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

MAY 2017VOLUME 27 NUMBER 10

OUR NEXT CONCERTJerry Rife’s Rhythm Kings

In This IssueLooking Ahead.................Page 2Stephanie Trick Review........Page 2Music of Harold Arlen...........Page 4Concert Schedules………….. Page 6

Concert Admissions$10 First-time attendees and Members

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

Pay at the door

Sunday, April 30, 20172:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Community Arts Center414 Plush Mill Road

Wallingford, PA 19086Directions at

http://www.tristatejazz.org/directions-cac.html

Photo by Jim McGann

Jerry Rife's Rhythm Kings, who last appeared atTSJS in March 2015, were inspired by thelegendary early bands of New Orleans, mostnotably the New Orleans Rhythm Kings and theOriginal Dixieland Jazz Band, according to Dr. Rife.From their first concerts in 1984 they werecommitted to a hot-jazz style of performance that isassociated with post-World War II "revivalDixieland," a return to the roots of New Orleansjazz. Jerry Rife earned two degrees in music atKansas State University before receiving a PhD inMusicology at Michigan State University. Dr. Rifeteaches music history and directs the bands atRider University and is also on the faculty atWestminster Choir College.

The band includes:Dr. Jerry Rife - Leader, clarinet, alto & sopranosaxesDanny Tobias - trumpetPete Reichlin - trombonePat Mercuri - banjo & guitarGary Cattley - tuba & string bassLenny Pucciatti - drums

Trumpeter Danny Tobias has established himself asa TSJS favorite, both as a leader and sideman.

A versatile horn player, Pete Reichlin handles thetrombone in this band and the tuba in otherensembles.

Banjoist/guitarist Pat Mercuri is one of the area'smost active freelance jazz musicians.

Gary Cattley is equally at home on bass and tuba,having appeared at jazz festivals across the countryand as a guest soloist.

Lenny Pucciatti, percussion, attended Trenton StateCollege (now the College of New Jersey) and hasperformed extensively for the past three decades inthe jazz and classical genres.

For more information see Dr. Rife’s website:http://www.rider.edu/faculty/jerry-rife

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LOOKING AHEAD TO OURJUNE 2017 CONCERT

STEPHANIE TRICKCONCERT REVIEW

By Robert RobbinsNeville Dickie and the Midiri Brothers are backagain on June 4 for a Tri-State Jazz Society concertat the Haddonfield United Methodist Church,Haddonfield, NJ.

Photo by Jim McGann

Stephanie Trick's Encore PerformanceDazzles TSJS Audience

Two years ago, the young pianist Stephanie Trickdebuted for TSJS in a brilliant virtuoso display ofthe classic ragtime, stride, and boogie-woogieidioms. Her triumphant return to TSJS (and herdebut at Haddonfield), definitively demonstratedthat Stephanie has matured as an artist whilemaintaining the excitement of her performances.

Photo by Paul Macatee

Ms. Trick opened the program with a quadrupledose of classics ("Mule Walk," "Caprice Rag," "Old-Fashioned Love," and "Keep Off the Grass") by the"Father of Stride" James P. Johnson, followed by"How Could You Put Me Down?", a collaborationbetween Johnson and Willie "The Lion" Smith(nee Joseph Bertelhoff). Three early DukeEllington compositions, including "Black Beauty"and "Jubilee Stomp" (arranged by veteran pianistDick Hyman), displayed a kinship with the musicof George Gershwin from the late Twenties.Stephanie then shifted gears into the boogie-woogie mode with Meade Lux Lewis' "Honky TonkTrain Blues" (which enjoyed a 1970's revival by thelate keyboardist Keith Emerson). Bringing thefirst set to a close were two Eubie Blake chestnuts:"Memories of You" (from the 1921 musical ShuffleAlong, the first Broadway production written andperformed by African-Americans) and"Troublesome Ivories", on which Stephaniecovered the entire range of the keyboard.

