The Jazz Culture
GEORGE GEE ORCHESTRA at SWING 46
The Jazz Culture, V.III:2
1
A beaming smile is the usual expresson on bandleader George Gee'sface as he leads his band at Swing 46 every Tuesday. Mr. Gee started out playing bass, but soon devoted his full time to getting gigs for the George Gee orchestra, and winning followers in the swing dance, lindy hopper communities.
2
In These Pages The George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46 1�11 January listings 17�18
Cont. page 3
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
Mr. Gee conferences below with the "Swing 46 Floor Show" -following the tradition set in the Harlem Renaissance by Duke Ellington and other bandleaders, who had dancers not only on the floor but as part of their act. Later, the Syncopation City dancers, Michael, Michelle, Brian and Samantha do their thing on the dance floor, with verve and exciting choreography.
The Jazz Culture, V.III:2
3
John Dokes, an attractive singer (tenor/baritone) with good intonation, a pretty sound in his upper register and baritone section of his voice, moves to express his feelings. Mr. Dokes was well controlled with a good technique and a pleasing stage demeanor.
4
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
Mixing it up, the dancing was marked by courage and creativity. Swing dancing is one of the most creative types of dancing, allowing improvisation, mixing and matching of moves, intricate footwork and having individual members of the band reacting to the dancer's footwork and style, over the pulsing swing beat of the orchestra. Some of the audience were just onlookers, like the man at the next table who jumped up, exclaiming, "These dancers are so good!" The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
5
A young pair of dancers, Loren James and James Dolan, found themselves in an enviable position at the start of the evening, with the whole dance floor to themselves. They showed grace, energy and style and earned the admiration of many onlookers.
6
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
The George Gee Orchestra By L. Hamanaka
Caught the George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46 on Tuesday January 14, a “Swinger’s Paradise,” with Steve Einerson, piano, Dave Gibson, trombone and Musical Director, Michael Hashim, tenor saxophone, Ed Pazant, alto saxophone, Tony Lustig, baritone saxophone, Tatum Greenblatt, trumpet and Andy Gravish, trumpet; Marcus MacLaurine, bass, Brian Fisher, drums, John Dokes, vocals, and Conductor and Bandleader, George Gee. With the words, “let the swinging begin,” George Gee conducted his band on the downbeat of “Candy,” to a groovy beat at about 140=quarter note, the melody well phrased by Tatum Greenblatt, who phrased almost everything in the first chorus in a triplet rhythm, punctuating the dancers, rising to 16th scalar note runs. The bass was on top of the beat in synch with the drummer, the piano relaxed. The punctuated rhythms ended on an extended long tone. “Moon Ray,” a beautiful minor tune by Artie Shaw was at a cool beat, about 120=quarter note, with a sweet melody. Mr. Gravish, trumpeter, played in the style of a matador, with a big fat tone punctuating high notes with good articulation, expressed some bop ideas that floated. Michael Hashim, saxophonist with a gorgeous tone, soloed passionately for eight bars. For the first two tunes on the opening set, a couple of young dancers, Loren James and James Dolan, had the floor to themselves, and luxuriating, put affecting steps to the band’s numbers. [see couple alone on dance floor] Then a huge crowd rushed in. The band was so full of joy that everyone in the room transcended the rain and went into the same zone. The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
7
