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JAZFAXVolume XLIV, Number 1 – February 2016Founding Member – American Federation of Jazz SocietiesBook reviewJazz raconteursRowe’s Jazz Tales revel in recollections and reminiscencesBy Michael SteinmanMonk Rowe is a jazz musician– saxophonist, pianist, composer,arranger – and he has a day gigat Hamilton College in Clinton,as the Joe Williams Director ofthe Fillius Jazz Archive there. TheArchive will be 21 years old in2016, and it is indeed remarkablyadult.So far, Monk has conductedvideo interviews with more than325 musicians, ranging from thegreat forbears (Doc Cheatham,Eddie Bert, Kenny Davern,Jerry Jerome, Ray Conniff, JoeWilliams, Milt Hinton) to theliving legends of the present Musician, author and archivist Monk Rowe,and future (Nicki Parrott, Kidd director of the Fillius Jazz Archive at HamiltonJordan, Sherrie Maricle, Bill College in Clinton. ROMY BRITELL PHOTOCharlap, Holly Hofmann, MariaSchneider). And excerpts fromThe Hamilton College Jazz Archive, establishedthose interviews, thematically andin 1995, was recently renamed The Fillius Jazzintelligently arranged, now form aArchive in honor of its founder, Milton Fillius Jr.compact yet impressive book with’44, and his wife, Nelma, better known as Nikki.a brief foreword by jazz eminenceDan Morgenstern.Their vision and support made the archive’s oralhistory project possible.A friend at Hamilton sent mea copy of the book some weeksback, and I have been slow towrite about it – for two reasons.One, the semester got in theway, unforgivably, and two, I wasoften making notes and laughingso hard that I couldn’t readmuch at a sitting. But my instantrecommendation is buy it. Sothose of you who want to skip theevidence can zoom to the bottomof this post. Others can linger.A brief prelude. I am immenselyin favor of oral history although itcannot replace the best analysisor aesthetic criticism. I wouldn’tgive up Whitney Balliett, MartinWilliams, Gary Giddins, AnthonyBarnett,FrankBuchmannMoller, Manfred Selchow or JohnChilton the list goes on, andI know I am leaving two dozenworthy writers out. But whatwouldn’t we give for a 10-minuteinterview with Tony Fruscella,Frank Teschemacher, JimmyHarrison, Herschel Evans, EddieLang, Jimmy Blanton or BusterBailey? continued on page 4President’s messageLet the good times roll!To save our jazz club, we all need to sign up new membersBy Bobby Morris, JASS PresidentDuring the last few years we have seen a significant declinein the membership of JASS and with that a correspondingdecline in our bank accounts. The JASS Board of Directorshas had several discussions about possible ways to remedythis situation including raising the membership dues andthe admission price for our concerts. We have resistedimplementing either of these ideas as it is generally felt thatincreasing the dues or admission prices would most likelyresult in corresponding reductions in our membership andconcert attendance.continued on page 7HAPPY MARDI GRAS! – laissez les bon temps roulez Tuesday, Feb. 9!
