tri-State Area

The Strutter is published by Tri-State Jazz Society, Inc. - P.O. Box 896 - Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054 1

APRIL 2019VOLUME 29 NUMBER 9

OUR NEXT CONCERTOstwald’s Louis Armstrong

Eternity Band

Sunday April 7, 20192:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Community Arts Center414 Plush Mill Road

Wallingford, PA 19086Directions at

https://www.tristatejazz.org/directions-cac.pdf

Concert Admissions$10 First-time attendees and Members

$20 General AdmissionHigh school/college students with ID andchildren with paying adult admitted free

In This IssueLooking Ahead.................Page 2Anderson Brothers Review .Page 2Film Review.....................Page 3Jazz Travels.....................Page 4TSJS Concert Schedules....Page 6

Photo by Louis Armstrong Eternity Band

Local Boy Makes Good Playing the Jazz Music – aTri-State debut!! Bandleader and tuba player DavidOstwald, a familiar face to New York jazz fans, hasled the Louis Armstrong Eternity Band at Birdlandsince 2000. It has been the band's mission to keepNew Orleans style jazz alive. To do so, David hashosted many of New York's top Hot Jazzbandleaders and sidemen. Several join David atthis concert, including Jim Fryer, Ricky Alexander,Danny Tobias and the legendary Vince Giordano -David has assembled an OUTSTANDING ensemblefor our Tri-State audience.

David Ostwald was raised in Swarthmore,Pennsylvania. He began studying piano at age sevenand tuba at eleven. Though solely a classicalmusician at first, in his junior year at the University

of Chicago he was inspired to form his first jazzband. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Visit David Ostwald’s LAEB website athttp://www.ostwaldjazz.com/html/about.php?psi=29

Watch the band perform Swing that Musichttps://youtu.be/FYyb_3a3kT4

and When the Saints Go Marching Inhttps://youtu.be/VV5wUX-3LaI

David Ostwald–leader, tubaDanny Tobias –trumpetRicky Alexander–clarinet, alto saxJim Fryer –tromboneVince Giordano –banjo, guitarAlex Raderman –drums

“The pre-swing era comes alive” - The New Yorker

“Vital and rhythmically rugged” - The New York Times

“One of the most consistently dazzling tickets onthe scene..” - Time Out New York

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LOOKING AHEAD TO OURMAY 2019 CONCERT

On May 19, 2019, our concert will once againfeature Neville Dickie and the Midiri Brothers atHaddonfield, NJ.

ANDERSON BROTHERS REVIEWBy Jim McGann

Sunday, March 17, 2019Haddonfield United Methodist Church

Will Anderson, clarinet, alto sax, flutePete Anderson, clarinet, tenor, soprano saxesAdam Moezenia, guitarClovis Nicholas, string bassJim Lawlor, drumsSpecial Guest, Dan Tobias, trumpet

“‘A modern sounding group, but a good one’ wasthe general consensus at the conclusion of theAndersons’ concert. I agree with that thought.Although I was hard pressed to find any remnantsof traditional jazz, the musicianship of the quartetfeaturing two reeds, a guitar and a string bassmade the modern sounds tolerable to some extent.However, if your jazz expectations were of theOliver/Bechet/Morton variety, you would havecome away from the Anderson concertdisappointed.”

That was the opening paragraph of my review ofthe Andersons’ quartet four years ago. I had alsogone along to say that the Andersons, Pete andWill, were trying “something new” – sort of adifferent approach to traditional jazz. It is nowfour years later, the Andersons returned to Tri-State, this time as a quintet, with a later surprise.The program was a salute to the King of Swing,Benny Goodman. While there was a consciouseffort to keep things in the pre-modern era, themodern jazz managed to surface in most of theperformances.

Photo by Jim McGann

Photo by Paul MacAtee

Photo by Allen Sharpe

Photo by Jim McGann

World-class British pianist Neville Dickie rejoinsTSJS veterans Joe and Paul Midiri for the seventhstraight year! Neville is among the mostaccomplished stride and boogie-woogie pianists oneither side of the Atlantic. Performing regularly onBBC Radio, he has made hundreds of appearancesas a soloist or with his trio, and can be heard onhundreds of jazz recordings. Joe and Paul Midirihave made both jazz and classical music the focusof their lives since the mid-1980s, and haverecorded with everything from trios to big bands.Past Dickie-Midiri TSJS shows have set attendancerecords, so come early to get a seat!

For more, see their websites:http://nevilledickie.com andhttp://midiribros.com.