The George Gee Orchestra then did a song composed in the 1970’s by Burt Bacharach, “What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love,” in a swing arrangement at about 145=quarter note, an interesting piece with dynamic accents in the horn voicings giving more space to this tune whose simple message we can appreciate. Eddie Pazant’s alto solo, with lots of soul and some triplets decorating and giving an edge to the song. Tatum Greenblatt, on the other hand, played angular lines on his trumpet solo. Mr. Gee welcomed the audience and made an announcement that “we are the Regular House Orchestra on Tuesday nights, and also [some] other days, bringing live music to the masses.” The band then featured an original, at about 168=quarter note, with Steven Einerson flourishing his fingerwork at the piano, the band playing Stop Time, accenting one beat for the dancers, on an arrangement written by the Musical Director, Dave Gibson, a well known musician in New York. Then the band did another Dave Gibson arrangement on a 70’s tune, “A House Is Not A Home,” a ballad played slowly at about 68=quarter note, with lush voicings and angular movements, a beautiful arrangement of a contemporary song. “Dogging Around,” a Count Basic classic, was next, clipping along at 200=quarter note, the first soloist blowing the blues away with his full luscious tone, one of the foremost swing to bop players, Michael Hashim. The band accented and playing with a zing! Of this presto classic. The trumpet solo ofAndy Gravish, starting with a 16th note attack went to gleaming high notes. The band played the groovy tune with suave assurance and swing. George Gee then called John Dokes to the bandstand, who lit up the stage with his rendition of “Since My Girl Is Gone,” with clear, sonorous delivery and a hot solo by Ed Pazant. The George Gee Orchestra and the dancers seemed to feed off eachother, both 8
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
listening and watching each other. “Thou Swell, Thou Witty,” a great tune by Rodgers & Hart with a swinging piano solo by Mr. Einerson, a pretty interlude by Dave Gibson and a nice tag from Mr. Dokes, “won’t you come and kiss me pretty,” (Thou Swell, Thou Witty). “Nightingale Sang at Barkeley Square” as a ballad (at about 96=quarter note)and one of the most popular tunes in the jazz repertoire, was sung by Mr. Dokes in a pretty baritone with good control of his upper register, a tender romantic song. The trombone solo by Mr. Gibson was lyrical, not doubling up the time, with a nice tag by Mr. Dokes, “I know ‘cause I was there, that night on Barkeley Square.” “Smack Dab in the Middle,” a shuffle blues, at about 140quarter note, was sung swingingly by Mr. Doke, who got a huge crowd dancing on the floor, with horn accents accompanying them all. “Tuxedo Junction” was next, done at a groovy tempo (about 116=quarter note) with a dramatic piano solo by Mr. Einerson, with some locked hand work, the band sounding lush and orchestral. Identified only as “Charlie’s Song,” and finger snapping good, the dancers really took over and showed their stuff, Ed Pazant seeming to riff off the dancers’ moves. Then their theme song, “Cottontail,” one of Duke Ellington’s masterpieces, was the finale with the “Swing 46 Floor Show” four dancers (Samantha, Michelle, Brian and Michael) who call themselves ‘Syncopated City’ doing an exciting dance routine. Then a lady named Emily from Dance Manhattan gave a free dance lesson to all. The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
9
The band showed great dynamic control (conducted by Mr. Gee) and a diverse repertoire ranging over five decades from the 1930’s to the 1970’s, the George Gee Orchestra playing zesty music with happiness as its goal. One of the landmark bands in New York, and one of the leading swing bands in the United States, with home base being Swing 46, the band has been making more road trips lately, the next one being to Las Vegas, with a record date in March.
