SCHOLARSHIP CONCERT REVIEW
By
The eighth annual CFJS/UNCW Scholarship Concert was a smashing success!
The audience was appreciative of the style and presentation
of some of their favorite memories, and as
Now, for the finale----not musical, financial!
Remember the so called “ugly jar” that I call my “beautiful antique
crock”? Well, beauty is in the eye
of the beholder----that same crock became the vessel for scholarship donations
unequaled in previous years of scholarship concerts!
We are very happy to announce that over $1,000 was donated by a very
appreciative audience at the end of the evening.
WE THANK YOU ALL!
Please remember that
you can make donations to this fund at any time by sending your check to the
UNCW Dept. of Music –please note on the check that it is to go to the CFJS
Scholarship Fund.
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By Jim McGarrie
Who
better than Grenoldo
Frazier
to present an afternoon of music and commentary of jazz-“stride piano”
legend “Fats
Waller”?
The Jazz Society's January 18th monthly meeting featuring Grenoldo Frazier playing the music of the late, great Fats Waller was held in Beckwith Recital Hall before a capacity audience. It was the best attended Jazz Society monthly meeting ever with over 200 people.
Fats
Waller (born Thomas Wright Waller 1904-1943) was an was an American
jazz
pianist, organist,
composer
and comedic
entertainer.
Any wonder why this presentation is a “natural” for our
A skilled pianist -- widely recognized as a
master of stride
piano -- Waller was one of the most popular performers of his era,
finding critical and commercial success in his homeland and in
Grenoldo's
solo performance included stories of Fats Waller's life, the history of
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Jazz
Nite 2008 Review
By
Gerry White
Jazz Nite 2008 at Thalian Hall with the “Statesmen
of Jazz” was by all responses a smashing success thanks to this
years’ producer, David Merkle and all the support from fellow CFJS board
members.
Our annual concert event always begins with hugs, kisses, and handshakes
extended to our fellow CFJS members and jazz friends in the lobby prior to the
show. Usually about 300 of us! We had a bit longer than usual to socialize due
to a miss calculation of driving time between the Outer Banks and
Early in arranging the concert we learned
that a prerequisite for a guaranteed
“saucy”, hot performance from Houston Person was the promise that he’d
enjoy our Eastern Carolina Chopped Bar-B-Que, which he did back stage.
Only complaint, “next time, more hot
sauce”!!
Rossano Sportiello, Chuck Redd, Nicki Parrott, Houston Person and Mickey
Roker, were each featured soloist during the performance. We were mesmerized by
a piano solo from Rossano, Chuck Redd on several including “Pennies from
Heaven”. David Merkle had a special vocal request of Nicki, “Is You Is, or
Is You Ain’t My Baby”. Mickey Roker pounded out a calypso number and brought
the house down and
There are always so many people to thank who
provided services and assistance in making Jazz Nite the annual event it is. It
seems the event just gets more spectacular every year.
Thanks to the Thalian Box office attendants, our technical and lighting
assistants back stage. Bill Fender from Legato Guitars for the bass amp, Troy
Pierce for drums, especially the crew from “Soundwave Audio” for the
spectacular job of “digital wireless mixing” from the best seat in the
house. The engineer hears exactly what you hear sitting in the audience.
Amazing!! Thanks to all the media and printing folks who helps us “get the
word out”, and to all you members who buy the tickets for yourselves and your
friends.
One last item of interest is the response we receive from regional
publications. Jazz fans saw our Jazz Nite 2008 listing in AAA Magazine for
example and came from
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Twin Cities-based jazz guitarist Paul Renz
“ReBoped” the Crowd!
On
Sunday evening, September 7th, Mari
and Pat Fitzgerald, members of the Cape Fear Jazz Society hosted an “In
House” Concert
featuring their friend for 40 years, jazz guitarist, Paul Renz and his Quartet on National Tour at Masonboro Forest
Clubhouse in
The
guests really enjoyed four extraordinary jazz musicians, Paul
Renz jazz guitarist and educator, Anders Bostrom performed playing 3
different Flutes, Jonathan Thomas, 7 string Bass, and Nathan Fryett, Drums. They
entertained approximately 60 people for an intimate jazz experience as if
playing for friends and family in the living room of your home.
