Monday, July 15, 2013

"It's A Family Affair---s" Allen Kanovsky gets out for happiness for himself and happy birthday for Barbara Van!


Submitted by Al Kanovsky 7/15/13

Allow me to preface this with the thought that what will follow is a love story. Two families that sincerely love each other, my love of music and the love others feel when listening to music. It will cover fourteen hours of Sunday, July 14, 2013. It starts with me leaving home to go to the Sunday JAZZ brunch at the All That JAZZ Café in Sunrise. The brunch is a once a month event and this will be my first time try. This ambitious endeavor is the work of the Kolber family. Two brothers, Michael and David, Mike's wife Lydia, their 3 children Andre, Avery and Adrian, along with their Mom, Esther. The driving force is their love for one another and JAZZ. Every one works hard. Mike in the kitchen and on the bandstand. David managing the overall operation. Lydia is the hostess. Andre and Avery are the busboys with Andre doubling on drums. Adrian is too young for any real work and is hidden in the kitchen. I suspect they are trying to get him to wash dishes. Esther does what all Mom's do. Loving everybody and seeing to it that it's all done right. Upon arriving I am pleasantly surprised to see a dual piano set-up. Also a drums set and an upright bass which is laying restfully on its side. The band is on a break. Mike the bassist/cook is back in the kitchen preparing more food for the buffet brunch. When the band returns we have Jimmy Petullo and Phil Hinton at the pianos, Mike playing bass and 15 year old Andre on the drums. They open with the ballad "A Foggy Day' and follow with a JAZZ standard "C Jam BLUES" with Jimmy and Andre trading 12s and then 8s. Phil does a piano solo, "Look At Me". Jimmy follows with a couple. "Sophisticated Lady" and "You Came to Me From Out of Nowhere". All perfect melodies for a pleasant Sunday brunch. Phil and Jimmy have a duel with Duke's "A Train" with Mike and Andre joining in for the third chorus. The band does a familiar tune and I can't quite remember the title or lyric. Jimmy supplies the answer---"Squatty Roo"--- Bob Benedict, retired from an Assistant Police Chief job, sits in on drums and does a great job on the samba rhythm "Wave". Jimmy came to JAZZ while studying classical piano. After midnight, on channel 9 in New York, there was a show called "Just JAZZ". He loved the music and the freedom it allowed---hence the change in studies. Jimmy also teaches at the All That JAZZ Studios along with Mike. The restaurant is only open for dinner and live JAZZ on Friday and Saturdays with a once a month brunch. The brunch is from 10 until 2. It was past 2:30 when the boys in the band decided to shut it down after Mike's bass solo on "Autumn Leaves" and doing a request (mine) "Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me". Guitars, photos and lithos serve as decor for the Café. The Beatles, B.B. King, Ella, The Duke, Ol' Blue Eyes, Billie, Miles, Coletrane and the Bird are all on the wall.

It is Barbara Vann's birthday which will be celebrated at Blue Jeans Blues at 8PM. Time enough to buy a gift a card and make it to the Sunday Jam at BJB's at 4. Barbara has a penchant for fine brandy. I have a pocket for not necessarily the finest cognac. Somewhere in the middle the two come together and are put into a Happy Birthday gift bag. Addendum to the previous sentence. My pal Bill and I are partners in the gift. I know Barb is reading this but the truth must be told. I get to my destination to find that Anthony Corrado is MIA. Leading the Jam in his stead is Gino Lanzetta with Shay Eischen on drums, Paul Banman at the piano and Steve Kornicks on Latin percussion. The band is doing a really good job on JAZZ standards and though Anthony is missed he's not MISSED. The second set has Nestor Zurita(alto sax) and Max Boiko(trumpet) on stage. To write the review of what followed is the easiest thing I've ever done. It is encompassed in the one word superlative:
 WOW!!!
The group does "Caravan". Max a be-bop solo, Gino straight-ahead, Nestor a Moorish bop(huh?),  Shay and Steve wail. A couple nearby is enjoying the music as much as Bill and I. She is Mia Quintero. He is Dennis Whiteman. She is from Denver, CO. and claims she was not the only Latina in her high school. Additionally she has been married to 3 musicians. Some gals never learn. The final set brings happiness to my heart. Be-bop all the way through to the closing with Donna Lee. Nestor plays long intricate phrases that define be-bop. Max also has the ear for that genre and displays it well.  When I asked Shay what brought him to JAZZ he also expressed the idea of freedom of expression. His inspirations were Elvin Jones and Buddy Rich. Elvin puzzled him and Buddy provided the answers.

