ELLI'S UPDATES:
On Wednesday, June 30th, 8-11pm,
Elli Fordyce and Jim Malloy will sing duets with the Barry Levitt/Zaadi Zain duo at the Double-MAC-Award-Winning "Wednesday Night at the Iguana." All details are at => http://schnap.it/kowh1i;
On Wednesday, July 14th, 6-7pm,
The Elli Fordyce Quartet with Jim Malloy will be in the "Any Wednesday" Series at the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Triangle, Event Space. All details are at => http://schmap.it/jnwt3c;
On Saturday, July 17th, 6pm,
Elli Fordyce performs selections from "Songs Spun of Gold" and "Something Still Cool" with The Barry Leavitt Trio as part of the Iridium Jazz Vocalist Festival (running every night, July 12th-18th, 6-7pm) at Iridium Jazz Club. All details are at => http://schmap.it/xyhy1q;
On Wednesday, July 21st, 1pm, The Elli Fordyce Quartet with Jim Malloy will debut at Midday Jazz at St. Peter's Church Sanctuary. All details are at => http://schmap.it/anhhe3.
<ellifordyce@gmail.com>
Friday, June 25, 2010
Elli Fordyce Updates....
At Blue Note, NY
June 27: Fernando Otero
July 4: Ben Monder Trio
July 11: Yotam Silberstein
July 18: Davy Mooney
July 25: Mordy Ferber
Every Friday & Saturday Nights - 12:30am
June 25-26: Sam Kininger
July 2: Ivan "Funkboy" Bodley
July 3: rAcemusic
July 9: Nina Vidal
July 10: Romain Collin
July 16: Darien
July 17: Coulon
July 23: Akim Funk Buddha
July 24: Deborah Davis
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Tony’s career is an interesting and diversified one.....
Tony Middleton and the Willows have appeared regularly at the Westbury Music Fair, American Music Theatre, PA., and at the Tarrytown Music Hall, in addition to numerous other theaters across the country and internationally. Tony and the Willows have appeared on three PBS specials shows on Doo Wop and “Church Bells May Ring” is considered one of the 100 all-time great songs of that genre.
He has performed in several Broadway musicals, such as the lead in “Cabin in the Sky” and principle roles in “Purlie” and “Porgy and Bess”. He later lived and performed in Paris and Europe in the jazz circuit for a number of years. In Europe, Tony was the understudy for Sammy Davis in “Free and Easy” written by Harold Arlin and Johnny Mercer. He also performed in concert at the City Center and Wolftrap with Alvin Ailey Dancers singing the “Mary Lou Williams’s Mass”, and was one of the headliners at Lincoln Center for the 55th Birthday Tribute to the late Charlie Parker.
In recent years Tony has toured Europe and appeared at the “6 t’s Northern Soul Weekender” to audiences consisting of a large range of age differences, belting out songs from the 60’s and 70’s to more recent tunes. His music has been sought after by collectors both here and in Europe as are his CDs “Paris Blues” and “Swingin' for Hamp”.
Besides Broadway, Tony’s career has included commercials, television, film and the cabaret circuit here and abroad. Tony is a member of SAG, AFTRA and EQUITY. Enjoying both film and TV, Tony is most fulfilled when his is singing and interpreting music in his unique jazz style. His big voice is sometimes compared to Joe Williams, Arthur Prysock, Lou Rauls and Ray Charles and yet, his range is more complex with his deep and sultry tones.
In the last few years, Tony has been singing in various rooms in NY, such as, DaAntonio’s, Notaro’s, Carino’s, Caterina’s, and at the St. Regis Hotel, NY and the Fat Cat. Tony had been performing at Smalls in NYC for a 4-month run. Currently, Tony is singing nightly at Destino on East 50th St., NY with Jesse Elder, his pianist, who is a 3-time ASCAP winner of original music.
At the moment, Tony is also working with and recording new music with Philip Springer, who wrote “Santa Baby” for a possible CD or a Broadway show. They have received some notoriety with a song, “Headed Home”, written by Senator Orrin Hatch and Philip Springer as a tribute to Teddy Kennedy. Tony recorded this song and is greatly appreciated by Teddy Kennedy and all hope that it will be sung or played at the Democratic Convention.