JAZFAXMimi’s musical meanderingsNew drummerdrives Rhythm-AirsBy Mimi OsmunBoard of Directors 2016Bill AdsittRichard AmesCarl BorekEleanor CollinsBurt DunlapSue HodgeAllen KosoffBob MorrisAnne NorrisNeil NovelliOfficersBobby Morris, President8020 Ginger Road, Liverpool, New York 13090(315) 652-0547Burt Dunlap, Vice-President31-8 Westbrook Hills Drive, Syracuse, NY 13215(315) 469-7034Elly Collins, Secretary235 Academy Place, Syracuse, NY 13207Sue Hodge, Treasurer501 Summit Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13207Russ Tarby, Editor, Jazfax105 N. Willow St., Liverpool, NY 13088russtarby@netscape.netRichard Ames, President Emeritus201 Euclid Drive, Fayetteville, New York 13066(315) 637-6398JASS, Inc. is a tax exempt [501(c)(3)] not-for-profit corporationincorporated under the laws of the State of New York. Dues are 20.00 per year ( 22.00 U.S. funds to Canada), including spouse,and sometimes entitle members to two membership discountadmissions to a club event. Membership is for twelve full monthsand entitles members to one full year of Jazfax. Memberships can bepurchased from any Board Member or mail check payable to JASSto the Treasurer.Upcoming JASS concerts:Jan. 31, 2016: Djug Django.March 20: Skip Parsons Riverboat Jazz Band.May 22: The Jambalaya Jazz Band.July 17: The Bear Cat Jass Band.Sept. 13: The Chicago Hot Six.Nov. 13: TBA.All performances 4 to 7 p.m. at Pensabene’s Casa Grande,135 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse. Admission prices: 12 for JASSmembers, 15 for others; 652-0547.Directions to Pensabene’s Casa GrandeFrom 690 heading east, exit at Hiawatha Boulevard; takeright onto the boulevard and proceed west about a block; takea left onto State Fair Boulevard; Pensabene’s Casa Grande willbe on the right.From 690 heading west, exit at Geddes Street, take a left andhead south three blocks to the traffic light on West GeneseeStreet; proceed 4.5 blocks west and, immediately afterpassing Harrison Bakery, turn right onto State Fair Boulevard;Pensabene’s Casa Grande will be on the left.From Interstate 81, exit at Hiawatha Boulevard, head west forseveral blocks on the boulevard past Carousel Center, turning leftonto State Fair Boulevard; Pensabene’s will be upcoming the right,indirectly across the street from the Syracuse Fire Departmenttraining center. Please use front entrance only; 466-0312.2Editor’s note: While Mimi continues convalescing at Loretto,we’ll catch up with the big band with which she played pianofor decades, The Rhythm-Airs . . .—Toward the end of the year, The Rhythm-Airs hired a newdrummer, Joe Cortini from Fulton.“He’s fantastic and fits well with the guys,” reportedbandleader Maureen Clum. “Joe even got us a job already!”Cortini replaces longtime Rhythm-Airs drummer JackMcGreivey, who died on Oct. 27.The Rhythm-Airs perform from 7 to 9 p.m. every Wednesdayat the Camillus Elks Club, 6117 Newport Road, just north ofthe village of Camillus. Admission costs 5/per person, 7/percouple; food and drinks available including a buffet dinner for 10. For information, call 488-3477.—Music runs in the Cortini family. In fact the new Rhythm-Airsdrummer is the third Joe Cortini.The first Joseph Cortini – Joe’s grandfather – moved toFulton from Italy in 1907. He returned to the boot to bringback his wife, Doralda, and his three daughters, in 1911. Theirsons, John and Joseph C. Cortini Sr., were born in Fulton, andJoseph opened Cortini Shoe Store. It was passed down fromfather to son – Joe’s father.The Cortinis lived and worked on Oneida Street, near theDizzy Block. Young Joe and his brother, Kimo, would help outin the store. “Even as a young child, I was allowed to comedowntown by myself,” Joe recalled.He would save the money he earned at his father’s shoestore to buy hot fudge sundaes from Foster’s, model cars fromWoolworth’s and record albums from Greco’s. “Downtownwas my playground,” Joe said of growing up during Fulton’sgolden days, before urban renewal.Like Joe, his dad was a drummer who led his own groups,Jay Corta’s All-Stars, The Commodores and The Star Dusters.He often shared the spotlight with his brother, trumpeter JohnCortini, and even performed with his sons in the CortiniBrothers Jazz Combo. He was a past president of MusiciansUnion Local 267. Joe’s dad died on Christmas Eve 2006 atage 79.Now Joe’s 8-year-old son, Joey, smacks the congas.“Playing music is a great way to make other people happywhile making yourself happy,” Joe said.Brother Kimo Cortini lives in Jamesville and works as anurse at the Syracuse VA Medical Center.—By the way, Mimi celebrated her 89th birthday on Jan. 18!—Mimi Osmun’s friends and fans can contact her at:Mimi Osmun - Room 435Cunningham Nursing and Rehab700 East Brighton Ave.Syracuse, NY 13205.