World-class British pianist Neville Dickie will rejoinTSJS veterans Joe and Paul Midiri for the 5thstraight year in what promises to be one of the mostexciting trad jazz, stride, and swing programs of theseason. A native of England's County Durham,Dickie is among the most accomplished stride andboogie-woogie pianists on either side of theAtlantic. Performing regularly on BBC Radio, hehas made hundreds of appearances as a soloist orwith his trio, and can be heard on hundreds of jazzrecordings. The Midiris have made both jazz andclassical music the focus of their lives since the mid1980s, and have recorded with everything fromtrios to big bands featuring the arrangements ofBenny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and the DorseyBrothers, as well as Paul’s original arrangementsand compositions. They have performedextensively in the Philadelphia, New York, andAtlantic City areas and have been been featured atmany festivals across the country. Past Dickie-Midiri TSJS shows have set attendance records.Come early to get a seat!

For more, see their websites:http://nevilledickie.com and http://midiribros.comor listen at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=makszBxsXU8or https://youtube.com/watch?v=ndAtEgHTiGo

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Thomas "Fats" Waller's "Ain't Misbehavin'"launched a more diverse second set, followed byanother Waller favorite, "The Minor Drag." In thisset, Ms. Trick paid more attention to ballads suchas "My Silent Love" (composed by Dana Suesse, the"female Gershwin", and a 1941 hit forvocalist Dick Haymes with the Harry James band),the British standard "If I Had You," the JohnnyBurke/Jimmy Van Heusen "Moonlight BecomesYou" (introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1942 filmRoad to Morocco and a hit the following year forGlenn Miller), and Vernon Duke's "Taking a ChanceOn Love." On all of these, Stephanie gravitatedtoward a more Art Tatum-inspired sound (Wallerwas quoted as saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, I playpiano, but God is in the house tonight," inrecognition of the blind Tatum's awesomepianism), in which she was equally adept.

However, the final set by no means avoided thevirtuosic stride and boogie-woogie, with twoclassical music themes "jazzed" by NJ pianistDonald Lambert: Wagner's "Pilgrims' Chorus"from Tannhauser and "Anitra's Dance" from Grieg'sPeer Gynt Suite (both of these would be adapted forbig bands respectively by Stan Kenton and DizzyGillespie several decades later). A brief detour viaJohnson's "Carolina Shout" prefaced Stephanie'sstride treatment of Scott Joplin's "The Entertainer"which proved the highlight of the entire afternoon,and even the late Marvin Hamlisch, who receivedan Oscar for his adaptation of this in the 1974 filmThe Sting, would most certainly have been thrilledwith Stephanie's version. Ms. Trick's ownimprovised "Sunday Afternoon Boogie in theBasement" lowered the curtain on a most excitingand evocative TSJS concert.

Additional kudos go to the video close-up of thekeyboard on the full screen which added greaterdimension to the performance.

Membership Policy ChangeStarting April 9, 2017

Current Tri-State Jazz Society memberships expireat the end of each fiscal year - June 30. The TSJSBoard has approved the following change to themembership policy:

1. All new and renewal memberships will beeffective for 12 months, expiring at the end ofthe 12th month.

2. Any prepayments prior to a membershipexpiration will extend the membership for 12months from the expiration date of theircurrent membership.

Most current memberships expire on June 30,2017. If a member pays for a renewal prior to June30, 2017, that renewal will provide membershipuntil June 30, 2018. If a member does not renewprior to June 30, 2017 and the member renewssome time later - such as possibly August, 2017 -that member will have a membership of 12 monthsuntil the end of July, 2018.

If you still have questions about this membershippolicy change, contact Chris Jones, VP, at 215/923-7743 or send him an email at “vp@tristatejazz.org”.

QUOTE OF THE MONTHBy Rabbi Lou Kaplan

In 1928 he [Louis Armstrong] got some of ustogether for a record date--Jack Teagarden ontrombone, Happy Cauldwell on sax, Joe Sullivan onpiano, Eddie Lang on guitar, and myself [KaiserMarshall] on drums. We had been working thenight before and the record date was for eight in themorning, so we didn't bother about going to bed; Irode the boys around in my car in the earlymorning hours and we had breakfast about six sowe could get to the studio at eight. We took a gallonjug of whiskey with us.

