Dan Gabel’s High Society Orchestra at Primavera Ristorante, August 25, 2016

10 pieces

Dan Gabel’s High Society Orchestra

Personnel:

Trombone
Leader Dan Gabel, also vocals & megaphone

Saxes/Clarinet
Austin Yancey tenor sax
John Clark alto
Richard Garcia alto

Trumpets
Adam Mejaour
Kai Sandoval

Keyboard 
Herb Gardner

Rhythm:
Bill Doyle guitar/banjo
Rick MacWilliams tuba
Steve Taddeo drums

Dan Gabel brought his upligting Ten-piece High Society Orchestra to Primavera Ristorante for a rehearsal on Thursday, relaxed, without the usual mandatory suits and ties.  They were challenged by Dan, though, with the sight-reading of charts and arrangements they have never seen before.  They read charts like we read books – they were amazing!  It was a wonderful evening of dance music played during the depression of the 20’s and 30’s; way before their time!

In a 1927 tune that Bix did with Whitman, From Monday On, John Clark’s alto sax traded fours with Dan Gabel’s trombone .  Marvelous! They sounded just like the Paul Whitman Band!

Rolling Along With The Breeze was breathtaking with the three clarinets

3 clarinets up front

Three clarinets, Austin Yancey, John Clark, Richard Garcia

The orchestra played a lovely Irving Berlin medley,  all doing second endings on a nice waltz, Marie and Coquette.  Gabel says he’s known as “The Waltz King”.  We agree.

Tuba and trombone were in sync for Frank Skinner’s Big City Blues.

on banjo

Bill Doyle

 

 

There was a dance craze in the 1920’s, called The Baltimore,  with a tune by the same name.

Rhythm guitarist Bill Doyle was great on banjo.

 

 

 

 

Clark likes arranger Archie Bleyer.  They played both up and down parts on Up a Lazy River, with none of the usual stops – georgeous!

Dan on megaphone.

Dan on megaphone.

 

Dan took out the megaphone for a rousing vocal on an early Bing Crosby tune, Let a Smile Be Your Umbrella.
Upbeat – especially great banjo!

He also sang ‘Leven Thirty Saturday Night.

 

 

 

The saxes were featured on Sax Appeal.
Fletcher Henderson’s Sugar – I Call My Baby My Sugar, was crisp and very fast,  John Clark featured on alto sax.

John standing on alto

Austin Yancey tenor, John Clark alto, Richard Garcia alto

I Surrender Dear (Bing Crosby) featured Adam Mejaour’s open, expressive trumpet, with Dan pushing out high notes on fine trombone.
Dan and Adam

The trombone and trumpets really got into the Big Band feeling, swaying back and forth, on Please.

sittimg. trumpets

Kai Sandoval and Adam Mejaour on trumpet

There was a request for Take The A Train, piano intro, featuring Richard Garcia on alto sax.

Dan Gabel is President of the American Big Band Preservation Society, which gives him access to about 1500 arrangements.  He gave them a medley of really old tunes:

The Bowery, Sidewalks of New York, Little Girls in Blue, Maizie, Daisie Bell, Comrades, Little Annie Rooney, She May Have Seen Better Days, The Band Played On, After The Ball is Over.   We couldn’t believe our music coming out of young musicians, some still in Berklee and The Conservatory!  Dan says he did this because he loves this music.  So do we, Thank You, Dan!!

They closed with a WILD Archie Bleyer arrangement of China Boy.

There were three familiar faces on rhythm, newcomers to this orchestra:

on keyboard, smiling

Herb Gardner

Rick MacWilliams tuba

Rick MacWilliams

on drums

Steve Taddeo

Dan Gabel’s High Society Orchestra was very busy this summer, handsome in their fine crisp uniforms, consistently playing for sell-out crowds, especially for young people and dancers.   This kind of music is in good hands with them!

Check them out just below The Abletones schedule at http://www.theabletones.com/Dan_Gabel_and_The_Abletones/Upcoming_Events.html

Marce