Black History MonthJAZFAXBamboozled by blackfaceSyracuse’s ArtRage Gallery explores the minstrel show traditionBy Russ TarbyThough now scorned by politicallyfree screening of Spike Lee’s 2000 satire,correct critics, minstrel shows dominatedBamboozled, at 7 p.m. Wednesday,American entertainment during the 19thFeb. 17. The plot revolves around acentury. Initially performed by white actorsfrustrated African-American TV writerin blackface, the genre was adopted bywho proposes a blackface minstrel showAfrican-American performers in the 1850s.in protest, but to his chagrin it becomesThese enterprising Negro entertainersa hit. The movie stars Damon Wayans,willingly played the grinning black fool toJada Pinkett Smith, Paul Mooney andentertain audiences of all races.Michael Rapaport.“We now consider minstrelsy anThe following, week at 7 p.m. Thursday,embarrassing relic, but once blacks andFeb. 25, ArtRage presents pianist Dick Fordwhites alike saw it as a black art form – andperforming a program called “Blackface! –embraced it as such,” write researchersRace: The American obsession nurturedYuval Taylor and Jake Austen in theirand affirmed through popular music2012 book, Darkest America: Black(1850-1940).” Admission is free.Minstrelsy from Slavery to Hip-Hop.The founder of Signature Music inThe authors make a strong case forSyracuse, Ford will lead a discussion andblack minstrelsy’s deep relevance toplay songs ranging from the Civil Warcontemporaryblackentertainment,era to the Roaring ’20s, and will displayparticularly in the work of popular artistsmore than 100 racist images from sheetsuch as Dave Chappelle, Flavor Flav,music which helped popularize racism inSpike Lee and Li’l Wayne. Darkestour culture.America explores the origins, heyday, andHis talk will touch on the phenomenonpresent-day manifestations of this tradition,known as coon songs, a genre of musicexploding the myth that it was a form ofthat relied on stereotypical – oftenentertainment that whites foisted on blacks Spike Lee’s 2000 satire, Bamboozled, demeaning – images of Negroes. In fact,and shining a controversial light on how will be screened at 7 p.m. Wednesday, the biggest hits of the ragtime era weren’tsuch performances can be demeaning but Feb. 17, at ArtRage Gallery, 505 Scott Joplin’s stately piano rags. Instead,also, paradoxically, liberating.Hawley Ave., in Syracuse. The movie coon songs such as “Every Race has aBooklist critic Vernon Ford wrote stars Damon Wayans and Jada Pinkett Flag but the Coon” and “Coon on thethat Darkest America traced minstrel Smith. Admission is free.Moon” defined ragtime for the masses.traditions well into the 20th centuryThough such titles may offend modernon radio and television shows such as Amos’n’Andy Theears, it’s impossible to investigate black popular entertainmentJeffersons, Good Times and The Cosby Show. “They noteof the 1890s without directly confronting the coon songs whichthat Bill Cosby’s sitcom and other shows were counterpointsclearly presaged the original blues.to contemporary minstrel shows,” Ford wrote. “Yet, Cosby inFord will discuss songs such as “Darktown Strutters’ Ball,”his earlier cartoon show presented characters that appeared towritten in 1917 by black Canadian composer Shelton Brooks.embrace the old-time minstrels.”The Artrage Gallery is located at 505 Hawley Ave. at theCentral New Yorkers can reflect on this checkeredcorner of North Crouse, on Syracuse’s near North Side; 218entertainment history when the ArtRage Gallery presents a5711; artragegallery.org.JASS sustaining fund createdThe JASS Board of Directors announces a new effort to keep traditional jazz alive in Central New York:A sustaining fund has been created.Those who are interested in perpetuating this entertaining music are urged to contribute 100 toward this fund.Although 100 is suggested, we will gratefully accept donations in any amount. JASS is a 501(c)(3) non-profitorganization, and donations to JASS are tax-deductible.Proceeds will be used to cover a portion of the cost of future performances. The target goal is 4,000 by the endof 2016.—Please make checks payable to JASS and send donations to the sustaining fund to:JASS Treasurer Sue Hodge235 Academy PlaceSyracuse, NY 132073