After we recorded that number the studio mancame around with his list to write down the usualinformation, composer, name of tune and so on.He asked Louis what the tune was called, and Louissaid "I don't know!" Then he looked around andsaw the empty jug sitting in the middle of the floorand he said: "Man, we sure knocked that jug--youcall it 'Knockin' a Jug.'" And that's the name thatwent on the record.

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Over The Rainbow: The Music ofHarold Arlen

Harold Arlen is one of America’s least-knowncomposers. Ironically, his compositions are amongthe most widely performed works in the AmericanPopular Songbook.

Harold Arlen at 21 Photo Courtesy of Sam Arlen

Born Hyman Arluck, the son of a Buffalo, New Yorkcantor, he wanted to make it big as a vaudevillesinger, not as a songwriter. As fate would have it,Harold Arlen’s catalog of published songs reads likean encyclopedia of America’s greatest hits. Hewrote blockbuster numbers that became signaturesongs for a generation of stars. He gave FrankSinatra “That Old Black Magic.” He created “Overthe Rainbow” for Judy Garland. His “StormyWeather” was a smash hit for both Ethel Watersand Lena Horne.

Harold Arlen landed inNew York City during theheyday of Tin Pan Alleyin the 1920s, at a timewhen the Brill Buildingon 49th St. in Manhattanwas a beehive of musicalactivity. It was a song Tin Pan Alley photo courtesy tumblr

factory where the halls echoed with the sound of ahundred pianos as composers and lyricists workedaway in their cubbyhole offices, each trying to comeup with the next big hit.

Dick Hyman says, “Arlen was a composer whowrote songs which have become standards for jazzplayers in particular, because he associated withthe great black jazz players of the 1920s. He wrotescores for Cotton Club performers like DukeEllington, Cab Calloway and Ethel Waters.”Vocalist Nina Ferro talks about Arlen’s songs from

the singer’s perspective: “There can be quitecomplicated patches that he’s written, but he’s donethis on purpose to create a certain mood and feelwhich makes these songs stand the test of time.”

In 1932 Arlen teamed upwith lyricist Ted Koehlerto write a show calledVanities featuring ayouthful Milton Berle.Arlen said the producernever paid eithersongwriter for any of thetunes they wrote for hisshows, “not even a tie for

Lyricist Ted Koehler on left and HaroldArlen on right. Photo courtesy of Sam Arlen.

Christmas.” Vanities produced the classic “I GottaRight to Sing the Blues,” which later became thetheme song of Texas trombonist Jack Teagarden.

Between 1930-34 Arlen did some of his mostremarkable work composing scores for the lavishfloor shows at Harlem’s Cotton Club, which reignedsupreme as Manhattan’s premier nightclub. LadyMountbatten called it “the aristocrat of Harlem.”Entertainment at the Cotton Club featured choruslines of beaded and bangled dancers, orchestras ledby Cab Calloway or Duke Ellington, or starattractions like Ethel Waters, Bill “Bojangles”Robinson and the tap-dancing Nicholas Brothers.Coast-to-coast live radio broadcasts from the clubadded to the glamour, and the clientele was asdazzling as the stage shows. Unlike some otherHarlem nightclubs, every face in the audience waswhite and every face onstage was not. Bouncers atthe door made sure there were no mixed parties atthe tables. The Cotton Club’s gangland owners,Owney Madden and a shadowy character known as“Big Frenchie,” strictly enforced the policy.

Many of Arlen’s greatest songs, such as "Let's Fallin Love" and "Stormy Weather," were written withlyricist Ted Koehler for Cotton Club shows.“Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea” wasintroduced in the 1931 Cotton Club revue RhythmMania.

Throughout his career Arlen became friends andworked with some of the greatest lyricists of alltime, particularly in his work on Hollywood filmscores. His collaboration with Yip Harburgproduced the score for the 1939 film The Wizard ofOz. Two tunes from that score were: “Ding! Dong!

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The Witch Is Dead,” and“Somewhere Over theRainbow.” Also in 1939,Arlen and Harburg wrote“Lydia the Tatooed Lady”for the Marx Brothers filmAt the Circus.