Listen to Neville play “Pine Top’s Boogie”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndAtEgHTiGo

The Midiris play a Sydney Bechet Tribute:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrVLX47iGA0

And from a TSJS appearance, the trio performs“The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=makszBxsXU8

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Complementing the Andersons were guitaristAdam Moezenia, bassist Clovis Nicholas, andsubbing for drummer Philip Stewart was a familiarface, Jim Lawlor, known for his work with anotherset of identical twins.

Like the concert of four years ago, it was the stellarmusicianship – the voicings and interplay - thatmade the concert. There was a two-chorusmelody/counter melody on the opening “AfterYou’ve Gone.” Pete Anderson laying a chord “bed”for Will’s clarinet lead on “Moonglow.” The twochoruses of unaccompanied soprano sax andclarinet on “Sweet Georgia Brown.” Will’s “spatial”clarinet solo on “Sweet Lorraine.” The new riffsbetween Will on clarinet and Adam Moezenia’sguitar on “Air Mail Special.” These are just a fewexamples.

While the songs performed were all associatedwith Goodman, the modern approach on some ofthe numbers seemed out of place. Will Anderson’sflute for example, on “These Foolish Things” and“Body and Soul” was closer to Herbie Mann thanGoodman. Adam Moezenia tried to keep aChristian type of approach at times, butsometimes faltered into post modern stuff. The

“Symphony Sid” like riffon “Stompin’ At theSavoy” reminded one ofLester Young (yes, thegreat Prez was part of theSwing Era, just not a nameyou would associate withGoodman).

Dan Tobias – the surprise– sat in with the band onthe last three numbers –an exhilarating“Limehouse Blues”, a nice

JAZZ AND SWING RARETIES IIMusical shorts from the

1930s and 1940sMarch 8, 2019

Fleisher Art Memorial, Phila., PAReview by Jim McGann

Before the advent of television, the mediaabsorbed by the public was radio, thenewspapers, and the movies. The movieexperience, pre-TV, consisted of a cartoon, anewsreel, a short subject or a serial, and thefeature presentation, and, depending on thevenue, live vaudeville or musical entertainmentafter the movie was over. Looking at the shortsubject portion of the presentation, they were avariety amongst themselves. The shortsconsisted of comedies, dramas, documentaries,and brief ten-minute musicals. For bands tryingto make a name for themselves, the movie shortwas a promotional tool.

The Secret Cinema’s Jay Schwartz put together atwo-hour presentation of musical shorts,soundies (three-minute films original producedfor a visual jukebox-sort of a forerunner to thelatter-day music videos) and occasional clipsfrom feature films. As I was waiting for thepresentation to begin, the intermission musicplayed Benny Goodman’s “Henderson Stomp” asthe audience began to file inside the auditorium.I had hoped the film presentation that followedwould equal that level of excitement.

version of “Memories of You” (with Tobiasrecalling Louis Armstrong’s 1930 recording in hissolo), and a medium swing rendition of “I Can’tGive You Anything but Love.”

The tribute was about Benny Goodman. When Ithink of Goodman, I think the great big band withKrupa, Harry James, Ziggy Elman, Stacy, Wilson,Hampton, the arrangements by FletcherHenderson, Jimmy Mundy and Spud Murphy, theQuartet and various small groups. While theAndersons’ work was beautifully done, I didn’twalk away feeling like I was at a Goodman tributeconcert. I guess I needed “Sing, Sing, Sing” or“King Porter Stomp” for it to work for me.

Photo by Jim McGann

Photo by Paul Macatee

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Jazz TravelsBy Bill Hoffman

Over Thanksgiving weekend I attended the SanDiego Jazz Festival for the first, and hopefully notlast, time. The 39th annual installment organized byAmerica's Finest City Dixieland Jazz Society washeld at the Town and Country Hotel andConvention Center in the Mission Valley section ofthe city. This location is very convenient to the I-8freeway, the light rail, numerous other hotels, andis a few miles from an Amtrak station and theairport. I had not been to San Diego in 35 years, so Iarrived a day early to get the lay of the land, and toavoid flying the day before Thanksgiving.

I realized early on that this piece would become toolong if I included a critique of each band I heard, soI'll instead focus mainly on the festival from anorganizational and experiential point of view. Ibelieve that will give you a better idea of what toexpect if you have not been there and are thinkingof attending next year.

The list of bands was extensive and impressive. Itried, but was not able to hear them all. There weretwo that I especially wanted to catch, and took in allor most of their sets: the Original CornellSyncopators and the Chicago Cellar Boys (a subsetof my much favored Fat Babies). A couple of those Idid hear did not wow me, but at least I gave them ashot. There were no fewer than 22 bands, a femalevocal trio, four guest artists (mostly pianists) andpianists from some of the bands doing solo sets. Allthe band rooms had dance floors on either side orin front of the stage, and these were wellpatronized. I even noticed a few people dancingalone.

