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

JANUARY 2018VOLUME 28 NUMBER 6

OUR NEXT CONCERTDave Posmontier’s Dixie Kings

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, January 7, 20182:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Community Arts Center414 Plush Mill Road

Wallingford, PA 19086Directions at

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

In This IssueLooking Ahead.................Page 2Cocuzzi Courtet Review.....Page 2Cynthia Sayer..................Page 3Concert Schedules………….. Page 6

Photo by Jim McGann

Dave Posmontier - Leader, pianoStan Slotter - Co-leader, trumpet, cornet, fluteDave Brodie - BassGrant MacAvoy - DrumsPat Mercuri - Banjo, guitarBob Butryn - ClarinetFred Scott - Trombone

and Johnny Hartman. Here is another side ofDave's talent – becoming interested in traditionaljazz in the 1990’s, he formed the Dixie Kings withtrumpeter Stan Slotter. Dave brings the DixieKings septet to Tri-State to celebrate the true NewOrleans Mardi Gras style. The band includes manyof the same local musicians who were members ofthe well-respected Ed Wise Jazz Band underbassist Ed Wise.

For info about Dave, visitwww.daveposmontier.com.

Listen to a sample of Dave’s music at Aint-Misbehavin’

Tri-State members know Dave Posmontier as arenowned keyboard artist who has performed andrecorded with many jazz artists – includingChristian McBride, James Moody, Chris Potter,Grover Washington Jr., David "Fathead" Newman,

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LOOKING AHEAD TO OURFEBRUARY 2018 CONCERT

On February 11, 2018, our concert will feature SueKeller, a ragtime and vintage jazz pianist at theHaddonfield United Methodist Church inHaddonfield, NJ.

Sue Keller makes her Tri-State debut on February11, 2018 in Haddonfield. Sue is an Americanragtime, blues and jazz pianist and singer.Versatile in many musical styles, she concentrateson vintage jazz and ragtime. In 1992, Sueestablished Ragtime Press to publish rags by little-known composers, and the HVR label to documenther music. She was the festival Artistic Director forthe Scott Joplin International Ragtime Foundationfrom 2003 through 2009. Sue was honored withthe foundation's 2010 Scott Joplin Award fordistinguished lifetime achievement and support ofragtime.

Click to watch Sue play “I Love a Piano”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmpGrA9cwXQ

and “Dizzy Fingers”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOwuQvuPk-A

Sue’s website is http://rtpress.com.

A 1970 alumna of Marple-Newtown High School inNewtown Square, PA and Indiana’s DePauwUniversity four years later, Sue has beenperforming since childhood, not only as a singerand pianist, but also as a sometime actress, vocalcoach, and musical director of Off-Broadwayproductions. Sue maintains her own productioncompany, Ragtime Press, for which she hasrecorded over a dozen CDs.

COCUZZI COURTETCONCERT REVIEW

By Jim McGann

The Time: Sunday, November 19, 2017

The Place: Haddonfield United Methodist Church,Haddonfield, NJ.

The Band: John Cocuzzi, piano and vocals; KristyReed-Cocuzzi, vocals, clarinet, alto sax; JackHegyi, string bass; Harry Himles, drums

I did not know what to expect with the CocuzziCourtet. I had never heard of this group, nor had Iheard any of the individual members in otherbands. So I had nothing. From the looks of it, itappeared to be something similar to a Vegaslounge act, and with that bias floating around inmy head I did not have high expectations. Afterwitnessing two hours of the Courtet, I have to saythat I walked away with mixed feelings about thegroup.

Musically, if you were expecting traditional jazzthere was little to be found. Several of theprogram's selections consisted of works associatedwith early jazz. However the band's allegianceseemed to be closer to Louis Jordan's TympaniFive rather than to Louis Armstrong, with theresults interpreting a rhythm and blues feel. Therewere exceptions to be found, particularly the FatsWaller numbers, the band was highly capable ofpulling off, in quartet fashion, a quality jazzperformance. The concert as a whole, on the otherhand, was a mixed bag in concept.

Performance-wise, this was about the show, andthe show did manage to mask some of the band'sdeficiencies. For example, John Cocuzzi wonderedwhat New Orleans would have been like if the

Photo by Jim McGann

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Germans arrived in New Orleans instead of theFrench, before launching into a heavily Oom-pahversion of the "Clarinet Polka." The campy "new"lyrics of Irving Berlin's "Always," addressing longlines at the ladies' room, is another example.

