Tag Archives: Jeff Stout

Blue Horizon Jazz Band at the Sherborn Inn, November 18, 2014

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6-pc Traditional Jazz Band, no banjo

Stan McDonald’s Blue Horizon Jazz Band

The Blue Horizon Jazz Band took a romp through the music from the 20’s to the 50’s, playing happy, foot stomping Traditional Jazz.  Jeff Stout was relaxed (he must have had a good day teaching at Berklee.)  McDonald plays Traditional Jazz for the sheer spirit of it; he lives for this music.  They were feeling each other out, trumpet playing lead, soprano sax counterpoint.  Gerry Gagnon’s trombone complementing the front line. They were dynamic!

It all came together, starting with I Got Rhythm.  They got rhythm!  Save It Pretty Mama Stan vocal, and soprano sax with piano comping.  Stu Gunn’s string bass is solid as a metronome.  He stays sharp playing classical bass with the Cape Cod Symphony,

They haven’t played the catchy tune by Sidney Bechet, Lastik, in a long time.  Great tune; trumpet and sax taking lead, muted trombone playing counterpoint.  Gerry Gagnon pulls a multitude of sounds out of that trombone with different mutes.

Stan McDonald on clarinet

Stan McDonald on clarinet

 

 

 

Jelly Roll Morton’s My Gal Sal has had many versions over the years.  Piano intro with Stan on clarinet, they made it a fine instrumental, a bit slower than usual.

 

 

 

Bechet’s Tijuana, a Latin tune named after a bar in Kansas City; then to Irving Berlin with All By Myself.  Roamin’ , Ross played a western loping on the piano.

Taddeo smiling on drums

Steve Taddeo lets go

 

 

Steve Taddeo maintained the feel of Trad Jazz with clean controlled drumming,  He let loose on his drum solo on Running Wild.

 

 

 

 

Ross set a soft tempo for Sugar, trombone providing balance for sax and trumpet.  Jeff’s silky trumpet solo was backed by subtle rhythm section.  Beautiful.

Ross on piano with Blue Horizon blue flag with large sun in middle behind him

Ross Petot listens carefully and keeps it all together.

Lyrics can be an integral part of melody.  Stan contemplated, When I Leave The World Behind.

Stan singing, his flag in background

Stan McDonald puts heart and soul into his vocals

New Orleans, Jeff Stout on powerful trumpet.  They changed the mood with Sidney Bechet’s Marchand de Poisson, warm melodic lines. Wild Cat Blues marvelous, intricate ensemble.

Gerry Gagnon reaches up and makes beautiful music on Sidney Bechet’s Spreading Joy.   Astounding!

Gerry standing, trombone point in the air, Stout and Taddeo in awe

Gerry Gagnon

Si Tu Vois Ma Mere, another Bechet tune.  Matt Chavin of  ’20’s Jazz’, says “Stan McDonald is probably the closest living representative of the style of Sidney Bechet today.”

Jeff on trumpet, McDonald soprano sax

Jeff Stout and Stan McDonald complement each other

 

 

I Remember When sax and trumpet in sync, with piano playing riffs. Stan took the ending with a consummate high note!

 

 

With time growing short, the ensemble closed with a resounding lively finale of When I Grow Too Old To Dream.   

The Blue Horizon Jazz Band will return with another romp through the music from the 20’s to the 50’s on December 16th.  We don’t know yet what the new ownership in January will mean.  But….

Dan Gabel’s High Society Jazz Band will be here December 2nd, and we’ll close the year on Tuesday December 23rd with a FREE-FOR-ALL JAZZboree with many familiar fine musicians!  No admission fee, and cake for all!!   Join us???

Blue Horizon Jazz Band’s first 2014 Fall Session at the Sherborn Inn

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6-pc Trad Jazz Band, no banjo

All the Blue Horizon Jazz Band ‘regulars’ were back!!

This was a special evening with no summer substitutes; all the Blue Horizon ‘regulars’  were back with their powerful brass front line.

trumpet and soprano sax on either side of string bass

Jeff Stout and leader Stan McDonald make a powerful team.  Stu Gunn’s steady bass gives them freedom to fly!

They began with All By Myself, Stan taking the first of many vocals.  Jeff’s trumpet was crystal clear on Roaming, Ross’s piano picking up riffs.  Their repertoire consisted of tunes from the 20’s to the 40’s, strongly based on melody. They have a genuine passion and feel for this music: Tishumingo, Bechet’s Lastic, Roses of Picardie, Gershwin’s Strike Up The Band.  Rosetta was hard-charging and wild!  Honky Tonk Town had Stu weaving from side to side with the beat.

muted trombone and drum

 

 

The front line is bolstered by the deep rich tone of Gerry Gagnon’s trombone.

 

Stan played a forceful soprano sax solo on Save It Pretty Mama.   He played low register clarinet on a rhythmic Wild Man Blues, with every instrument taking spontaneous, off the cuff solos on its many breaks.