I found this to be an exceptionally well organizedfestival. The program book listed no fewer than 153volunteers who made it all happen, plus another 20or so AFCDJS directors and staff members. Four ofthe music rooms were side-by-side, yet the soundfrom one did not bleed into another except when aband was silent and the doors to the lobby wereopen. The other rooms were within a city-blockwalk (indoors). The 32-page program (free to allattendees, unlike at some festivals where there is anominal charge) was a veritable encyclopedia ofeverything one needed to know about the event. Iespecially liked the 11x17 insert which had, on oneside, a chronological listing by location of all the

Not so. For the most part, the films presentedfeatured commercial swing era bands, leavingthe true jazz to a handful of films. Two NatCole trio soundies from 1946 (Come to Baby,Do and Errand Boy For Rhythm), a briefclip from the Noble Sissle short, Sizzle withSissle (also 1946), a bigger excerpt from a“bootleg” copy of the Count Basie short, ChooChoo Swing (1943), the Benny Goodmanselection from Walt Disney’s Make MineMusic, a Buddy Rich short from 1948 featuringTerry Gibbs, and a Gene Krupa soundie (circa1941) with Anita O’Day and Roy Eldridge.

The rest, well, were OK. The shorts featuringthe bands of Jimmy Dorsey and Tony Pastorwere fine if the focus was on the leader and theband. In most cases, the talent on screen wereregional bands and entertainers. Who everheard of Dave Schooler and his 21Swinghearts? Or Princess Chio? Or the AidaBroadbent Girls? In other cases, thesoundtrack provided the swing. Also, the songsperformed were not exactly on the hit parade,like “V-mail From a Female.”

Since the format was film, and not recordings,you could say that there was more appeal forthe film enthusiast. For example, there was ashort entitled Every Sunday (1936),featuring a young, pre-Wizard of Oz JudyGarland and the screen debut of DeannaDurbin. In the Tony Pastor short, RosemaryClooney appeared on a couple of numbers aspart of the sister act known as the Clooneysisters. The final short, Spreadin the Jam(1945), a vehicle where the dialogue is spokenin song, was directed by Charles Walters, whowent on to feature length musicals EasterParade, High Society, and TheUnsinkable Molly Brown.

Schwartz’ presentation was well intentioned,even enjoyable. However, the sticking pointwas Jazz taking a back seat to commercialswing and featuring performers with little orno connection at all to Jazz. Then again, wherecan you see anything on film these days. Put inthat context, it was nice way to spend a fewhours.

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sets, and an alphabetical listing on the other of eachband's and pianist's sets, giving time and location.The former was also posted on the AFCDJS website,so I could rough out an itinerary before I left home.There was also a map of the premises—very helpfulto this first-timer.

There were other nice touches that I don't recallseeing at other festivals. For each set, a list of thatband's or pianist's sponsors was posted in the room.Most of the bands acknowledged their sponsors eachtime they played. Sponsors got reserved front-rowseats for the first 15 minutes of every set, as well asspecial tags for their admission badges. Sponsorswho were not staying at the hotel were also given freeparking, which apparently was at a premium due toconstruction on the property. I didn't notice thatbecause I went back and forth from my nearby hotelby bicycle and nobody objected when I brought itinside and parked it in an out-of-the-way location.On each stage and in each room there were waterjugs and/or pitchers (not single-use plastic bottlesthat are evidently a no-no in environmentally correctCalifornia) for the musicians and patrons. Outsideeach room was a sign, updated every day, of thebands and time that each was playing in that room.Every band was assigned a volunteer “caretaker”whose job was to tend to the musicians' needs,including selling CDs, not only on stage but in thehospitality room. On Saturday afternoon there was areception for sponsors, but I was too busy listening tothe music to go. This was to be an opportunity tomeet the musicians, but I wonder how many of themwere able to attend the 2-hour event in a separatewing of the hotel from the performance rooms. Still,the thought was appreciated.