The ‘Seriously Cool’ Banjo ofCynthia Sayer by Lew Shaw

Reprinted by special arrangement with TheSyncopated Times

It’s Trivia Night down at the local pub, and thequestion is: “Who was the official banjoist for theNew York Yankees?”

Or the question might be: “What member of theNational 4-String Banjo Hall of Fame was the pianoplayer in Woody Allen’s New Orleans Jazz Band?”

Or: “Who recently published a play-along book withCDs and downloads for people seeking to learn andpractice traditional hot jazz and swing?”

And finally: “Who is the only banjoist to havegraced the stage of the Metropolitan Opera concerthall and to have performed with the New YorkPhilharmonic Orchestra?”

Congratulations if your answer to all of the abovewas “Cynthia Sayer.”

Cynthia Sayer has made a career out of doingsomething she loves. She originally wanted to playthe drums, but when she was 13, her parents bribedher with a banjo and lessons as a more peacefulpursuit. This happenstance put her on a careerpath that has led to work in films, stints withsymphony orchestras, performances at the WhiteHouse and Carnegie Hall, teaching, and extensiveinternational touring.

As a magna cum laude graduate from IthacaCollege with a bachelor’s degree in English, shethought about going to law school to become alawyer, but decided to give music a shot for a yearor two. She kept extending that “year or two,” andit wasn’t long before she concluded there’s nothingwrong with earning your living at something youlove doing.

She was soon playing with such legendary artists asBucky Pizzarelli, Dick Hyman, Les Paul, MarvinHamlisch, Wynton Marsalis, and Wycliffe Gordon.Her extensive career includes performing for twoU.S. Presidents (once at the White House), playingbanjo, ukulele and piano on feature film and TVsoundtracks including several Woody Allen films,and doing TV commercials and radio jingles.

Photos by Jim McGann

As with the earlier November concert, there wasmore emphasis on vocals. While the singing voicesof both Cocuzzis were more appealing than those ofthe earlier concert, two thirds of the concert withvocals was a bit much.

I found John Cocuzzi an exciting, if not impressive,pianist. It was the effortless way he played theinstrument, as if he could light a cigarette, andconduct a long conversation without missing a noteon the keyboard. Kristy Reed-Cocuzzi, on the otherhand, left me less enthusiastic. Her clarinet andalto playing were at best capable, the best being herinterpretations of Sidney Bechet's 'Si Tu Va MaMere" and Cole Porter's "Begin the Beguine." Onvocals, she fared better, with the belting version of"Hard Hearted Hannah," her best of the afternoon.

Kristy Reed-Cocuzzi

John Cocuzzi

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She tours with her bands, Cynthia Sayer & Joyride,Cynthia Sayer & Sparks Fly, and Cynthia Sayer'sWomen of the World Jazz Band (WOW). Heralbums included Attractions with Bucky Pizzarelliand Joyride with Charlie Giordano, a member ofBruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. In 2006 shewas inducted into the National Four-String BanjoHall of Fame, which is part of the American BanjoMuseum.

She was featured on the PBS televisiondocumentary Give Me the Banjo that broughttogether contemporary players with folklorists,historians, instrument makers and passionateamateurs to tell the story of America's instrumentin all its richness and diversity.

She was a founding member of Woody Allen’s NewOrleans Jazz Band and was its pianist for over 10years. “When I was first approached I wonderedwhy they would ask me when there are a ton ofgreat piano players in New York City. I’m better onbanjo. However, as I thought about it, I realizedthat Woody was partial to the clarinet style ofGeorge Lewis, and the band was like a GeorgeLewis- Bunk Johnson New Orleans-style band,which has a very particular kind of sound.”

“I concluded I was actually okay on piano because Iunderstood that kind of music whereas most NewYork players have this extraordinary technical skilland don’t tend to connect to this style. I loved theband and did play banjo on occasion when EddyDavis, the regular banjo player, couldn’t make it.”

A gig playing for the New York Yankees led toboard game fame for Cynthia, who was featured ona card in the 1998 edition of Trivial Pursuit. “Ididn’t know about the Trivial Pursuit question untila friend told me about it. What happened was thatI was in the ‘A Band’ who played for certain homegames at Yankee Stadium and also for some of theYankee special events. I’m not a big sports fan, butgot to meet a few players. It was cool.”