John Dokes, like Ella, likes to dance with the band. He sang
a variety of tunes at different tempos, and then hopped off the bandstand to enjoy himself dancing, showing a smart way for anyone to keep their New Year's Resolution to lose extra weight by having fun. The band itself has a modern tinge to its swing, though for the most part doing classics in the swing repertoire. The George Gee Orchestra sometimes does rarely played songs like Artie Shaw's beautiful "Moon Ray," often turning someone who walked in with a dour expression leave as a swing dance devotee, with a wide smile to show for it. Every week free dance lessons are offered by an experienced teacher. This week it was Email from Dance Manhattan. 10
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
BARRY HARRIS JAZZ WORKSHOP FIVE DAYS MASTERCLASS FOR ALL MUSICIANS AND SINGERS From Monday 17 to Friday 21 March 2014 Felt music club & school – via degli Ausoni 84 – Rome, Italy
Barry Harris is one of the world’s most respected jazz piano players and teachers, considered by many to be the foremost interpreter of the music of Bud Powell, Tadd Dameron and Thelonious Monk. For more than half a century, Harris has played with the giants of jazz including Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon, Cannonball Adderley and Coleman Hawkins, travelling the world over as an ambassador of jazz (www.barryharris.com) Schedule:
Piano and Guitars Singers
11:00 – 13:00 14:30 – 16:30
Horns & General workshop 16:30 – 18:30 On Friday 21 classes last one hour and an half Fees:
160 €qQCostCc‐Cc15015015011 for the week/40€ for daily seminar
Accomodation:
b & b or private apts, from 15 € per night
BARRY HARRIS TRIO FELT CLUB – CONCERT FRIDAY 21 MARCH 9:30 PM Luca Pisani,b;Oreste Soldano, d Admission: 15 € MONDAY TO THURSDAY JAM SESSION EVERY NIGHT
Info: ass. cult. roma jazz workshop anna pantuso +39-339 3383139 annapantuso@hotmail.com luciano fabris +39-328 6748724 lucianofabris@hotmail.com
The Jazz Culture Newsletter
Wishes the Jazz World Community a Happy, Healthy Prosperous 2014! Jazz Tours in NYC are available; also music teachers in various countries for students & jazz lovers. email: info@thejazzculture.com. Ads are available in The Jazz Culture Newsletter. The Jazz Culture Newsletter has been read in 67 The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
11
countries. Brian McMillen is a contributing Photographer. Connie MacNamee and Arnold J. Smith are contributing writers." Countries: US, UK, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bangladesh, Belize, Brazil, Burma, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam
Lionelle Hamanaka's single, "Lost Puppy Blues" is available on CD BABY for kids, with Richard Wyands, Ron McClure and Leroy Williams. see: lostpuppyblues.com
January Listings Clarence Banks, Trombone‐ Swing 46 most Thursdays with Felix and the Cats, 346 W. 46 St. Ray Blue‐ Jan 13‐Local 802 jam; 14‐Garage; 20‐ Jazz foundation‐Jazz in Schools; 20‐Cotton Club Orchestra
Kim Clarke, Jan. 6 International Women in Jazz, St. Peter's, 54th & Lexington 8 p.m. Richard Clements‐ Pianist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 Kenney Gates, pianist. Philadelphia, Tues., Sun. some Sats.‐ High Note Cafe on Tasker & 13th, 5‐9 p.m. Bertha Hope ‐ Minton's on 206 W. 118 Street George Gee Orchestra at Swing 46, every Tues, most Fridays 9:30 Loston Harris: Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle; Tues ‐ Thur 9:30pm ‐ 12:30am, Fri‐Sat 9:30pm‐1:00am Bemelmans Bar Residency 12th year at The Carlyle, 35 East 76th St., New York, NY 10021 (76th St. & Madison Ave.) 212‐744‐1600 Jim Malloy with Felix & the Cats at Swing 46 every Thursday in January‐check with club
Mark McGowan Jan 15 at St. Peter's Church, 1 p.m. John Mosca & Michael Weiss, Vanguard Orchestra every Monday at the Village Vanguard 8 p.m.