Steve Taddeo on Slingerland drums

 

 

I Would Do Most Anything For You, Taddeo maintained a resourceful Traditional Jazz beat on his Swingerland drums all evening with the use of brushes,wood block, bell, choke cymbal and pinging the hi hat stand.

 

 

 

Ross Petot was featured with the rhythm section on You Can’t Take That Away From Me, keeping the music fresh by using his magical left hand as a walking bass line instead of his famous stride piano.   Marvelous!

Ross Petot on baby grand

Ross Petot  strayed  from his famous stride piano to keep the music fresh.

Trumpet and sax were perfectly synchronized on  When I Leave The World Behind, undergirded by Steve’s drums and Stu’s pulsating string bass.

The band has had fine substitutes like Paul Monat cornet and John Kafalas trombone over the summer (Gerry moved to impressive tuba).   But it was refreshing to have the whole band back for the Fall Season.  They sent us home with a gentle, sweet, Rose of San Antone.

The Blue Horizon Jazz Band is in its 19th year at the Sherborn Inn.  They’ll all be back, along with our New England Fall Foliage on October 21st.  Take a nice ride and join us!

A Concert for Valentines, with Debby Larkin and Jeff Stout

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Debby and Jeff, back to back and smiling

Debby Larkin and Jeff Stout

Monument Music, the Concert Series at the Church of the Holy Name, 60 Monument Ave, (at the corner of Thomas Rd. and Monument Ave.) in Swampscott, MA, presents jazz vocalist, Debby Larkin in an afternoon concert on February 16, beginning at 4PM.  Come join us and bring your valentine to enjoy the romance of the season. There will be a “Meet-The-Band” reception following the concert and you will still have time to take your valentine out for a romantic dinner. Monument Music is very kid friendly, so along with your valentine, you can even bring the whole family. The concert will feature:
Debby Larkin – Vocals
Jeff Stout – Trumpet
Tim Ray – Piano
Mark Carlsen – Bass
Dave Mattacks – drums

Monument Music is celebrating its sixteenth season of bringing live performances of stellar musicians to the North Shore. The suggested donation is $5 at the door, children under twelve are free. For more information, please call 781-771-3286.

 

 

 

Blue Horizon Jazz Band’s Indian Summer at the Sherborn Inn, October 15, 2013

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Blue Horizon Jazz Band, with Dave Didriksen drums

Blue Horizon Jazz Band, with Dave Didriksen drums

Stan McDonald clarinet/soprano sax, Jeff Stout trumpet, Gerry Gagnon trombone, Ross Petot piano, Peter Gerler guitar, Al Ehrenfried string bass, Dave Didriksen drums.

Blue Horizon Jazz Band, now celebrating 18 years at the Sherborn Inn, performed another evening of fine Traditional Jazz, with a superb front line backed by the splendid rhythm section.

Stan started on clarinet for Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland, moving to soprano sax, complemented by the powerful trumpet of Jeff Stout and tailgate trombone of Gerry Gagnon.  Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You, Rose of the Rio Grand.  Four or Five Times is always played in a slow beat.

All By Myself – Berklee Professor Jeff Stout was introduced to ‘new’ old tunes played by the Bechet-Spanier Big Four.  The Big Four consisted of soprano sax and trumpet with only guitar and bass – but the Blue Horizon also has invaluable trombone, piano and drum.

Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me, Stan conjuring the echo of Sidney Bechet on soprano sax, with trumpet and trombone following in rhythmic harmony.

Stan McDonald sings

Stan McDonald sings Lotus Blossom

 

 

Lotus Blossom, Stan singing one of his favorites.

Ross’s lovely piano solo was backed by Dave’s soft brushes on snare drum.  Stan closed it with crisp high note on soprano sax.

 

 

 

 

 

Ross on piano, Peter Gerler behind him on guitar

Ross Petot, pianist extraordinaire

 

 

PIanist extraordinaire, Ross Petot’s artistry as a stride pianist is renowned; he played improvised New Orleans stride on W. C. Handy’s Ole Miss, backed by Peter Gerler’s guitar.

 

 

 


Kansas City Man Blues was a sublime piece of ensemble playing.  Bechet recorded it with Bob Wilbur in 1947.

Trombone, drums, trumpet

Gerry Gagnon, Dave Didriksen, Jeff Stout

string bass

Al Ehrenfried

Marie Elena was played in Habanera style, front line inspired by the burning tempo.  Didriksen listened carefully, anticipating where they were heading, with Al Ehrenfried’s pulsing string bass beside him.  Exciting!

Gagnon, head back, mouth wide open, drummer Didriksen in back, smiling.

Gerry Gagnon belts it out!

 

 

Lonesome Road, Stan began on vocal, then gave Gerry Gagnon a chance to belt it out.  Astounding! He could reach the back of a theater without a mic!

Stan doesn’t stray far from Bechet, returning with Marchand de Poisson.

 

 

They Closed with rapturous Indian Summer, this month’s theme. This timeless song was written by Victor Herbert in 1919 but not made famous until 1940 by Sidney Bechet. In 1978, Stan recorded his own compelling version (available on Blue Horizon Records).  http://bluehorizonjazzband.com/

Marce