The New Tricks Quartet, Nighttown, 16 July 2009

Mike Lee and Ted Chubb, two mainstays of the New York jazz scene who have roots in Northern Ohio, played Nighttown last Thursday with their four-piece band The New Tricks Quartet. They performed two solid sets of jazz in the late 50's and early 60's styles of artists like Paul Desmond and Chet Baker.

Lee, a Cleveland Heights native who has been in New York since the early 90's, is a gifted reed player. Chubb, originally from Ashtabula, plays horn and has background similar to Lee, gravitating to New York after college at Ohio State. They are joined in the New Tricks Quartet by Kellen Harrison on bass, and Shawn Baltzasar on drums.

Both sets were filled with original songs that allowed all four musicians to show off their talents. Each selection was introduced by either Lee or Chubb, who composed almost all of them. "In his Steps" is a tribute to John Coltrane; "J'.'s Other Bag" sounds a lot like a Paul Desmond composition; and "Absence" a romantic ballad Chubb wrote for his wife and the time they send apart when he is on the road as a musician. All of the songs featured solos from each of the band members, with Lee alternating from saxophone to clarinet. It was quite evident that while these guys were growing up and their classmates were busy listening to Motley Crew and Judas Priest, they were getting into their parents' record collections and enjoying the likes of Dave Bruebeck and John Coltrane.

It was a very good evening of jazz, by four musicians who really know how to play it. The compositions were smart and original, and the musicianship was solid. They have a new CD that was just released, also called "New Tricks." You can check out more about them at www.mikeleejazz.com.

Another gifted Clevelander Alvin Frazier brings his seven piece band to Nighttown on Saturday, July 25; jazz singer Barbara Rosene plays the club on Sunday, July 26; and singer/songwriter/musician Maia Sharp rolls in on August 12. Check out the complete lineup at www.clevelandnighttown.com.

Check These Out!

I recently wrote two feature articles for CoolCleveland.com, one about my fellow Streetsboro High School teacher (and he is also a great singer/songwriter) Jim Boardwine; and one about long time Cleveland Guitar player extradonaire Jeff Nagel.

You can find the article about Jim Boardwine here:
http://www.coolcleveland.com/index.php?n=Main.MeetJimBoardwine

And you can find the article about Jeff Nagel here:
http://www.coolcleveland.com/index.php?n=Main.UnderTheCoversJeffNagle

Both guys are very talented, and also great people!

The Most Southern Place on Earth

From June 15-20 I attended a National Endowment for the Humanities workshop at Delta State University titled "The Most Southern Place on Earth," studying the birth of the blues; the culture of the Mississippi Delta; and civil rights. It was an outstanding week, meeting teachers from all over the country and diving head first into all things dealing with the Delta. It was a week of food, music, history, laughs, somber moments, living history, and new insights and experiences.
Thanks again to Dr. Luther Brown and Lee Aylward and their staff for putting on such a great workshop! For more information about the work of the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, visit www.blueshighway.org.

New Orleans June 12-15 2009

Before I went to my NEH workshop in Mississippi, I spent a couple of days with friends in New Orleans. The city has bounced back, and we had a great time. What a place!

Ken Becka throws out the first pitch at the Indians game 9 June 2009

It was a galla event as Ken Becka got to throw out the first pitch before the Indians/Royals game on June 9. The event drew a large crowd of family, friends, and assorted knuckleheads as Kenny actually got the ball over the plate!

Marcia Ball @ the Beachland Ballroom 5 June 2009

Blues diva Marcia Ball and her band gave her legion of Northern Ohio fans another great show on her yearly visit to Cleveland. Last Friday's concert at the Beachland featured new songs off her "Peace, Love, and BBQ" album; more than a few past favorites including "La Ti Da" and "Crawfishin'"; as well as a couple of New Orleans standards. The full house in attendance loved every minute of it, whether it was sitting still listening to a beautiful ballad or up on their feet dancing to a boogie number.
Often praised for her piano playing, she is just as good of a singer, whether it’s a New Orleans dancing in the street number or a soulful version of Randy Newman's "Louisiana 1927." The new material sounded very good, especially "Party Town" that got everyone up and shouting, and three beautiful ballads, "Fallin' Back in Love with You," "Ride it Out," and "I Wish You Well."
She was backed by a four-piece band, including long time bass player Don Bennett, guitarist Andrew Nafzigel, drummer Corey Keller, and saxophonist Thad Scott.
Marcia Ball is one of the living legends of American roots music. She has won numerous Blues Music Awards, and is considered by many to be the finest piano player in the music industry. Northern Ohio fans will get a rare second chance this summer to see her as she will return on August 8 to be a part of "Ladies of the Blues" at Lock 3 in downtown Akron. For more information on Marcia Ball, her music and touring schedule, visit www.marciaball.com.
As always there are so many good shows coming up at the Beachland. I'm really looking forward to the return of singer/songwriter Josh Ritter on July 5; a rare solo appearance of songwriter Jimmy Webb on July 10; and blues dynamo Candye Kane on August 5. Check out www.beachlandballroom.com for all that is happening at that great club.
The photos were taken at Sokolowski's University Inn before the show, and shows the lovely Ms. Ball with her favorite Cleveland fan, as well as her favorite local chefs Mike and Bernie Sokolowski.

Rhys Miller at Nighttown 19 May 2009

Another local kid made good returned to Nighttown last week, as vocalist Rhys Miller entertained a crowd of friends, family, fans, and jazz lovers last Tuesday night. Backed by a talented band led by pianist Jackie Warren, Miller performed two sets of standards and personal favorites, helped along the way with same guest appearances by some old friends.
Amongst the classics Miller tackled were "Being in Love," "Quiet Nights Loving You," "Angel Eyes," "A Night in Tunisia," and "A Day in the Life of a Fool." More contemporary material included a slow, jazz arrangement of The Police's "Roxanne," and a similar arrangement of U2's "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking for."
Miller is a large man with a beautiful voice, with more than a little Billy Eckstine, and a touch of Sam Cooke, in it. His band at Nighttown included not only Jackie Warren on piano, but also Sammy DeLeon on percussion, Kim Reed on bass, and Ron Godale on drums. He was joined several times over the course of the evening by some old friends who are in the oldies band Generation Gap, guitarist Dave Schock and vocalist Julie Fogel, joined Miller in a very good version of James Taylor's "Her Town Too."
I really enjoyed the show, and I think the rest of the audience did too.
For more about Rhys Miller and his music, he plans to return to Nighttown later in the summer, check out www.myspace.com/rhysmillermusic. As always, there are a lot of good things coming up at Nighttown, including organist Tony Monaco and his trio on May 28; Irish vocalist Moya Brennan on June 3; and the great guitarist Duke Robillard on June 20. Visit www.nighttowncleveland.com for more information.