12
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
1 33 Street Rick Stone- Jan 1 6, Garage 1 8Cafe Lore Brookln, Hamilton's 28th brooklyn Bill Saxton; Every Friday and Saturday Bill’s Place
Valery Ponomarev‐ January 1 Zinc Bar 82 West 3rd Street Murray Wall, bassist, 11th Street Bar most Mondays, 8 p.m. Leroy Williams, drums: Minton's Sun & Tues 2‐6 W. 118 St. ENGLAND: John Watson Trio at the Palm Court, Langham Hotel, London, 1c Portland, Regent St. 207‐636‐1000 Fri‐Sat A Short Remembrance of a Long Gig: PART I (by Ron McClure) I wanted to say a bit more about McDonald's.As tired as I am of my ruminating over the loss of our 11 year gig, I'll sum it up for you. I'm told that the original owner, whoever that was, of the McDonald's at 160 Broadway at Maiden Lane had a love for art and music. He had paintings on the walls, a doorman in a tux greeting customers and someone playing a grand piano in the middle of the main floor 7 days per week. This tradition continued with the exception of a brief interlude following the attacks on the WTC on September 11, 2001 from the early 1980's until January 4, 2014. This McDonald's franchise is just 2 blocks from Wall Street and the WTC, and literally a gold mine for the current owner, Paul Goodman, who's family owns 6 or 7 McDonald's franchises in the New York area. The piano, at some point, was moved to a balcony above the front door on Broadway, and there have been too many pianists to list that have done this gig. Most notably, Kenny Drew Jr., Warren Chiasson and Joe Panama. Three months after 9/11/01 Michiyo Tanaka Fisher went to this location and expressed her desire to play the piano that she noticed in the window to a manager who gave her Paul Goodman's phone number. She called and was hired for Saturdays, sight unseen since Joe Panama wanted to take the day off. Following an accident, Joe Panama passed away, and Michiyo was given the job from Monday thru Saturday. This was too much for her and she asked me to sub for her a couple days per week which I've done until 2014. The other pianists that were working at this restaurant until 2014 were Andrew Shapiro and Chuck Fertal. The top line on the website for this McDonald's franchise says: "The famous McDonald's with the piano player"! Michiyo was on TV on NY1, in an interview by Cheryl Wills. The New York Times did a story on Andrew Shapiro, who played Sundays, and Nicole Levy wrote and article on me called: "McClure plays McDonald's" for the Yale Daily News Magazine published in September 2011. Michiyo and I were also interviewed for "The next big thing" for a program about "live music in unusual places in NYC". The fact that there was a live solo piano player in
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2
13
the window at McDonald's at 160 Broadway was indeed a novelty and a no secret. Paul Goodman was interviewed as he stood behind Michiyo as she played for NY1 and seemed delighted to be getting this attention, either for himself or the restaurant. People from every corner of the world filled this room every day and they eventually stayed open 24/7 and business has improved by 25% in the last year according to the owner. Bus tour guides always waved and pointed us out to tourists as the double decker buses passed by the window where we sat from noon to 4 PM daily until things began to change. First, they covered all the windows with translucent advertising this past summer. No one could see in or out, and there were no more waves from excited tourists. Then, after 11 years of having my NYU music students and other professionals sit in or sub for us on occasion, we were told that no one not on the payroll could be on stage. There had been talk of renovation for the past year or so and there had been a bunch of suits coming around with guards standing in the doorway while they talked to the owner. It seemed like Goodman had some new partners. Then suddenly he barked "Can't you play something these people know, something I know" at me one Saturday as I played "Out of Nowhere" with Jarno Kukkonen, Finnish guitarist, and director of The Sibelius Academy of Music in Helsinki. This was the only comment anyone had made to any of us since 2001, and it wasn't a compliment. I responded by asking "What would that be?" His answer was: "POP!" Oh boy! After th set I told him that I played standards from "The American Song Book" as well as some pop tunes by the Beatles, Stevie Wonder and Billy Joel. I knew from his tone things were changing, and on Christmas Eve day the manager informed me that the restaurant would be closing for six weeks on January 5, 2014 and when they reopen there will be no more piano, and offered a letter of recommendation. Needless to say, we are saddened by this decision, and cannot understand why they've thrown away the one and only thing that distinguished them from every other McDonald's in the world. I posted their website on Facebook and asked people to write to them and let them know how they felt about it. I was accused of being childish and making "Personal Attacks" on the owner and told by text message.They gave the piano to some school and a neighbor of ours who wrote to Paul Goodman got a response asking where he got the info about ending piano music and said he wasn't sure if it was "correct" there will be "suprises" in the future. It sounded like an infomercial and yes, he misspelled SURPRISES! In Goodman's text message to me I was accused of being childish and told: "I would prefer if you never step foot in my location again", and the "POP" word was dropped again. I think he thinks everybody listens to what he listens to or likes, and that's what we should have been playing for the Cont.next week last 30 years. I think it's a terrible decision for a lot of
14
The Jazz Culture, V. III:2