Monk Rowe, from page 1JAZFAXTrue, some musicians were and are shy or not always able toarticulate much about the music, but others – as we know – areborn raconteurs, sharp observers, comedians, anthropologists.Their stories, no matter how brief, are precious. Two pages byClark Terry where he speaks of being beaten by Caucasiansbecause he was a “Nigerian” while in Mississippi – and thenbeing rescued by another group of Caucasians – say moreabout race relations in the United States than 20 hours of PBSfootage could ever do.The material is organized thematically, enabling the readerto hear, for instance, stories of life on the road from KennyDavern, Lanny Morgan and Phil Woods. Then there are sharpobservations – one can almost hear the rimshot that follows.Dave Pell calls Stan Getz “the greatest dressing-room playerthat ever lived.” Stan Kenton stops his band from swingingtoo much and says, “This is not Basie. This is Stan Kenton.”Bobby Rosengarden talks about Toscanini, Joe Wilder aboutpunctuality, Dick Hyman and Bucky Pizzarelli about life in therecording studio.Keter Betts, as a high-school student, is bought lunch by MiltHinton. Jean Bach explains the Ellington habit of “seagulling.”Sherrie Maricle recalls her metal clarinet. Dan Barrett givesadvice to young musicians. Randy Sandke talks about theperils of thinking. Karl Berger talks about his conducting; KiddJordan deconstructs a song’s title. And there’s a historicalperspective covering nearly a century: we hear Doc Cheathamtalk about Ma Rainey, then Jerry Jerome describe the firstGlenn Miller band – all the way up to the present.It’s an enthralling book. And since Monk Rowe is aprofessional musician, his interludes and commentary areMonk Rowe, right, interviews bandleader Lionel Hamptonon Oct. 18, 1995, in New York City.more than useful; his questions are on the mark. Other writersput themselves into the dialogue merely to say, “Well, Dizzyalways used to say to me,” but Monk is a gracious interpreterrather than a narcissist.To find out the story of the elephant beer and the pricelessanswer, visit Monk’s blog at jazzbackstory.blogspot.com/, andscroll down to the bottom of the page. Then you can read therest of Phil Woods’ words and – by the way – find out exactlywhat Dizzy Gillespie said when presented with the key to thecity of Syracuse.Jazz Tales from Jazz Legends is available through Amazon.com, and proceeds from the book support the HamiltonArchives.Jazz archivist Michael Steinman writes one of the best jazz blogsin the world, Jazz Lives, found at jazzlives.wordpress.com.Get your Recommended Daily Allowance ofSyncopation!Subscribe toReceive 12 monthly issues per year for only 30 (US);two years for 55 (US). Subscriptions to Canada are 52(US) per year and 100 (US) for two years. Outside theUS and Canada, pay 120 (US) per year.(A digital edition is planned so those subscribing outside theUS may do so at reasonable expense and receive editorialcontent in The Syncopated Times upon publication.)Please type or print clearly:NameStreet Apt.CityState Zip Code 4Phone ( )Mail with your check or money order to:The Syncopated Times1809 Whitesboro St.Utica NY 13502-3719Or subscribe via PayPal at subscribe@Syncopatedtimes.comJAZZ APPRECIATION SOCIETY OF SYRACUSE, INC.ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TREASURERBalance on hand December 31, 2014 8,236.00RECEIVEDDues 2,354.43Donations867.00Memorial Donations1,585.00Concerts3,890.00 8,696.43DISBURSEDJazfax Printing 65.00Insurance414.00Jam Sessions975.00Website111.00Misc. office28.00 9,862.00BalanceonhandDecember31,2015 7,070.434