Of the 22 bands, which ranged from three to twelvepieces, seven were from outside of California. Twowere from the Pacific Northwest, one each from NewOrleans, Chicago, Michigan and North Carolina, andthe one I most especially went to see, the OriginalCornell Syncopators from Ithaca, NY. Probably dueto economics, the Syncs brought only a 7-piececontingent, not the full 13 who had performed theprevious Sunday at the Tri-State Jazz Society. Thefounder and leader, Colin Hancock, who has beenprofiled in this paper before, has done a masterfuljob of pulling together eleven students—none ofwhom are music majors—and one professor into atight ensemble that has branched out from theOriginal Dixieland Jass Band's book to that of the

New Orleans Rhythm Kings, the Wolverines, andsome other not-well-known early 20s jazz anddance bands. Several members, including Colin,will graduate in May, and I wonder what willhappen with the band. One member told me thatthey have a large enough book that they couldcontinue playing, but I believe it will take someonewith Colin's knowledge and enthusiasm to pull it alltogether.

Having only been to one western music festival, Ihad not heard many of the bands from that regionbefore. I knew it would be my last chance to catchHigh Sierra, which had announced that it isdisbanding in April after 41 years. I hope thatdoesn't mean that all its members are cashing in,too. Many of the bands have been coming to thisfestival for many years, and most of their membersare approaching or have reached senior citizenstatus. Being in that demographic myself, that's nota dig, just an observation. The most notableyounger exceptions were the Cornellians, ChicagoCellar Boys, On the Levee, Dave Bennett's quartetand Dawn Lambeth's trio, plus the Mission BayHigh School group.

The first two days of the festival—Wednesday andThursday—had only evening sets in one and twovenues, respectively. But these gave me a head starton fulfilling my goal of seeing as many groups aspossible. One that I especially enjoyed was a quartetof husband and wife pianists Paolo Alderighi andStephanie Trick (this time on two pianos) joined byMarty Eggers on bass and Kevin Dorn on drums. Imarveled at how well they all synched despite notbeing able to maintain eye contact and not playingtogether regularly. Stephanie told me later thatthey've performed before as a group so they're allwell acquainted by now.

The piano sets, of which I was only able to see afew, were held beginning Friday morning andcontinuing through Sunday afternoon in a double-wide room between the band venues. I regrettednot being able to take in more of them.

Saturday featured an all-day Swing Extravaganza inthe largest ballroom. I dropped in briefly to see thehall mobbed with young Lindy-hoppers whoapparently only attended this event. A good timewas being had by all, and although the music wasnot strictly trad, if it brought a younger generation

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FUTURE CONCERTS OF

All Concerts from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

June 2, 2019 Ben Mauger’s Vintage JazzBand Cornetist Ben Mauger returns to TSJS withNew Orleans-style Dixieland, hot dance tunes of the20s and 30s, other early jazz. Wallingford, PA

July 14, 2019 Tri-State Jazz All StarsAn annual tradition, a core band of top performersfrom some of our favorite bands will jam togetheron familiar Dixieland tunes. Haddonfield, NJ

August 11, 2019 Dalton Ridenhour-SoloPiano NY-based jazz pianist in his solo TSJSdebut; performs stride, ragtime and early jazz withVince Giordano, Dan Levinson, Mike Davis andother top New York bands. Wallingford, PA

September 8, 2019 Richard BarnesBlackbird Society Orchestra The BlackbirdSociety 13-piece big band set TSJS top admissionsrecords at Wallingford and Haddonfield in 2017and 2018, Hear 1920s hot Jazz Age dance tunes.Haddonfield, NJ

October 13, 2019 Buck and a QuartetReedman John Bianchi leads NY-based jazz quartetin TSJS debut; forgotten gems of golden age ofAmerican popular music and some vintage-inspiredoriginals. Wallingford, PA

November 10,2019 Stephanie Trick & PaoloAlderighi, Piano Duo Welcome back Stephanie,American stride pianist now in a duo with herhusband, Italian virtuoso pianist Paolo. They tourEurope, the US and record together. Haddonfield,NJ

Wallingford, PA: Concerts are held at the Community ArtsCenter, 414 Plush Mill Rd; just west of exit 3 of I-495 (“TheBlue Route”).Haddonfield, NJ: Concerts are held at the HaddonfieldUnited Methodist Church, 29 Warwick Rd., just south of KingsHighway; about a ten minute walk from the PATCO trainstation.

to the festival and possibly exposed them to trad, Ihave no complaints.

The only complaint I do have about the festival isthe high cost of on-site food. The conference centerhas several restaurants. I went to one and found theservice too slow. The large (1.7 million square feet)upscale Fashion Valley shopping mall is a shortdistance away, probably walkable if you're fleetafoot, and has a number of eateries ranging fromfast food and coffee bars to fancier places. I did notgo there, knowing that doing so would requiremissing at least one music set. There was a limited-menu food station specially set up in the lobby thatI took advantage of, for people who wanted a quick,simple meal, accepting that there was a price to payfor this convenience.

