Jazz at Sunset is the premier outdoor Summer Concert series sponsored by The American Big Band Preservation Society and SAC Park.
“Hundreds of people enjoyed a remarkable performance by The Four Freshmen last night at SAC Park, backed up by Dan Gabel and the Abletones – and in memory of and dedication to Charlie Messier! Enjoy these delightful photos by Candace Imming!” https://www.flickr.com/photos/swimcsi/sets/72157644991636217/
Dan Gabel and the Abletones with the Four Freshmen at SAC Park
(I’m betting Charlie Messier and his friend Leo Curran were sitting near the Stan Kenton Band up there, and enjoying this too. Marce)
TAG Trio: Steve Taddeo, Nikolas Anadolis, Dan Gabel
Dan Gabel’s TAG Trio (Taddeo-Anadolis-Gabel) performed for the second time at Music at Mendon, held at the Unitarian Church in Mendon MA. Thanks to Rev. Ralph Clarke, with a grant from the Mendon Cultural Council and aided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Music at Mendon has great performances once a month in the Spring and Summer.
The TAG Trio plays music of the 1920’s from the Great American Song Book, with a varied program of ballads, melodies, and Jazz written by some of America’s greatest composers. Dan started this evening singing the verse of their theme song, Whispering, written by Vincent Rose. It was most famously recorded by Paul Whiteman and his Ambassador Orchestra on August 23, 1920
Dorothy Fields-Jimmy McHugh Exactly Like You, was followed by Cole Porter’s last effort as a composer, a song he wrote for the movie High Society, I Love You Samantha. Dan’s sweet trombone was backed by Nikolas’ magic fingers softly playing harmonies behind him.
A 1921 tune done by the great Jazz singers The Boswell Sisters, Mildred Bailey, Eddy Condon – There’ll Be Some Changes Made was total improvisation, Dan playing trombone, Nikolas watching him carefully and playing counter melody, Taddeo softly tapping choke cymbal, hitting cowbell for emphasis.
Art Hickman pioneered Big Bands; he was the first to include saxophones. In 1917 he had one of his biggest successes with the song “Rose Room“, which was named after the hotel room. In 1919 Rose Room was done by Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw. Nikolas started slowly playing stride piano, then worked up to sophisticated, creative piano. Dan’s trombone played warm and sentimental.
Staying in the 20’s, 1928 I Don’t Know Why I Love You Like I Do, Dan invited the audience to sing along, a few did, while he resumed his “inner Bing”.
The mood changed with a 1950’s Greek tune played by Nikolas. The name of the tune is “Asta ta malakia sou” , in greek “Ασ’τα τα μαλάκια σου”. He says in Greece they play the same song in many of their movies. Translated it means “Let yourself go, feel free.” Fast waltz – absolutely WILD piano!
Leo Robbin & Ralph Rainger wrote Easy Living, done by Billie Holiday with Teddy Wilson on piano. Nikolas enjoyed the drum backup and kept turning around to smile at Steve, softly tapping on choke cymbal. Steve doesn’t always play this softly on drums.
A ‘good ol’ good one’, (there’s one in every performance) that they played recently with Steve’s Swing Senders at the Sherborn Inn – Sweet Sue. It was a GOOD ONE!
Getting back to Cole Porter, they played a tune that Sinatra sang – Your Sensational, Dan singing in his lowest crooner voice. (He’s practicing Sinatra tunes for his next appearance at The Imperial Ballroom just down the street in Mendon on April 25th.)
Closing tune – time to let the Tiger Out – with The Swing Senders’ theme song Dinah. Taddeo let his exulting Gene Krupa loose on drums. Krupa is his idol. Dinah hit the crowd like a bombshell!
Steve Taddeo goes wild on drums
He attempted his famous Krupa walk-around, but was too restricted by the altar’s balustrade, so he just kept drumming onanything within reach.
Steve attempts ‘walk around’ tapping anything in reach
It was an amazing ending to an hour of great 1920’s ballads, melodies, swing and Jazz.
