Submitted by Al Kanovsky 05/Xx/14
and the music-----I walked in to
the joint, Blue Jeans BLUES just as the band started to play Glenn Millers "In
the Mood". There were four young ladies on the dance floor hopping around. I
approached and asked if any of them knew how to swing dance. "We all do!" I took
hold of one and----not quite. I tried the next one and she thought bouncing up
and down was the way----no way. The third was no better----I gave up and sat
down next to my buddy Bill Rutan. Then they played Louis Prima's "Jump, Jive and
Wail". Anybody that did the "Lindy" back in the day cannot sit through that
number. Looked around,. Here, there and everywhere. Not a dance partner in
sight. The urge was overwhelming. Babette, Queen of the Night was sitting
demurely in her usual reserved spot at the bar. I knew she was dancing in place.
I used my best line---the one that starts "Pardon me
miss--- I took both her
hands in mine and we did the jitterbug. She, firmly seated and me jigging and
jiving. Laughing all the way.
I do love that girl. Her spirit, her joie de vivre are a blessing. Anthony
Corrado singing ala the 50's. I was 7 1/2 years old in the summer of 1939,
bundled up in the rumble seat of one of my sisters boyfriends car. It was the
parking lot of the Glen Island Casino in New Rochelle. The band was Glenn Miller
doing their hit, "In the Mood" to a crowd of zoot-suited, hemline below the knee
clad young folks. 16 years later, after being discharged from the Navy at
Treasure Island and on my way back to N.Y.C. I took the bus to Las Vegas. The
Sahara Hotel, the lounge called the Casbar. I heard Louis Prima do "Jump Jive
and Wail".--------(Al, the music)
Today with Anthony were Jerry
Masconi (keys), Paul Ullman (guitar) and Shay Eishen (drums). No jammers? Nope!!
Next came Paul doing "Kansas City". I don't often applaud Anthony but last
night, I don't know whether it was him or me, there was a little something extra
in his tenor tootin' when they did "When a Man Loves a Woman". A couple got up
to do a slow dance. Betty Horowitz and Herman Weingarten. Grey haired and
slightly bent. There was a twinkle in her eye and love in his touch. Anthony's
fans love his guitar playing and when he did "Hotel California" you understood
why.
"Billie's Bounce" closed the
Corrado Sunday Jam(jamless) and Anthony played all of his seventy something
instruments during it including flute, tenor, alto, clarinet and trumpet. The
evenings music at BJB's belonged to "Amereida". The band members are Stephanie
Mair(vocals), Jose "Majito' Aguilera(latin percussion), Ouri Horesh(drums), Tim
Ries(guitar) and leading the group playing keys, flute, Saxes and Ewi is Jorge
Guzmon. Let me preface with, each of the aforementioned are excellent, talented
musicians. They add their individual talents to every song played but,
unfortunately, at least to my ear, they use underlying tracks. I personally feel
they don't need them. I am not a musician and have scant musical training or
education. I have listened to hundreds of bands and thousands of musicians and
the only folks who are enhanced by tracks are karaoke singers. The
vocal/sax duets are a thing
of wonder. The solos by Tim and Jose, outstanding. Ouri is steady as the Rock of
Gibraltar. The charts are done well. The electronics only added mic squeals.
From the opening number "Would You Like To Dance" and the songs like
"Summertime", "Aint No Sunshine", "Lost In A Masquerade" "Girl From Ipanema",
"Quiet Nights", "You Know How I Feel" and a an especially hot "Fever" it was
their musicianship that held my attention. Again this blog is not written as a
critique. It is solely a review of what I heard and subjective to say the
least.
At the break I crossed the
street to Fishtales and Sista' Mary Beth. They were just about to start their
last set and Sista' was introducing the band. John Mazlak (bass), Wesley B.
Wright (guitar), Jimmyjack Tamburo (drums), Gary Korman (guitar, sitting in) and
Tony Messina playing the Louisiana saxophone known as harmonica or harp for
short. You want to hear BLUES. You want to feel soul. Passion and
professionalism. It is Sista' Mary Beth. Sing it girl. "Try Not To Laugh", Never
Loved A Man Like I Loved You", "One Heartache Too Late". Shay sits in on the
last one and Tony does a harp solo like they should be done. In reggae rhythm
they do "Reach Up" and then a Sista' original "Love Meets A Fool". Jimmjack is
back up and Wes uses his ax like it was meant to be used. Wes sings "Time For A
Cool Chain" and you sit up and pay close attention. Sista' Mary Beth closes the
show with a rockin' shuffle "Work On Me Baby". That's what surgeon Dr. Daniel
Weingard has been doing to me. I had a great time and for the first time do not
hang around for the last notes of the night-----The music stopped but I was
still dancing...
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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