Next was Barbara's birthday celebration. The band was Debbie Orta & family plus Mike Harvey at the traps. Again a family affair built on love and trust. The trust that JAZZ musicians must have in one another in order to do what they do. Mike Orta plays piano, Nicky Orta plays bass, Debbie sings and Mike does what I said he does. The love is a family tradition. The relationships in the Orta family are strong and warm. Accompanying Mike and seated next to me was my adopted baby sister and dance partner, Luz. Mike is a little jealous but I don't care. although I keep one eye on him whenever Luz and I are on the dance floor. You know Latin men and that thing called----er---er---machoism? Noooo. Machismo, that's it. Machismo. It is rooted in the barnyard and comes from roosters having to be the "Cock of the Walk" and fighting any other male that threatens their domain. Piano Bob is here, Hannah(sax) is here, Capt. Bob and Davis Murphy(sculptor) are here, Mari Bell is here, Rich, Turk's pal is here, Ron Nistico Palamara and Sandy Rosar are here, Valerio(Sound of Vision) is here, Linc and Beverly Lackey are here and lucky for me, seated right behind is Dr. Donald Graziano and Elisa Jayne. Dr. Donald is a chiropractor and I have a painful pinched nerve. The good doctor provide me with much needed relief. There's someone missing-----Babette is not here. Her throne(at the bar) is empty. She has been in the hospital but has now returned home. Her friend Dianne makes a call and all of us shout a "Be Back Soon" to Babette. Debbie does a variety of tunes including "I'll Remember April", "Crazy in Love With You", "Taking a Chance on Love", "Have You Met Miss Jones", a samba rhythmed "When You Speak Love" and the ballad "I'm Through With Love" which transitioned into a super up-tempo "I'm In Love" ,with Mike, Nicky and Mike taking super solos.

Did you notice how many song titles had the word "Love". That it is why it is called the "Great" American songbook. Oh! I forgot "You Don't Know What Love Is". Debbie let the band show-off a little when they did "You Stepped Out of a Dream". Debbie returned to the stage with an old song, "You're Mine, You" which has a tender, loving lyric and haunting melody. Barbara sang "I've Grown Accustomed to Your Smile" and "How Deep Is the Ocean". Luz came up to sing in bolero rhythm and en Espanol "It's Impossible" and with Rio in mind "'s Wonderful". When Debbie sang "Love For Sale" during the 2d set the rhythm transitioned from Latin to straight 4 and back to Latin, flawlessly. I danced with Luz, ever mindful of the eye daggers that Mike O was hurling at me. Debbie got a little funky with a bluesy "Make Me Change My Mind". Debbie concluded her show with "Midnight Sun" evoking memories of June Christie and the Stan Kenton band. Barbara ended the evening with her traditional "Amazing Grace" dedicated to the 13 brave Marines who died, in the service to their country, in Afghanistan last week. I have never heard her sing it better.

Happy Birthday, Barbara and thanks to all the musicians who filled my day with the music I love. 

Al's Disclaimer:
A short note: The reason I write this is because I love music and words. I do not book acts. I do not promote acts. I do not accept invitations to review artists. I go to venues of my own choice. When and where is not influenced by anything other than who I would like to hear that night or day. If I don't like what I hear, I won't write about it. When I like it I let you all know. I never mention a name without asking permission. "Pardon me, Miss. Would you like to dance?"       


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