Both Dan and Nikolas will be graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music in May. Dan will be around New England for many years. Nikolas is hoping to join the faculty at the University of Lausanne on Lake Geneva, Switzerland. But he will be playing in Festivals all over Europe. We will miss his smiling face, and he’s promised to return whenever he can. www.nikolasjazz.com/
Dan Gabel and the Abletones at SAC Park, Shrewsbury MA
Listen and dance to New England’s favorite big band attraction!
by C. S. Imming
Elise Roth and Dan Gabel
Elise Roth
First Friday Swing at SAC in Shrewsbury, MA provided another great time for dancers and listeners alike. Dan Gabel and the Abletones, featuring Elise Roth, performed a variety of tunes in their extensive playlist such as “The Trolley Song”, “How About You”, “A Nightingale Sang in Berkley Square”, and “Mack the Knife”, as well as songs by Vaughn Monroe and other big bands. The enthusiastic crowd kept the dance floor moving the whole night, as the band’s rich, dynamic sound kept irresistible melodies in the air. Next First Friday Swing will be in April, so see you there and come prepared to move.
Video excerpts from the First Friday dance held March 7, 2014 at SAC Park in Shrewsbury, MA. Dan Gabel and the Abletones with vocalist Elise Roth.
We all hit the Jackpot with these two fine musicians, Dan Gabel and Amanda Carr, determined to maintain our kind of music, with Dan Gabel’s Abletones at the Ecotarium on June 15th. They opened the Ecotarium’s Live at Sunset (formerly Jazz at Sunset) to an overflowing, exuberant crowd.
Dan brought an All-star cast, playing great numbers that really enlivened us. Some younger folks never heard them before, but caught the fever and couldn’t, wouldn’t sit still. It was magical, and Dan wrapped it up in one word: “Alakazam”!
Dan Gabel and Amanda Carr
Saxes: Mike Caudill tenor Anthony Cincotta ten John Clark alto Bruce Diehl lead alto Dick Poccia, bari
Trumpets: Freddie Ramos Pete Sokolowski Jeff Holmes, lead Adam Mejaour
Trombones: Joe Burke Larry Meade Craig Robbins Dan Gabel
Rhythm: Bill Doyle guitar – mgr Jim Gancarz drums/vocals Walther Greineder, string bass Ross Petot piano
It was a beautiful sunny day. The Ecotarium was nicely set up with tables and chairs that were quickly swept up and reserved in advance. Others brought lawn chairs and blankets that covered the lawn all the way up to the hill’s planetarium. Some brought picnic baskets, there was a beer and wine bar, and again Eric’s Patisserie provided delectable hot and barbecued fare.
Till There Was You, Dan’s fabulous trombone raised goose bumps.
He has a genuine feel for the music of the 30’s and 40’s, and believes the old songs are still the best.
Amanda is a natural and charming entertainer. She was first featured on an Everett Longstreth number, Blue Moon,and a song done by Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole that we haven’t heard for a while,Orange Colored Sky.
Trombones Dan Gabel, Craig Robbins, Larry Meade, Joe Burke Craig Robbins is the youngest at 18 years old – going to Berklee College, and Joe Burke was Dan’s Dan’s high school band director/mentor at Holy Name, and is now retired.
Mike Caudill tenor, John Clark alto, Bruce Diehl alto, Anthony Cincotta tenor, Dick Poccia – bari
Adam Mejaour, Jeff Holmes (lead), Freddie Ramos, Pete Sokolowski
Rhythm Section:
Ross Petot piano
Bill Doyle, guitar – manager
Walther Greineder, string bass
Jim Gancarz, drummer/vocals
Adam Mejaour featured in the 1942 Harry James number, a sunny and warm You Made Me Love You.
Jim Gancarz, the drummer! singing a Glen Miller ballad,Barkley Square.
He doesn’t need a mic – his fine powerful voice would carry to the four corners of the earth!
For all you Swingers out there – East Side West Side (Sidewalks of NY) really swings!