Tony Middleton sings with real sincerity with every word he sings. This voice is truly remarkable with an extensive range and limitless creativity. His exciting voice and warmth has endeared him to thousands of club-goers in the United States and Europe. Tony can be edgy or soft, amusing or seductive. Tony sings with power, feeling and a sureness that only great talents have.
He’s the man who can do it all………….…..TONY MIDDLETON
- Tony Middleton with Jesse Elder
Friday / July16th / 8:00pm to 11:00pm Il Valentino Private Party
- Tony Middleton with Jesse Elder
Wednesday / June30th / 8:00pm to 11:00pm O Momma Mia 1471 Second Avenue, (between 76th St & 77th St) New York, NY 10022 Reservations Suggested (212) 288-4045 / Birthday Party!
- Tony Middleton & the Ex Caminos
Saturday / June 26th / 10:30pm SouthPaw 125 5th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217 (718) 230-0236
http://www.tonymiddletonmusic.com/performing.html
36th Annual Jazz Record Collectors’ Bash, June 25th & 26th, 2010
June 25th & 26th, 2010
Hilton Woodbridge, 120 Wood Avenue South, Iselin, NJ 08830
This year’s program offers a pretty eclectic mix of music and performers – hopefully something for everyone!
CARTOONS! – MY PAL PAUL (1930) and NO OTHER ONE (1936) - Walter Lantz’s little-known follow-up to his color cartoon in THE KING OF JAZZ, recycling the movie’s songs. Then Hal Kemp & Skinnay Ennis (plus Wiffle Piffle) invite us to follow the bouncing ball!
GUS ARNHEIM & HIS ORCHESTRA (1927) – one of the earliest Vitaphone band shorts, catching this hot West Coast band a year before its first record date - pre-Russ Columbo and Bing Crosby! New Orleanian Ray Lopez is one of the trumpeters; future bandleader Jimmie Grier is on saxophone and sings in the vocal trio (he’s on the left). Notice how the banjoist switches to guitar and walks over to an off-screen microphone to play an obbligato to the vocal trio. They play “Sing Me a Baby Song” and “Who-oo? You-oo, That’s Who!”
ODJB, MBRB, etc. (1936-37) – three selections from a series of Nu-Atlas musical shorts. First, a rare clip by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band (LaRocca, Shields, Edwards, Robinson, Sbarbaro) – “Original Dixieland One-Step”; next, Lucky Millinder and the Mills Blue Rhythm Band – “Ride, Red, Ride.” Don Byas on sax; Frank Galbraith on trumpet; also Bill Doggett on piano and drummer Shadow Wilson. Third, Erskine Hawkins’ Band – “Deviled Ham.” The soloists are "Dud" Bascomb, first trumpet solo; Erskine Hawkins, second trumpet solo; Bill Johnson, alto sax; Paul Bascomb, tenor sax; Heywood Henry, baritone sax.
LEO WATSON & THE SPIRITS OF RHYTHM (both 1941) – A Soundie by Eddie Cantor imitator Jackie Green – “Alabamy Bound” - and a number from the feature, SWEETHEART OF THE CAMPUS – “Tom, Tom, the Elevator Boy.” Leo Watson is prominently seen in both, along with guitarist Teddy Bunn and Wilbur & Douglas Daniels, plus bassist Wilson Myers.
LAMBERT, HENDRICKS & ROSS & JOE WILLIAMS & COUNT BASIE (1959) – “The King.”
FRANK ROSOLINO QUARTET (1962) - playing Monk’s “Well You Needn’t,” with Mike Melvoin, piano; Bob Bertaux, bass; Nick Martinis, drums.
JACK TEAGARDEN (1952) – “Stars Fell on Alabama,” with Charlie Teagarden & Ray Bauduc.
EARL HINES (1963) – “Love is Just Around the Corner,” with John Green, bass; Earl Watkins, drums.
WOODY HERMAN (1963) – Bill Chase’s beautiful arrangement of “A Taste of Honey,” with Chase on trumpet and Bobby Jones (I think) on tenor.
LES BROWN (1951) – “Dance of Renown” and “Billboard March” – Stumpy Brown & Butch Stone dance; Tony Rizzi (guitar), Dave Pell (sax), Wes Hensel (trombone) and Jack Sperling (drums) solo.