Paul’s
new CD release “ReBop” was
featured in concert and available for sale at the party. Paul tossed in a few
jazz standards of course and a little exhibition of blues as well.
The
Fitzgerald’s provided Wine, Beer, hors d’oeuvres from Pine Valley Market
Catering, good company, and fantastic “live jazz” for members of CFJS
and anyone who wished to attend.
Due
to limited seating, reservations were offered by credit card as well as a phone
call to Mari or Gerry White-co producer, or an E-mail to info@capefearjazz.com
We
thank Cape Fear Jazz Society members Mari
and Pat for a very enjoyable evening of high quality “touring” jazz.
We encourage any of our members to “get on board” and host an “In
House Concert”. We’ve broken the ice and we’re looking forward to more of
these “In House” concert events throughout the next year!
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Our Country celebrated another birthday this past 4th of July at Airlie Gardens First Friday Jazz and one of our favorite CFJS member vocalists entertained us on “her” Birthday’s as well….Melva Houston!
Thanks to CFJS member, and great jazz friend, Ron Jones, and his always handy camera, we have some souvenir photos
of Melva’s performance with her group.
The guests at Airlie enjoyed the jazz and the beautiful setting on the 4th
of July while some missed this fantastic concert spending their
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“COOL
JAZZ! HOT
DAY
At
Hope you enjoyed the Cape
Fear
Jazz Society’s annual free
Jazz Concert co-sponsored
by the Wrightsville Beach Department of Parks & Recreation.
Thanks Landfall
Foundation, Lumina
News, Legato Guitars & all great W.B. Sponsors
Traditional Jazz with “Dick Van Gorder's Port City Five” with Dick playing reeds, Duke Ladd on keyboards, Jack Pindell- horns, and Dave Waylett- drums.
Contemporary “Lee Venters & Vermillion Sands” with Kevin Kolb on keyboards, Terry Burgh on flute and reeds and Taylor Lee on bass.
Jeff
Simmons conducting and performing with “The
See you next year for the 13th annual Jazz in the Park
Concert.
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THIS was NOT YOUR TYPICAL SUNDAY AFTERNOON of Jazz!
Presented on MARCH 16TH UNCW CULTURAL ARTS BUILDING, ROOM 2033
3 TO 5 PM
The question of “What is Smooth Jazz” was the topic of discussion presented with lots of great jazz both smooth and contemporary by Gerry White on March 16th at the monthly meeting of the Cape Fear Jazz Society.
Gerry is a 30 year veteran concert promoter and producer and a veritable fountain of fun and information on any aspect of JAZZ! This time, what we call Smooth Jazz.
The crowd enjoyed a lively, entertaining, and informative afternoon exploring the world wide popularity of “Smooth Jazz”. We heard music samples of jazz classics we know and love (back to back) revisited by Smooth Jazz artists. Lively discussions of pros, cons, likes, dislikes, origin of the music, what qualifies it to be “jazz”, view of the artists, future local concerts, and much more took place.
The future of Jazz is alive and well as we heard from the biggest “Stars” performing contemporary Jazz today.
Our CFJS Sunday programs are presented to inspire and familiarize our audiences with all varieties of jazz. Preserving and promoting the future of America’s only true art form is the constant mission of CFJS. We explore and enjoy the past but we must look to the future.
As are all our 3rd Sunday jazz programs, this program was free and open to Cape Fear Jazz Society members and everyone !
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BRUBECK BROTHERS QUARTET SIZZLES!
“JAZZ
NITE AT SCOTTISH RITE” OCT 6, 2007!
By David Merkle
to start with Rich
Schmetterer (the perennial Vice President of CFJS). He gave us the inspiration
to bring to
Fast Forward to Saturday
October 6th. Here we are attending the jazz society’s annual event, where we
have featured some of the truly great artists in the jazz genre over the past 10
years.
The Brubeck Brothers Quartet
begins with Chris Brubeck. He plays bass, trombone, and serves as the
leader/spokesman for the group, but he is much more than that. His inspiration
is a primary force that energizes the quartet. We all like musicians to talk to
us along with their playing-and Chris did that-he kept us in the loop and
entertained us as well.