JAZFAXUpcoming performancesis a vocalist and musician who has worked with some of thegreat blues artists of our time including the late B.B. King andOtis Clay. Sanders serves as chairman of fine arts and directorof the B.B. King Recording Studio at Mississippi Valley StateUniversity; mvsu.edu.January Jazzfest at Mohegan ManorThe Seneca Savings January Jazzfest will take place from 1 to9 p.m. Hosted by CNY Jazz Central, the annual event promisesfour floors of fun with bands performing mainstream, bebop,cabaret, blues, Latin and R&B. Acts TBA, and a pre-fest buffetwill be served from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets cost 25 inadvance, or 30 at the door; 479-5299; cnyjazz.org.Free blues concert Feb. 21The Carolyn Kelly Blues Band continues the Origins of JazzConcert Series with a concert of urbanblues at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, atLiverpool Public Library, 310 Tulip St. atthe corner of Second Street (Route 370),in Liverpool. Admission is free; 457-0310;lpl.org. The series continues March 20with the Bear Cat Jass Band; and April 17with the Tony Joseph Swingtet.Djug Django here Jan. 31Djug Django with special guesttrumpeter Frank Campos will performa JASS concert from 4 to 7 p.m. onSunday, Jan. 31, 2016, at Pensabene’sCasa Grande, 135 State Fair Blvd., onSyracuse’s West End. Admission costs 12 for JASS members, 15 for others;652-0547; jasscny.org.Grupo Pagan at FFLEdgar Pagan brings Grupo Paganwill perform a free concert at 2 p.m.Sunday, Feb. 21, in the reading room atFayetteville Free Library, 300 Orchard St.,in Fayetteville. Admission is free; 6376374, ext. 328, fayettevillefreelibrary.org. Upcoming Sunday musicales willshowcase Bare Bones on March 13, andthe Festival of Bells TBA in April.E.S.P. at SitrusThe Sammy-winning jazz band E.S.P.performs at 6 p.m., Friday, Feb. 5, at Sitruson the Hill at the Sheraton SyracuseUniversity Hotel, 801 University Ave.,on the Syracuse University Hill. RonnieLeigh and Marcus Curry entertainon Feb. 19, and Jon Seiger’s All-Starsblow some Dixeland on March 4. Theperformances are part of the ongoingJazz @ Sitrus series presented by CNYJazz Central. Admission is free; cnyjazz.org; 479-5299.Joyner returns to SyracuseJASS Jam Feb. 10JASS celebrates the season at itsnext open Jam Session from 6 to 9 p.m.Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the SyracuseSuds Factory, at the corner of SouthClinton and Walton streets. Admissionis free, and all musicians and vocalistsare invited to sit in. The next jam sessionis scheduled at Suds on Wednesday,April 13; 471-2253; sudsfactory.com.Skip sips at FountainWashtub bassist extraordinaire Jim Sherpa,a Syracuse native who now lives in Ithaca,holds down the bottom for Djug Django,the swing combo that returns to Syracusefor a JASS concert featuring trumpeterFrank Campos at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31,2016, at Pensabene’s Casa Grande onSyracuse’s West End.CNY Jazz Central brings saxophonistJackiem Joyner back to town to presenta Black History Month cabaret concertof funk-laden jazz at Drumlins CountryClub at 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. Joyneris a graduate of Fowler High School, abootstrap music biz success story andscintillating saxophonist. Tickets cost 30 or 25 for JASS and Jazz Centralmembers; 479-JAZZ; cnyjazz.org. AllCabaret Series events feature a cashbar and buffet stations. British-Nigeriansoul-jazz singer Ola Onabule plays thenext cabaret concert on March 20.Weekly performancesClarinetist Skip Parsons and His Riverboat Jazz Band performtwice each