DISTRAXION (2007) – a funny little digital cartoon about the perils of “smooth jazz” in the workplace.
TOMMY DORSEY (1944) – two musical numbers that were cut from THRILL OF A ROMANCE. Bob Allen, Bonnie Lou Williams & the Sentimentalists sing “I Should Care” and the King Sisters vocalize “Please Don’t Say No.”
LOUIS ARMSTRONG (June 1952) – a solo TV appearance on the COLGATE COMEDY HOUR, playing “Basin Street Blues” and “Bugle Call Rag.”
SAUTER-FINEGAN ORCHESTRA (May 1954) - from the COLGATE COMEDY HOUR, playing Bill Finegan’s “Midnight Sleighride” and Eddie Sauter’s “Holiday.” I think that’s Joe Venuto running from orchestra bells to xylophone, holding sheet music at one point to read his part!
ETHEL WATERS (1959) and HOAGY CARMICHAEL (1961) – two memorable guest spots from THE TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD SHOW.
DUKE ELLINGTON (1965) – “Stormy Weather” and “The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.” From a TV tribute to Harold Arlen, who wrote both songs for Cotton Club Revues. Johnny Hodges, Cootie Williams, Lawrence Brown, Louis Bellson and Paul Gonsalves solo.
AL JOLSON (1930) – a two-color Technicolor clip from MAMMY – “Why Do They All Take the Night Boat to Albany?”
HENRY HALL (1935) – the BBC Dance Orchestra play “Just Little Bits and Pieces.
JACK BUCHANAN & ELSIE CARLISLE (1936) – “I’m in a Dancing Mood” from THIS’LL MAKE YOU WHISTLE.
RADIO PARADE OF 1935 (made in 1934) – two Dufaycolor numbers from this lavish British revue film. Alberta Hunter sings “Black Shadows” and the Teddy Joyce Band with Fred Conyngham, Peggy Cochrane (Mrs. Jack Payne) and the Carlyle Cousins perform "There's No Excusin' Susan."
2) Tal Henry & His North Carolinians – Vitaphone 1929
3) MAMMY Vitaphone Trailer – WB 1930
4) MAMMY Technicolor Excerpts – WB 1930
5) Harold Arlen – Paramount Pictorial 1933
6) Don Bestor & His Orchestra – Paramount 1936
7) Grace Johnston & Her Indiana Five- Vitaphone 1929
8) Wille, West & McGinty in “Plastered” – Paramount 1930
9) Charles Ahearn & His Millionaires – Vitaphone 1934
10) BRITISH PATHETONE 1930 –36 Excerpts
a) Billy Cotton & His Band
b) Stroh Violin Duo
c) Jack Payne Band
d) Forsythe, Seaman & Farrell
e) Roy Fox & His Orchestra
f) Mario DiPietro & His Band
g) Al Bowlly
11) MEET THE BOYFRIEND – Paramount 1930 - Lillian Roth, Venuti & Lang opening music & background
8:00 PM SHOW
1) The Five Locust Sisters – MGM Movietone 1928
2) “Rambling Round Radio Row” – Vitaphone 1934
3) The Audition – Vitaphone 1932 Hannah Williams
4) “Getting A Ticket” – Paramount 1930 Eddie Cantor
5) Excerpt from “Flying High” MGM 1931
6) Excerpt from “Myrt & Marge” Univ. 1934 Ted Healy / Stooges
7) “The Wishing Stone” – Dave Apollon & Orch. Vitaphone 1935
8) Excerpt from “Paramount On Parade” – 1930
9) BRITISH PATHETONE 1930 – 40 Excerpts
a) The Radio Three
b) Pauline Ward, tap dancer
c) Syd Milward & The Nitwits
d) Jack Hylton’s Band
e) Harry Roy & His Band
f) Sophie Tucker
g) Elsie Carlisle
h) Joe Loss & His Band
i) The Maestro Singers
j) Al Bowlly
k) Max & Harry Nesbitt
l) The Jesters – Radio imitators
m) George Erlich’s Orchestra
10) STARS OF HARLEM
a) Sissle & Blake – DeForest Phonofilm 1923
b) Ethel Waters – “On With The Show” - Vitaphone 1929
c) Nina Mae McKinney – “Hallelujah” MGM 1929
11) Excerpt from “They Learned About Women” MGM- 1929, Van & Schenck, Nina Mae McKinney - “Harlem Madness”
THE VITAPHONE PROJECT was founded in 1991 and seeks out lost 16” soundtrack discs and mute film elements of 1926-30 sound-on-disk talkie shorts and features for restorations. To date, over 3500 disks have been found, and over 100 shorts and 10 features have been restored, in cooperation with UCLA, Warner Brothers, BFI, The Library Of Congress, and private collectors. Go to www.vitaphoneproject.com <http://www.vitaphoneproject.com/> for the Project’s website. Contact co-founder Ron Hutchinson at ron@vitaphoneproject.com.