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John Clark was featured on clarinet for Begin the Beguine – little girls had to get up and dance
Dan and Amanda will beCelebrating New England at Mechanic’s Hall in September, so they gave us a preview of a Dan Gabel arrangement of Moonlight in Vermont, with Dick Poccia on bari sax. Fabulous! This was his 1sttime with the band,
A lovely ballad sung by a lovely lady, Amanda Carr.
Bei Mir Bist Du Schon, John Clark clarinet, with Amanda Carr singing the Martha Tilton arrangement.
They dedicated the next arrangement to servicemen overseas who are not home with their families, Dan Gabel and the Abletones’ Salute to the Armed Forces, playing all five service hymns as vets stood up to applause when their hymn was played.
The Army Goes Rolling Along, Anchors Away, The Marine’s Hymn, usually played in a hard, fighting tempo, was done here in an unusually soft, slow version, almost a ballad. Beautiful! The U.S. Coast Guard Anthem, Semper Paratus (Always Ready), The Air Force’s Into The Wild Blue Yonder, Gancarz ended the series with a long, fitting drum roll.
Johnny Mercer’s Moon River – nice waltz, brought more dancers out on the Science Center’s cement floor. The 100th anniversary of Fenway park was honored for Red Sox fans in a sing-along, Take Me Out To The Ball Game. Jeff Holmes, trumpet, singing the verse, mismatching the words to the melody – not easy! And for the Classic Jazz lovers, Paper Moon in Hot, toe-tapping, Dixieland Tempo by John Clark, Dan, Jeff Holmes, with Amanda singing. We loved it!
Another Benny Goodman-Martha Tilton tune, Amanda puts heart and soul into The Angels Sing
Mack The Knife, by special request – Dan said “people riot if they don’t hear this”. Dick Poccia on bari sax. Craig Robbins on trombone, Bruce Diehl lead alto, John Clark alto, Mike Caudill tenor and Bill Doyle guitar (who can also play banjo).
The Finale was a Billy Ray original, a rare tune – 793 – Dan renamed it Ecotarium Swing – and it did swing! And suddenly it was over. The crowd was on its feet, would not let them leave, calling out for more.
Jim Gancarz’s drum took the intro into a scorching Sing Sing Sing. John Clark’s spontaneous clarinet solo set sparks flying, ending in a dramatic drawn-out interplay with the drums, and finally a Benny Goodman blistering high clarinet finish that left the crowd howling!
It was an incredibly exciting ending to the Ecotarium’s first Live at Sunset for 2012. And there are more for the next five Fridays.
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Dan Gabel studied at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, triple-majoring in Political Science, Legal Studies, and Jazz History. Dan recently completed a year-long world tour with the GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA!
Dan sometimes uses “Bud” Trow’s tuba, which recently was given to Dan. It is a very old Orsi model from Milan, probably from around 1915. “It may be old, it may not look the best, but I’m sure proud to play Bud’s tuba. It gets a great big sound, perfect for the 1920’s arrangements. Whenever I play it, I will remember fondly my friend Bud,” says Dan. We remember Bud’s Tuxedo Classic Jazz Band, and know that he’s up there smiling!
Amanda will be the voice of CBS on July 4th. She and Dan are part of ABBPS, the American Big Band Preservation Society, which was created as a non profit corporation August 24, 2009. It is now a Section 501 c 3 corporation under the IRS. www.americanbigband.org. Dan went to California to accept the donation of Henry Busse’scomplete library including charts, entire photo collection, even mutes. He is now CEO and President of ABBPS and is looking for a place to keep it. The ABBPS plans to share the charts with schools to keep the music playing.
Dan’s High Society Orchestra will be playing FREE at the BANDSTAND in WEST BOYLSTOn, not the Willows, on July 1st. BE THERE! You’ll love it!
Sunday, September 23, 2-4pm Dan Gabel and The Abletones, featuring Amanda Carr, will be recording their 2nd album, “Homesick for New England” at a massive dance/concert at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester. MA. Tickets now on sale by calling the box office (508) 752-0888 or visit www.MechanicsHall.org. Presented by The American Big Band Preservation Society.