Cynthia has also been active as an educator,performing programs about early jazz and the 4-string banjo at colleges, givinglecture/demonstrations for various organizations,teaching workshops while on tour worldwide,giving private lessons, hosting jam sessions, andwriting feature articles for several American andBritish trade publications.

Dispelling all the bad jokes about banjos and peoplewho play the instrument, Cynthia recently gave alecture/demo at the Lincoln Center Jazz Academyentitled THE VENERABLE JAZZ BANJO: Stars &Music from Speakeasies, Vaudeville, Concert Hallsand More. While people normally associate thebanjo with bluegrass, folk and country music,Cynthia pointed out that it was the 4-string jazzbanjo that defined the hot rhythm section sound ofAmerican pop music of the Roaring ’20s and early’30s. She went on to say that it remains an integralingredient of America’s traditional jazz sound,embraced by players and listeners alike in today’sresurgent hot jazz scenes.

As for the play-along book, which is titled You’re inThe Band, she said, “My students had expressed agood deal of frustration over the years in trying tofind the right kind of play-along materials. Theyasked me to put something together, but I wasalways too busy with gigs and other work. Finallythe time was right.

“Once I conceived the project, it grew organically tobe more involved than I thought it would be. AndI’m really pleased the way it turned out. It’sdesigned to give a genuine experience of what it’slike to play in a hot jazz, trad-style group, and is forall jazz instruments, not just banjo. Bria Skonberg(trumpet), Mike Weatherly (string bass) and KevinDorn (drums) recorded 13 familiar tunes with me.Each tune is performed at two different speeds:practice or gig tempo, and we leave space for themusician to play along. The book also gives lots ofinfo and tips. The You’re in the Band package willhelp players learn real traditional jazz by utilizingaccurate music, playing styles and tempos as areplayed on quality professional gigs today—and tohave fun in the process!”

There’s no question in Cynthia Sayer’s mind thatshe made the right decision to become a musicianinstead of a barrister, and that she picked the rightinstrument on which to build her career. “The banjois in the midst of an enormous renaissance, andthere is some great talent out there. It is seriouslycool to be a banjo player right now. Needless to say,I'm happy about that.

“I remember when I was in my 20s going to parties,and people would say to me, ‘Oh, what do you do?’I would reply, ‘I play the banjo,’ and they would

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Quiz TimeBy Rabbi Lou Kaplan

look at me and literally not know how to respond.It was just not part of the consciousness of mygeneration. Now if I say I play the banjo, everyoneis like, 'Wow, that’s so cool!'”

Mark Twain had that figured out 150 years agowhen he wrote in volume 2 of his Early Tales andSketches, “The piano may do for lovesick girls wholace themselves to skeletons, and lunch on chalk,pickles, and slate pencils. But give me the banjo...When you want genuine music—music that willcome right home to you like a bad quarter, suffuseyour system like strychnine whiskey…ramify yourwhole constitution like the measles, and break outon your hide like the pin-feather pimples on apicked goose—when you want all this, just smashyour piano, and invoke the glory-beaming banjo!”

In 2016 our Tri-State Jazz Society presented 12concerts. With some names missing, listed beloware seven of those 12 programs. Can you fill inwhat is omitted?

1. Dan __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ and His Tiger TulipJazz Band

2. __ __ __ __ __ __ Brothers Sextet

3. Al __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Dixieland Band

4. Bria __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ Quintet

5. Terry __ __ __ __ __, Stride Pianist

6. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ City Jazz Band

7.__ __ __ Mauger's Vintage Jazz Band

(Answers elsewhere in this issue)

VOLUNTEERS WANTEDThe work of Tri-State Jazz is done by its board andinterested volunteers. We need new volunteers forthe following jobs and training will be provided:

● Refreshments volunteer at Wallingford, PA.We're looking for a volunteer to take on theshopper-delivery role for the events inPennsylvania. This person shops for theconcerts, buying the packages of cookies, candy,bottles of beverages, and an order of softpretzels (and the pretzels mean mustards too).Besides the food there are the supplies ofnapkins, beverage cups, paper plates, andserving plates. (Tri-State pays cashreimbursements at the concert.) The shopper-delivery job includes bringing the food andsupplies to Wallingford, early before the start ofthe concert, so other volunteers can finishsetting up and putting everything out.