month at The Fountain Restaurant, 283 NewScotland Ave., in Albany. On Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb.12, the music flows at The Fountain from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.The band plays there again March11 and 12 , and has scheduledan appearance in Syracuse at Pensabene’s Casa Grande onMarch 20; (518) 482-9898; skipparsons.com.Lunch & Listen at Le MoyneJazz at the Plaza proceeds every Wednesday from noon to2 p.m., at Le Moyne Plaza, 1135 Salt Springs Road, Syracuse.Keyboardist Dave Solazzo performs Feb. 3 and 17, March 2 and16; Darryl Pugh and Joe Carello hold forth Feb. 10; Grupo Liteplugs in Feb. 24; Parlour Games play March 9; and Jeff Stockhamblows March 23. Jazz at the Plaza is hosted by CNY Jazz Central.Admission is free; 479-JAZZ; cnyjazz.org.Flower City funThe Black Diamond Express plays the Flower City JazzSociety’s monthly dinner-dance at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 15,at the Airport Raddisson Hotel, 175 Jefferson Road, Rochester.Dinner prices range from 20 to 25; flowercityjazz.org; (585)475-1910. Bourbon Street Parade play the gig on March 21.Sunday session downtownDr. Sanders here Feb. 17Mississippi-based multi-instrumentalist Dr. Alphonso Sandersreturns to Syracuse to perform with members of Soft Spokenat 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, at Al’s Wine & Whiskey Bar, 321S. Clinton St., in Armory Square. Admission is free; 703-4773.Sponsored by Joined Artists, Musicians & Singers, Inc., Sanders5Trombonist Melissa Gardiner leads the house band at aweekly jam session from 3 to 5 p.m. every Sunday, at the newFunk ‘N Waffles, located in downtown Syracuse, at 313 S. ClintonSt. The combo includes Gardiner, Matt Vacanti on bass, JoshDekaney at the traps and Jeff Martin on guitar. Admission isfree; 474-1060.continued on page 6
Upcoming performances, from page 5JAZFAXJazz on the radioDjug Django in IthacaSounds of JazzDjug Django, the swingin’ Gypsy jazz septet, performs from 6to 9 p.m. every Wednesday, upstairs at the Lot 10 Lounge, 106S. Cayuga St., in downtown Ithaca. Admission is free; (607) 2727224; lot-10.com. For band info: watershed-arts.com/djug.html.Leo Rayhill’s Sounds of Classic Jazz now airs from 3 to 4 p.m.Sundays on WCNY-FM 91.3 Syracuse, WUNY-FM 89.5 Utica, andWJNY-FM 90.9 Watertown. Another radio program hosted byRayhill, Classic Sinatra, airs every Sunday starting at 11 a.m. onWCNY’s three regional signals. With a digital radio, you can tuneto Rayhill’s HD3 broadcast on each of those stations and listento Leo seven days a week from 2 to 6 p.m.; wcny.org/content/view/230/359/.Rohde Trio at Pasta’sThe John Rohde Trio with keyboardist Rick Montalbano andvibist Jimmy Johns performs at 7 p.m. every Wednesday atPastabilities, 311 S. Franklin St., in Syracuse’s Armory Square;free admission; 474-1153.RadiolaThe Rhythm-Airs big band stages its Wednesday-eveningdances at the Camillus Elks Club, 6117 Newport Road, just northof the village of Camillus; 488-3477. Led by trumpeter MaureenClum, the orchestra plays from 7 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday.Admission costs 5/per person, 7/per couple; food and drinksavailable including a buffet dinner for 10.Radiola is an online program of 1920s and 1930s jazz andpop hosted by Utica jazz aficionado Andy Senior. Archived twohour programs and playlists are available at radiolarhythm.net, and Radiola! may be streamed continuously at radiola365.com. Senior programs Jazz Age pop tunes that he says are“guaranteed to wake up the mind and make it smile, music thatshimmers with wit and levity and beats with the pulse of life.”Nighthawks at IguanaEC in the EveningThe Grammy-winning Vince Giordano and the Nighthawksplay every Monday and Tuesday at Iguana NYC, a beautifulTex-Mex restaurant