The next screening of restored Vitaphone shorts is at Film Forum in NYC on 7/20/10.
http://www.hiltonwoodbridge.com/
Email: reservations@hiltonwoodbridge.com.
Reservations: Call either the toll free number 1-800-HILTONS (800 445-8667) or the Hilton Woodbridge (732) 494-6200. Mention JAZZ RECORD COLLECTORS GROUP to get discount.
http://www.jazzpromoservices.com/
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Cause of Death Is Determined for Slipknot Bassist
By DAVE ITZKOFF
An image posted in memory of the Slipknot bassist Paul Gray on the band’s Web site.An autopsy for the Slipknot bassist Paul Gray found that he died from an accidental overdose of morphine and fentanyl, a synthetic morphine substitute, Reuters reported. A statement released by the police department of Urbandale, Iowa, following the release of an autopsy report from the Polk County Medical Examiner’s Office, said that Mr. Gray also suffered from “significant heart disease.”
Mr. Gray, 38, a founding member of the heavy metal band Slipknot who was known by the stage nicknames No. 2 or “The Pig,” was found dead on May 24 at a TownePlace Suites hotel in Johnston, Iowa, north of Des Moines. The group, which had been on a yearlong hiatus at the time, won a Grammy in 2005 for its song “Before I Forget,” and its 2008 album, “All Hope Is Gone,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard sales chart.
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/22/cause-of-death-is-determined-for-slipknot-bassist/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Happy Fathers Day
The Rifftides staff could think of no more appropriate way to observe the holiday than with Earl "Fathah" Hines (1903-1983). Here he is at the Berlin Piano Jazz Workshop in 1965 with Niels Henning Ørsted-Pedersen on bass and an unidentified drummer who looks like Alan Dawson. The piece is Eubie Blake's "Memories of You," one of Hines' favorites for decades.
At the Berlin workshop, Hines was the leadoff man in a blues-in-C relay, followed by Teddy Wilson, John Lewis, Lennie Tristano, Bill Evans and Jaki Byard—a stylistic progression of pianists who owed him plenty.
http://www.artsjournal.com/rifftides/2010/06/happy_fathers_day.html
So What: Local News, Notes & Links
Herein, we introduce a new occasional feature for StLJN - a quick wrap-up of links & short local news items of interest. (The title is from the Miles Davis song that leads off Kind of Blue. The notion of using said title was inspired by (read "stolen from") the weekly "Confirmation" feature of the Kansas City jazz blog Plastic Sax.)
* Percussionist Bernard Long, Jr. will be the lead instructor for a six-week "Dynamic Drum Line" summer camp for young people ages 11 to 17, starting at noon next Monday, June 28 at the Katherine Dunham Museum, 1005 Pennsylvania Ave. in East St. Louis. For more information, call 618-910-2055 or send email to tixsay@hotmail.com.
* Singer Erin Bode went on the morning show at local Fox affiliate KTVI (Channel 2) today to plug her upcoming self-released CD Photograph, due out July 1. You can see a brief interview and hear an excerpt of one of her new songs here.
* Artist/illustrator and St. Louis blues historian Kevin Belford was interviewed about his book Devil at the Confluence by Dana Smith for a recent post on the Creative St. Louis blog.