One of Arlen’s mostproductive partnershipswas with lyricist JohnnyMercer in the 1940s.Arlen composed many ofhis most famous standards

Wizard of Oz original poster, 1939. Imagecourtesy Wikimedia

such as “Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive," "Blues inthe Night," "My Shining Hour" and "That Old BlackMagic" with Mercer.

One night in 1945, Mercer showed up at Arlen’shouse for a working session, only to find Arlen stilllocked in his study working on a melody. WhenMercer heard Arlen’s tune for the very first time, heinstantly came up with an idea for the opening lyric.He said, “It’s got to open with the line, ‘I’m gonnalove you, like nobody’s loved you.’” Arlen, kiddingaround, said, “Come hell or high water!” Mercershot back, “That’s close, but how about ‘come rainor come shine?’”

Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer. Photo courtesy of Sam Arlen.

Arlen created the score for the 1952 Judy Garlandfilm A Star is Born with Ira Gershwin. In 1954, withTruman Capote he wrote the score to the Broadwayproduction of House of Flowers in which DiahannCarroll introduced “A Sleepin' Bee,” a song whichhas since become a well-recorded jazz standard.Arlen’s songwriting career continued on well intothe 1970s. Unlike many of his peers from the‘golden age’ of American Popular Song, HaroldArlen continued to write songs and be hugelysuccessful through the onset of Rock and Roll andthe British Invasion of The Beatles. Harold Arlendied in 1986 in New York.

THE STRUTTER IS ON THE WEBThe current and back issues of The Strutter are onthe Tri-State Jazz Society Web. The Strutterarchives cover over three years of back issues andall the bands and soloists who performed duringthat period are listed there.

Read the back issues atwww.tristatejazz.org/strutter-archives.html

The preceding article is re-printed from “The JimCullum Riverwalk Jazz Collection” at StanfordUniversity Libraries. Other articles and music fromthe Riverwalk Jazz radio shows can be found on“http://riverwalkjazz.stanford.edu/”

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OTHER JAZZ CONCERTSPENNSYLVANIA JAZZ SOCIETY

www.pajazzsociety.org(610)-625-4640

Dewey Banquet Hall, 502 Durham Street,Hellertown, PA.April 23 The Midiri BrothersMay 7 Centennial Jazz BandJuly 2 Ben Mauger

NEW JERSEY JAZZ SOCIETYwww.njjs.org

(800)-303-NJJSNJJS also co-sponsors events at the BickfordTheatre and Ocean County College.

THE BICKFORD THEATRE6 Normandy Heights Road

Morristown, NJwww.njjs.org/p/services/bickford.html

All concerts 8:00 p.m. (973)-971-3706.May 1 Stephanie Trick & Paolo AlderighiMay 15 Rio Clemente & Vitali ImereliJune 7 Neville Dickie & the Midiri Brothers

OCEAN COUNTY COLLEGEToms River, NJ 08753

www.njjs.org/p/services/ocean.html(732)-255-0500

All concerts start at 8:00 p.m. Ocean CountyCollege campus, Community and Arts Center,College Drive.June 21 The Jazz Lobsters Big Band

CAPE MAY TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETYVFW Post 386, 419 Congress St.,

Cape May, NJwww.capemaytraditionaljazzsociety.com

May 21 Midiri Brothers Jazz BandJune 11 Atlantic City Jazz Band

FUTURE CONCERTS

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

July 9, 2017 Annual TSJS All-Star JamSession. Reedman Bob Rawlins leads an all-starcore band in a Dixieland jazz jam. Guest artists willbe invited to sit in with the band, keeping up a longTSJS tradition, Wallingford, PA

July 30, 2017 Galvanized Jazz Band. FromConnecticut, this nationally and internationallyacclaimed Dixieland band makes its TSJS debut.Led by cornetist Fred Vigorito, this is a concert notto miss, Haddonfield, NJ

August 20, 2017 Richard Dowling-SoloPiano. New York ragtime, jazz and classicalpianist has delighted audiences throughout theworld. He has many acclaimed Joplin andGershwin recordings, Wallingford, PA