on the second floor at 240 W. 54th Street(between 8th Ave. and Broadway). Cover charge is 20 cashat the door and a 20 minimum food or drink purchase. Forreservations, call (212) 765-5454, and bring your dancing shoes!vincegiordano.com.From 8 to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, longtime WAER DJEric Cohen brings you masters of the past such as Count Basie,Lee Morgan, Sarah Vaughan and Cannonball Adderley as well asmodern-day innovators like Gregory Porter, Gordon Goodwin’sBig Phat Band, Stacey Kent and Cyrus Chestnut, on 88.3 FM orstreaming via WAER.org.WAER-FM also offers a 24-hour jazz service on its HD2 stream,available online and on HD radios. Here’s the direct link: waer.org/player#stream/waer2.Rhythm-Airs in CamillusOstwald at BirdlandDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band performsfrom 5:30 to 7:15 p.m., every Wednesday, at Birdland, 315 W.44th St., in New York City; (212) 581-3080. Admission costs 25,and there is an additional 10 food/drink minimum per person;birdlandjazz.com; ostwaldjazz.com/html/about.php.Jazz & BluesMonthly performancesJazz & Blues hosted by Monk Rowe airs from noon to 1 p.m.Wednesdays over WHCL-FM 88.7, and streams live at WHCL.org.A talented saxophonist, Rowe is the Joe Williams Director of theHamilton College Jazz Archive. Check him out at jazzbackstory.blogspot.com/.Salt City Jazz Collective at SudsRoger’s ListFrom 6 to 9 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, theSalt City Jazz Collective holds forth at Syracuse Suds Factory,South Clinton and Walton streets, in Armory Square. The bigband plays charts by Ellington, Basie, Kenton et al as well asoriginal compositions by members Joe Riposo and AngeloCandela. Admission is free; 471-2253; sudsfactory.com.Former JASS board member Roger DeVore hosts a two-hourprogram of classic jazz and swing from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursdays onWVOA-FM 87.7. “I try to air the best performances of the bestjazz musicians from the 1920s to the present,” DeVore said, “thebest of the best.” Listen online at wvoaradio.com/.Trombone gal on Erie Blvd. EastDick Carr, who hosted this radio show for decades here inCentral NY and on some 80 stations across the country, nowlives out his love for jazz on his website of the same name,BigBandsBalladsandBlues.com.Big Bands, Ballads and BluesTrombonist/vocalist Melissa Gardiner and her combo appearevery third Thursday of each month at Tokyo Seoul Japaneseand Korean Restaurant, 3180 Erie Blvd. East, Syracuse. The nextshows are scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 18 and March 17;449-2688; tokyoseoulsyracuse.com.Riverwalk JazzHosted by David Holt and featuring the Jim Cullum Band fromSan Antonio, Riverwalk Jazz airs on several stations throughoutthe Empire State including at 10 p.m. Thursdays repeating at 9p.m. Saturdays over WXXI-AM 1370 from Rochester; at 8 p.m.Fridays on WSQG-FM 90.9 from Ithaca; at 8 p.m. Fridays onWSQC-FM 91.7 from Oneonta; and at 8 p.m. Saturdays on WSLLFM 90.5 out of Saranac Lake.JASS online:jasscny.orgmany thanks to our webmaster, Marcia y-of-Syracuse/436976976460612many thanks to our Facebook poster, Judy Schmid!And don’t forget to LIKE us!Jazz InspiredHosted by keyboardist Judy Carmichael, Jazz Inspired featuresfascinating, creative people talking about jazz and how it hasinspired their own creative process. It airs at 10 p.m. Saturdaysover Utica/Rome’s WVHC-FM 91.5; at 11 p.m. Saturdays onIthaca’s WSQG-FM 90.9; and at 10 p.m. Mondays on Oneonta’sWUOW-FM 104.7.6