● Web publicity submissions - use web forms tosubmit pre-concert publicity information toPhilly Funguide, The Courier Post, andPhilly.com.

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

SEE US ON FACEBOOKwww.facebook.com/tristatejazz

Tri State Jazz Society is on Facebook! OurFacebook page is available for comments,questions, and suggestions.

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OTHER JAZZ CONCERTSPENNSYLVANIA JAZZ SOCIETY

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

Dewey Banquet Hall, 502 Durham Street,Hellertown, PA.February 25, 2018 Mardi Gras

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

Concert 7:30 p.m. (973)-971-3706.January 8, 2018 Bucky Pizzarelli Birthday PartyJanuary 20, 2018 Chris Brubeck’s Triple Play

OCEAN COUNTY COLLEGEToms River, NJ 08754

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

All concerts start at 8:00 p.m. Ocean CountyCollege campus, Grunin Center, College Drive.January 24, 2018 The Midiri BrothersFebruary 14, 2018 The Birdland All-Starsfeaturing Tommy Igoe

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

Cape May, NJwww.capemaytraditionaljazzsociety.com

March 11, 2018 Midiri Brothers Traditional Jazz

FUTURE CONCERTS

All Concerts from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.March 11, 2018 Conservatory Classic JazzBandDave Robinson returns to TSJS with his DC-basedearly-jazz sextet to play music of pioneers likeMorton, Armstrong, Beiderbecke and Goodman.Wallingford, PAApril 15, 2018 Richard Barnes BlackbirdSociety OrchestraFollowing last year's sold-out concert atWallingford, the 13-piece Blackbird SocietyOrchestra returns with a rousing performance of20s and early 30s hot jazz. Haddonfield, NJMay 20, 2018 Neville Dickie and the MidiriBrothersNeville is coming from England and is on piano,Joe Midiri is on clarinet, Paul Midiri is on drums.It’s an annual tradition. Come early; it’s usually afull house. Haddonfield, NJJune 3, 2018 Danny Tobias and FriendsTrumpeter Danny Tobias will return to TSJS withhis quintet, featuring Paul Midiri on vibes, Joe Holton piano, Joe Plowman on bass and Jim Lawlor ondrums. Wallingford, PAJune 24, 2018 Al Harrison Dixieland BandTrumpeter Al Harrison will be returning to TSJSwith a sextet. The program will again featureauthentic early New Orleans jazz and traditionaljazz standards. 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, 2020, booking@tristatejazz.org

Dewaine Osman, Secretary, Strutter Editor, 2018Chic Bach, Sound Coordinator, 2019,sound@tristatejazz.orgSally Cannon, Refreshments Manager, 2020Bob Rawlins, Music Committee, 2020Steven Peitzman, Programs Editor, 2018Robert Robbins, Publicity & Assistant StrutterEditor, 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

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

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

● Jack & Joan Adams● Elaine Berkowitz● John & Susan Bingley● Walt Brenner● Sanford Catz● Stephen Faha● Bruce Gast● Carl Meister, Jr. & Linda Hickman● James & Lorraine Maitland● Mike Mudry● Selina Higgins & Bill Nixon● John Otterson● Jolyne Dalzell & Richard Scarlett● Robert Carr & Barbara Steele● Jerry & Josephine Yocum

TSJS SPONSORSHeadliners - $50 or more, $70 couples

● Chic Bach● Joan Bauer● Jack Boesch● Louis DePietro● Robert & Cynthia Freedman● J. Mervyn & Peg Harris● John H. Hoover● Jack Jennings● Robert Kerns, Jr.● Sheila Larson● Michael & Irene Lastra● Michael Lefkowitz● Steven Peitzman & Nancy Pontone● Katherine & Michael Perloff● Peggy de Prophetis & Louis Kaplan● Terry Rave● Mark Raymond● Peter Reichlin● R. Adam Rogers III● Lynn Ryan● Bob & Kay Troxell● Anne Uniman● Fred Weber● Constance & Donald Windus● Mary Lou Adams & Sandra Zullo

QUIZ TIME ANSWERS

1. Levinson

2. Midiri

3. Harrison

4. Skonberg

5. Waldo

6. Atlantic

7. Ben

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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 ___________________________________________