// May 2nd, 2011 // No Comments » // Blues Events, Jazz Events, News
Well, this certainly is a rarity. Usually I find out what’s going on in the jazz & blues scenes around NJ and blog about it here, ultimately pointing you, faithful reader, to the official website for any given event.
// March 20th, 2011 // 2 Comments » // Blues Events, Gas House Gorillas, Recaps & Reviews, Robin's Nest, Linden, NJ
Gas House Gorillas lead singer Rick Fink cuts an imposing silhouette in his fedora, A-shirt and suspenders.
Wow. Talk about a band that does not disappoint! It’s Saturday night and Jazzville, NJ Meetup Group is in attendance at the Gas House Gorillas show at the Robin’s Nest in Linden. It’s a friendly, if cozy, little juke joint that specializes in blues acts. But if you’re here to sit back and take in a quiet, relaxing evening, you are at the wrong show. Early in the night, the crowd’s energy boils over into spontaneous dancing as couples -and even singles- writhe and twist rhythmically among the tables.
// January 25th, 2011 // 3 Comments » // Blues Events
Jazzville, NJ's D.A. Gutierrez caught up with Gas House Gorillas lead singer Rick Fink & outgoing drummer Angelo Merendino during a break.
So after listening to the smooth and refined Bobby Caldwell earlier in the day, we headed down to the Robin’s Nest in Linden to check out what is probably the most underknown band on the music scene today – The Gas House Gorillas!
JazzvilleNJ founder D.A. Gutierrez has been raving about these guys forever, but the timing and location never worked out. But when he heard they were performing so close by, he practically dragged me to the show. Boy, am I glad he did!
// January 17th, 2011 // No Comments » // Blues Events, Jazz Events, News, Radam Schwartz, Robin's Nest, Linden, NJ
Master of the Hammond B3 Organ, Radam Schwartz will make his debut at Makeda Ethiopian on Thursday, Jan 20
Jersey jazz lovers: The weather outside is frightful, but don’t let that stop you from joining us this week at two live music events.
// October 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Annette Njie, Commentary, Jazz Events, News
The website for the 2010 Trenton International Jazz & Blues Festival lists various sponsors, but problems paying the performers have left a negative mark on the event in the eyes of many.
I once heard a wise saying that went something like this: “Smart people learn from their mistakes; smarter people learn from the mistakes of others.”
Sadly, in the NJ jazz world we have an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of Annette Njie, the Trenton promoter who created the Trenton International Jazz & Blues Festival that ran earlier this year from September 17-19 at various venues around Trenton. The festival itself went off without a hitch, but when it came time to pay the two dozen acts, most were left high and dry, receiving partial payment or none at all.
// September 7th, 2010 // No Comments » // Jazz Events, Recaps & Reviews
Rene Marie & her High Maintenance Quartet opened their set with a jazz-laden version of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit"
Most people celebrate Labor Day with one final beach outing or barbeque. But for the past 30 years, Chicago natives have been marking the end of summer with a lakefront music festival. The Chicago Jazz Festival always strives to bring audiences a wide range of jazz styles, and this year was no different. The 32nd annual event was expanded to three locations over several days and showcased an eclectic bill of artists.
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// August 21st, 2010 // No Comments » // Bickford Theatre, Morristown, NJ, Jazz Events
Self-taught ragtime and boogie-woogie pianist Bob Milne travels the world making these difficult piano formats look easy for audiences. PHOTO CREDIT: Dogwood Center For Performing Arts
“Why do I play everything by ear? Because the audience listens by ear,” explained ragtime and boogie-woogie pianist Bob Milne during a Q&A session following his August 16th performance at The BickFord Theatre.
The self-taught musician left an indelible mark on the Jazz SummerFest series that’s been taking place in Morristown these last few weeks. His low-key, unassuming manner allowed the music to take center stage that night. Milne’s storytelling took audience members on a journey through time as he described the cultural and musical background behind each piece he performed. Through the course of the evening, we traveled from New Orleans to Michigan and everywhere in between, getting a feel for how jazz evolved from the late 1800s to the early part of the twentieth century.
// August 17th, 2010 // No Comments » // Recaps & Reviews
Mark O'Connor's Hot Swing delights audiences at the Newport Jazz Festival. Group: (left to right) Mark O'Connor, Gary Mazzaroppi, Matt Munisteri & Julian Lage
With three acts scheduled to perform at the same time, we decided to stay at Harbor Stage for Mark O’Connor’s Hot Swing. I’m sure The JD Allen Trio and Maria Schneider Orchestra were spectacular in their own right, but boy was I glad we chose to watch this great American violinist, fiddler and composer play alongside some really talented musicians.
// August 12th, 2010 // No Comments » // Jazz Events, Recaps & Reviews
"Over the water and through the boats to Newport Jazz Fest we go!"
Hello again Jazzville, NJ readers! Sorry for not being in touch these last few days, but D.A. Gutierrez and I are only just coming out of our Rhode Island reverie following our trip to the Newport Jazz Festival this past weekend.
Naturally you might be wondering why we went out of state to hear jazz when Jazzville, NJ is dedicated to promoting the great talent we have right here in the Garden State. There are some ways I can answer that:
a) Jazz knows no boundaries. (Poetic, no?)
b) Some of the artists/ musicians that were featured have ties to the NJ/NY area.
c) Hello? Road trip with a side of jazz!
// July 25th, 2010 // No Comments » // Jazz Events, Recaps & Reviews
Dominick Farinacci signs CDs after his Jazz Week performance, July 22, 2010.
“As a musician, you grow by surrounding yourself with people who are better than you,” said trumpeter Dominick Farinacci to the audience attending Thursday night’s performance of William Paterson University’s Summer Jazz Week.
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