Retiring festival executive director Paul Daspitreported to me that total attendance this year,including musicians and volunteers, was around5200. Deducting the “working” population, thatwould mean a gate of a little under 5000. I doubtthat all were there at any one time, but never did Ifeel that the place was so over-crowded that I couldnot get a seat for any set or had to wait to use therestroom or get something to eat, with the one briefexception described above. So I give the festival an“A” for crowd management.

The tentative roster of this year's festival (Nov. 27-Dec. 1, 2019) has been announced, and includes, sofar, 14 bands from this year. It is not too soon tomake reservations at the hotel (or at any hotel ofyour choice) and sign up as a sponsor, which getsyou the same perks that sponsors got this year.

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ABOUT TRI-STATE JAZZ SOCIETYBOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sanford Catz, President, 2019Bill Hoffman, Vice President, Music AdvisoryCommittee Chairman, Bands Contact , 2020Robert Lowe, Treasurer, 2019Chris Jones, Photo Editor, 2021

Dewaine Osman, Secretary, Strutter Editor, 2021Chic Bach, Sound Coordinator, 2019Sally Cannon, Refreshments Manager, 2020Bob Rawlins, Music Advisory Committee, 2020Steven Peitzman, Programs Editor, 2021Robert Robbins, Publicity, 2021Mike Mudry, Asst. Treasurer, 2019Mark Raymond, Membership Chairman, 2019Dan Tobias & Lynn Redmile, 2019Paul Midiri, 2019

TSJS CONTACT INFORMATIONMailing Address: PO Box 896, Mount Laurel, NJ.08054

Hotline Phone for updated concert information:(856) 720-0232

TSJS SUSTAINERSVery Special - $200 or more, $220 couples

● Chuck Haggerty & Sarah Burke● Sanford Catz● Mary Ann & Dr. Charles H. Emely● William N. Hoffman● Richard & Peggy Hughlett● Chris Jones and Amy Galer● Bob Mackie● Dewaine & Clare Osman● Steven Peitzman & Nancy Pontone● DeWitt Peterson● Dr. Myron E. & Phoebe R. Resnick● Sylvia Rosenberg● Alice V. Schmidt● Jay & Orinda Lou Schultz

TSJS PATRONSThe Big Time - $100 or more, $120 couples

● Joan Adams● Elaine Berkowitz● John & Susan Bingley● Walt Brenner● Marge Wroblewski & Porter Carlson● Jolyne Dalzell● Stephen Faha● Bruce Gast● Carl Meister, Jr. & Linda Hickman● Wayne B. & Nancy Lewis● Robert & Pat Lowe● James & Lorraine Maitland● Mike Mudry● Selina Higgins & Bill Nixon● John Otterson● Katherine & Michael Perloff● Bob & Nancy Rawlins● Robert Carr & Barbara Steele● Constance & Donald Windus● Jerry & Josephine Yocum

TSJS SPONSORSHeadliners - $50 or more, $70 couples

● Chic Bach● Joan Bauer● Louis DePietro● Robert & Cynthia Freedman● Gerald Carter & Janet S. Graehling● John H. Hoover● Peggy de Prophetis & Louis Kaplan● Sheila Larson● Michael & Irene Lastra● Michael Lefkowitz● Marilyn Lunenfeld● Patricia Madison● Michael Prince & Carol Otte● Terry Rave● Mark Raymond● Peter Reichlin● Kay & Bob Troxell● Rich Troyan

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TRI-STATE JAZZ SOCIETY, INC.P.O. BOX 896MOUNT LAUREL, NJ 08054

Membership Form

Basic Dues: q Individual $20 q Couple $40Sponsor Dues: q Individual $50 q Couple $70Patron Dues: q Individual $100 q Couple $120Sustainer Dues: q Individual $200 or more q Couple $220 or moreAmount Enclosed $________________ Date_________________ Check No._________

Members are admitted to all regular concerts at half price. Memberships renewed prior to expiration start at the end of current membership; expired memberships start on receipt of payment. All memberships run for 12 months.Email and Newsletter Options: q TSJS concert announcements and membership notices(Check all boxes that apply.) q Strutter Newsletter by Email q Strutter by U.S. Mail (Patrons, Sponsors, Sustainers Only)

Mail with check payable to Tri-State Jazz Society, Inc., P .O. Box 896, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

First and Last Name(s) _________________________________________________________

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City_________________________________________________State______Zip___________

Phone (_____)_______________ E-mail ___________________________________________