September 24, 2017 Dan Levinson’s RoofGarden Jass Band. Commemoration of the100th anniversary of the first jazz recording. Danon clarinet returns with a quintet of NYC’s bestinterpreters of the earliest jazz styles, Haddonfield,NJ

November 5, 2017 Red Hot Ramblers.Trombonist Larry Toft returns to Tri-State Jazzwith his sextet to play more hot tunes of 20s and30s; These young men from Philly play old musiclike old pros, Wallingford, PA

November 19, 2017 Cocuzzi Courtet. TheCocuzzi’s are on tour from the West Coast with atrad jazz quartet. John Cocuzzi is on piano, Christyon reeds, Jack Hegyi on bass, Harry Himies ondrums. Haddonfield, NJ

Wallingford: Concerts are held at the CommunityArts Center, 414 Plush Mill Rd; just west of exit 3 of I-495 (“The Blue Route”).Haddonfield: Concerts are held at the HaddonfieldUnited Methodist Church, 29 Warwick Rd., just south ofKings Highway; about a ten minute walk from thePATCO train station.

POTOMAC RIVER JAZZ CLUBCheck out the numerous traditional jazz eventssponsored by PRJC at www.prjc.org

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ABOUT TRI-STATE JAZZ SOCIETYBOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sanford Catz, President, 2019,president@tristatejazz.org , webmaster@tristatejazz.orgChris Jones, Vice President, Photo Editor, 2018,vp@tristatejazz.orgMike Mudry, Treasurer, 2019,treasurer@tristatejazz.org

Bill Hoffman, Music Committee Chairman, BandsContact, 2017, booking@tristatejazz.org

Dewaine Osman, Strutter Editor, 2018Chic Bach, Sound Coordinator, 2019,sound@tristatejazz.orgSally Cannon, Refreshments Manager, 2017Bob Rawlins, Music Committee, 2017Nancy Rawlins, Secretary, Publicity Assistant,2017Louis Kaplan, Writer, 2018

COMMITTEE CHAIRMENJay Schultz, Membership Chairmanmembership@tristatejazz.org

More Volunteers are listed on our website at:www.tristatejazz.org/officers.html

TSJS CONTACT INFORMATIONMailing Address: PO Box 896, Mount Laurel, NJ.08054E-mail: info@tristatejazz.org

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

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

● William N. Hoffman● Chris Jones● Wayne B. & Nancy Lewis● Dewaine & Clare Osman● DeWitt Peterson● Sylvia Rosenberg

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

● Jack & Joan Adams● Elaine Berkowitz● Walt Brenner● Sanford Catz● Mary Ann & Dr. Charles H. Emely● Stephen Faha● Bruce M. Gast● Chuck Haggerty & Sarah Burke● Carl Meister, Jr. & Linda Hickman● Richard & Peggy Hughlett● Sheila Larson● Bob Mackie● James & Lorraine Maitland● Mike Mudry● Janney & Bill Murtha● John Otterson● Bob & Nancy Rawlins● Dr. Myron E. & Phoebe R. Resnick● Scott Ricketts● Jolyne Dalzell & Richard Scarlett● Alice Schmidt● Jay & Orinda Lou Schultz● Robert Carr & Barbara Steele● Anne Uniman● Jerry & Josephine Yocum

TSJS SPONSORSHeadliners - $50 or more, $70 couples

● Chic Bach● Joan Bauer● David J. Bender● John & Susan Bingley● Jack Boesch● Marge Wroblewski & Porter Carlson● Louis DePietro● J. Mervyn & Peg Harris● Selina Higgins & Bill Nixon● Robert Kerns, Jr.● Beverly Kovac● Steven Peitzman & Nancy Pontone● Peggy de Prophetis & Louis Kaplan● Terry Rave● Mark Raymond● R. Adam Rogers III● Lynn Ryan● Ken & Joyce Sternberg● Bob & Kay Troxell● Fred Weber● Marion Laws & Sandra Zullo

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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, expiring on the last day of the 12th month.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) _________________________________________________________Street_______________________________________________________________________

City_________________________________________________State______Zip___________

Phone (_____)_______________ E-mail ___________________________________________