Those were the daysJAZFAXRemembering Dolph SchayesBy Arnie Koch2/22: Hitched to Syracuse. Met band atSyracuse War Memorial. Syracuse Natsplayed Philadelphia and McPartland bandplayed at intermission and after game.Attendance was 3,800. Took Joe Sullivanto Brown Jug after. We both stayed atband’s apartment.2/27: Phoned War Memorial managerand made deal for Salt City 5 to get 100plus 30 cents for each admission over4,000.3/15: Went to War Memorial where SaltCity 5 played at Syracuse-Indianapolisbasketball game. The Broadway Clownsalso appeared on program. Only 3,900turned out. (Blame it—on the Clowns.)I saw Schayes play many times for theSyracuse Nats while in Syracuse – coupleof times against Bob Cousy and the BostonCeltics.True story: My boss at General Electricencouraged me to join the Masons, whichI did. Schayes was another recruit in ourinduction ceremony which included beingblindfolded, walking through a gauntletwith your right arm on the shoulder of theman ahead. My arm was on the 6-foot-7inch Schayes. All the pounding was directedat him. It was like holding on to an oak treein a wind storm. I hardly got a blow.[Editor’s note] Dolph Schayes, the NewYork University basketball star who went onto gain acclaim as a Hall of Fame forwardand one of the greatest players of his timewith the old Syracuse Nationals, died Dec.10, 2015, in Syracuse. He was 87.His son, Danny, a longtime NBA center,said the cause was cancer.Playing for 16 pro seasons, DolphSchayes was among the NBA’s leadingscorers, best known for his two-handed setshots at a time when jump-shooting cameinto vogue, and he was one of the league’stop rebounders.The first NBA player to score 15,000points, he was a 12-time All-Star, nevermissed a game between February 1952and December 1961 and led the Nationalsto the championship in 1955.—The recent death of Syracuse Nationalsbasketball legend brought back somememories for Arnie Koch:In 1953, while a Colgate student, on twooccasions I booked jazz bands to appearbetween the halfs of the Syracuse Natsgames while Dolph Schayes was on theteam!From my diary:2/21/53: Took law exam in a.m. forthree hrs. Went to Colgate Inn where bandI’d booked with Jimmy McPartland, George Wetland, VicDickenson, Pee Wee Russell and Joe Sullivan were starring.They had to turn people away.Columnist Arnie Koch was the longtime personal manager ofthe Salt City Five and the Salt City Six. He lives in Melrose,Mass., where he often pens a column for the Melrose Free Press.President’s message, from page 1WE need to do something to remedy our situation. Icapitalized the word “WE” because we are all in this together.JASS isn’t Bobby Morris. It isn’t Dick Ames. It isn’t themusicians. It isn’t the Board. JASS is every member who lovestraditional jazz and wants to preserve and promote it for nowand for future generations.Traditional jazz is fun music which canbe appealing to virtually anyone. We areattempting to bring traditional jazz to themasses by staging jam sessions at SyracuseSuds Factory and have helped bring traditionalgroups to play the Mardi Gras Tent at theannual Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival indowntown Syracuse. These have exposed themusic to a wider variety of listeners than we’renormally able to reach at our own concerts, butwe haven’t seen any increase in membership as aresult of these efforts.Now, as to why I used the term “WE.” I am asking everymember of JASS to invest twenty dollars this year in an effortto grow JASS and expose the great music that we promote topeople who may not know that we exist.7If every member of JASS would buy a gift membership foranother person who is not yet a member of JASS, ourmembership would double. Ideally, I would like tosee a
201 Euclid Drive, Fayetteville, New York 13066 (315) 637-6398 JASS, Inc. is a tax exempt [501(c)(3)] not-for-profit corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of New York. Dues are 20.00 per year ( 22.00 U.S. funds to Canada), including spouse, and sometimes entitle members to two membership discount admissions to a club event.