Brother Dan is a drummer. We
certainly got to appreciate his great artistry as the evening progressed, but
never more than when he did his thing on the classic tune “Take Five”.
(Dave) Brubeck fans remember the great drum solo that Joe Morello did on that
same tune. It was an historic performance in the world of percussionists and
fans. Dan utilized some of his father’s renowned time initiatives in his drum
work; he apparently has been wowing music fans worldwide.
Guitarist/composer Mike
DeMicco added and supported greatly with his original compositions and spirited
leads. But then there was Chuck Lamb-the pianist and composer extraordinaire!
Lamb’s leads and compositions were everything that I think Dave Brubeck would
have hoped for: creative,
melodic and really spell
bounding!
The group delighted us with
a combination of original compositions and some big bows to the signature tunes
of the Dave Brubeck Quartet. Their renditions of such tunes as “Blue Rondo a
la Turk”, “In Your Own Sweet Way”, and “Take Five” were quite removed
from the recorded versions from many years ago, as they have their own take on
such great compositions. The Scottish Rite crowd clearly delighted in hearing
these new variations. Another truly remarkable and memorable “Night at
Scottish Rite”!
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THE COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA
In
Concert on Stage at Thalian Hall
Wednesday
Evening, March 21, 2007-7:30PM
BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION EXTRAVAGANZA
By
Yes, it was our (CFJS) birthday, and a “big one”-- ten years of nurturing,
presenting and promoting jazz in the
Big Band Jazz is a special kind of jazz and the Count Basie Band is a special
kind of band, so what better entertainment for this our tenth anniversary
special. We started the evening with a delicious appetizer buffet, catered by
Angie of Chris’s Restaurant. The food was delicious and plentiful. Close to
400 took part in that part of our evening. There was champagne to toast to the
next ten years, and a really jazzy cake donated by Danny’s Bakery, plus Island
Florals by Roxanne donated a spectacular floral centerpiece for the buffet
table.
Everyone wanted to help us celebrate---what a great feeling! Reed’s Jewelers
donated a $600 woman’s watch, which was raffled off to a lucky lady. Bill
Fender, at the membership table was busy selling memberships to those who either
had not known of our existence or those who realized that we are doing good
things musically and want to be a part of it. To all of the new
members—“WELCOME”!
Now to the centerpiece of the evening—the Count Basie Band concert—there are
not enough superlatives and !!!!! to describe the music, the presentation, the
vocalist, the sound---so I am not even going to try, except to say “you had to
be there!” If you weren’t, I am sorry, because you missed a performance of
jazz at its’ finest.
Following the concert at Thalian, about 100 hearty partiers continued the
evening’s celebration at the “after Party” at the Blockade Runner Resort
at
THE
COUNT BASIE ORCHESTRA AT THALIAN HALL
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The Dena DeRose Trio" with Mat Wilson and Martin Wind
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HURRICANE
KATRINA
On September
11, 05 local Jazz Drummer-Musician and producer, Lee
Venters in conjunction with the Cape Fear Jazz Society hosted a Jazz Benefit Concert at UNCW’s
Kenan Auditorium to aid the American Red Cross and the Katrina disaster victims.
Area Jazz fans were treated to a fantastic afternoon of
“non-stop-variety-jazz”. In
addition to the income from the performance and donations, a souvenir DVD
was produced for sale by CFJS member Peter Bruno www.lifetimevideopro.com
CFJS proudly sent a check to the American
Red Cross in the amount of $3250.00.
Partnership with:
• UNCW
for annual benefit concerts, from
which we raised over $30,000.
• UNCW Dept. of Music to found and sustain
scholarships for talented young musicians in order for them to pursue an
education in jazz music. Thus far we have given financial aid to seven such
qualifying students.
• The Chamber Music Society of Wilmington & the Black Arts
Alliance to bring to Wilmington a production of Langston Hughes’ “Soul
Gone Home”, set to music by composer William Banfield and performed by a jazz
singer, chamber music ensemble and African/American drummers & dancers.
•
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