* Recent changes at Mangia Italiano will include "The St. Louis Shuffle," a new DJ spin every other Wednesday featuring Matt Harnish playing exclusively St. Louis music. When asked "Is there one record that you're really excited to play that this gives you an excuse to play?" by the Riverfront Times' Chrissy Wilmes, Harnish said, "I'm really looking forward to playing the Human Arts Ensemble in a bar...It's really amazing, and it's going to be really cool hearing that playing in a bar." The next "St. Louis Shuffle" is on Wednesday, June 30; there's no word yet if the changes at Mangia Italiano will affect saxophonist Dave Stone's long-running Friday night gig, so stay tuned.
* The old Ozark Theatre building, once the neighborhood movie house for several generations of Webster Groves residents, is being restored and renovated as a recording studio by saxophonist/entrepreneur Dan Stevens.
http://stljazznotes.blogspot.com/2010/06/so-what-local-news-notes-links.html
Latin Jazz Video Fix: Hector Martignon
The idea of an artist with “international” connections becomes a mute point in the Latin Jazz world. These musicians cross both musical and cultural borders in their work, touching upon several different nations on a daily basis. In many ways, there’s no doubt that they are “international” artists. Still, many of these artists keep their work firmly planted in the Western Hemisphere, both musically and culturally. The genres that inform their artistry come from North, Central, and South America as well as the Caribbean, with a liberal musical exchange between the traditions from each area.
All types of music from these areas are open for business, as Latin Jazz musicians draw upon dance music, sacred music, and high art music. Only rare Latin Jazz artists expand their international reach beyond this realm though, touching upon Europe and beyond. Western European Classical music sits on the outskirts of Latin Jazz for most musicians, and the integration of this art form remains somewhat unusual.
The exchange of cultural and musical ideas outside the Western Hemisphere also remains a bit unexplored as most Latin Jazz musicians keep their home bases in the Americas. With these thoughts in mind, the idea of “international” becomes fairly different and shines a new light upon the tradition.
Pianist Hector Martignon has spent a career crossing international borders, bringing his experiences into a highly sophisticated musical mixture. Born in Colombia, Martignon soaked up the music of his homeland before eventually finding his way to Germany for music studies. He lived a dual musical life during his studies in Germany, attending the Freiburger Musikhochschule for classical piano and composition while performing alongside Latin music greats like Celia Cruz and Ismael Quintana to earn his income.
As Martignon moved onto his professional career, he maintained this split musical emphasis, performing as a classical pianist in Germany, Italy, and Colombia, while recording with artists like Arturo Sandoval and Tata Güines. Brazilian music caught Martignon’s ear, inspiring a move to Brazil, where he pursued his interests and became an in-demand studio musician.
His path eventually led him to New York, where he continued his education at the Manhattan School of Music, earning dual degrees in classical piano and jazz studies. Martignon quickly established himself as an important player on the New York scene as he found work with Mario Bauzá, Tito Puente, Chico O’Farrill, and more. Regular work and creative liberties came along when Martignon earned the piano spot in conguero Ray Barretto’s band, an association that led to an eight year job.
Through a string of strong albums such as Handprints and My Summertime, Martignon helped define the sound of Barretto’s New World Spirit band. In 1996, Martignon released his first album as a leader, Portrait in White & Black, a session grounded by a trio and embellished with guests such as guitarist Romero Lubambo, Barretto, and more.
Martignon returned in 2000 with another trio date, The Foreign Affair, once again augmented by several special guests such as Ruben Blades, Randy Brecker, and Don Byas. As his career as a bandleader started to take shape, Martignon continued his diverse life as a sideman, recording albums in the classical world, composing for film, and conducting on Broadway. His 2007 album Refugee showed a more electronic edge to his work and earned him a Grammy nomination. Second Chance, Martignon’s latest release as a leader, shows a deep musical maturity.
After years of moving between musical scenes around the world, Martignon delivers a broad and intriguing artistic vision that includes Latin Jazz and more. In recognition of Martignon’s worldly view and stellar musicality, we dedicate today’s Weekly Latin Jazz Video to his music. Three clips feature Martignon and his group Foreign Affair performing in venues around the world, performing the pieces “Refugee,” “Andrea,” and “Teorema.” The last video includes a 2008 interview with Martignon from the television program Life In Music, providing a little more insight into the person and artist. It’s several view of an amazing musician with a diverse background - enjoy!
St. Louis Jazz Notes
