Stan McDonald soprano sax, Phil Person trumpet, John Kafalas trombone, Jack Soref guitar and banjo, Stu Gunn double string bass, Rich Malcolm drums.

Stan McDonald’s Blue Horizon Jazz Band enthusiastically opened the 2017 Thursday Jazz Season raring to play Traditional Jazz after a two month hiatus.

 

 

Stan kicked off many of the tunes on sax starting with Roses of Picardy.  Phil Person took the lead with Stan playing counterpoint on many tunes for an evening of fine Traditional Jazz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phil Person adds his own unique voice on trumpet with beautifully simple phrasing, understanding this Trad Jazz that isn’t often heard at Berklee, where he teaches all levels of Ear Training.  Listening is vital to improvising great jazz.

 

 

 

Hot rhythm intro to Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good To You, Stan and Phil playing riffs on Kafalas’ trombone solo.

John Kafalas has been a member of the band in the past and fills in for the few times Gerry Gagnon is away.
(Check out his 1988 Jimmy Mazzy Podcasts on http://www.kafalas.net/jazzcast/)

 

 

When I Leave The World Behind was dedicated to my cousin, Donald Fleuette, who died at two o’clock that afternoon in a Providence Hospice.  Thank you!  It’s been a tough three months.

Blues in the Air started with a guitar intro, great solos by front line, ending with Stan soprano sax cadenza.  They played great ensemble on Memphis Blues.

Jack Soref was featured solo on a banjo/guitar with Sunny Side of The Street, backed by fine string bass and drum.  He says the banjo/guitar was Django Rheinhardt’s original instrument.  It’s a banjo with a guitar neck.   Swing That Music was WILD!  He also played Georgia Cabin on banjo.

 

 

 

Stu ensures they have the proper chords.  He’s always listening,  filling in any holes that might suddenly appear.  He played fine slap bass on Everybody Loves My Baby. 
He is first call on string bass and also plays symphonic classical music in several orchestras.  Knows his stuff!

 

 

 

 

Rich Malcolm uses many subtle tricks keeping the Trad Jazz Beat – you need to watch him carefully to catch them.   On Marchand de Poisson he turned the drum sticks around and played them with the backside giving it more emphasis.  Instead of rim-tapping or using a wood block, he taps on a couple of sticks wired between the drums.

Backward sticks

Tapping on sticks instead of rim

Dardanella started with a 4-bar rhythm vamp, Stan playing fine chorus on soprano sax, and ending with a band stinger!

They closed with Louis’s Sleepy Time Down South.

The Blue Horizon Jazz Band will be playing the first Thursday of every month at Primavera Ristorante.  Check out the Primavera Schedule.  Thank you, Ellen McDonald!