Joe Midiri – Clarinet, Saxophones, Paul Midiri – Vibraphone, Trombone, Pat Mercuri – Guitar, Ed Wise – String Bass, and Jim Lawlor – Drums.
The Midiri Brothers, identical twins, graduated from Glassboro State College in the mid-1980s, and have been keeping Swing alive all over the country ever since.
Joe Midiri’s creativity, technique of breathing, and sound – as with his clarinet in D over High C, is unsurpassed. Paul does many of the arrangements, and his vibes remind us of the great Red Norvo in the Benny Goodman Sextet.
Shine:
Joe used the circle breathing technique for holding a note forever on After You’ve Gone. Ed Wise used his voice mike, humming along when he’s bowing that marvelous string bass.
Joe Midiri on soprano sax
Always, the song I sang to my grandchildren when they were babies. Joe moved to soprano sax, again holding long notes, for The September Song – sweetest soprano sax you ever heard!
Ed Wise Humming along with his string bass
Paul did the arrangement for a tune he heard on a Count Basie recording, Let’s Go – clarinet and vibes playing together in sync, with Ed humming in the background.
Joe Midiri sings Louis A.
Joe’s Louis Armstrong imitation is precious, sometimes on Wonderful World.
Here he’s Louis on Pennies From Heaven. Joe on alto sax, Paul trombone.
Pennies From Heaven
Pat Midiri
Pat Mercuri, guitar, plays catchy riffs, fills in any spaces.
Avalon:
Together:
Paul joins drummer Jim Lawlor for Lime House Blues
The Midiri Brothers are entertainers as well as virtuoso swing musicians. They keep the crowd laughing with their sibling rivalry banter. The Midiri Brothers Sextet keep dancers Swinging! Check out their schedule at The Midiri Brothers – New Jersey
Bill Logozzo’s Heartbeat Jazz Band, “New England’s Most Lovable Jazz Band”, has many variations, but always plays great Traditional and Dixieland Jazz, and even some Rock & Roll. Bill picks the best musicians from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, and Florida — they are all eager to be in this band.
This session, recorded by Eric Devine, has Sherman Kahn and Noel Kaletsky reeds, Tom Brown cornet, Skip Hughes trombone/vocals, Ben Griffen trombone, Steve Keeler guitar, Shari Lewis piano, Al Bernard sousaphone, Bill Logozzo drums, Jane Campedelli vocals.
Jane Campedelli
You can feel the camaraderie between the members. Skip Hughes starts the vocals on this one, Louisian-I-A; he motions Jane to join him. Albie backs them.
Jane, Albie, and Skip. (Marce photo from other session)
Skip Hughes is a gregarious singer, belts out the tunes, and really connects with the audience. But here in Georgia he reveals another, softer, side.
Roll the Patrol is usually Skip’s tune, but he let Janie start this one.
Ben Griffin takes the intro on When You’re Smiling. Marvelous! Bob Price couldn’t be here, Steve Keeler filled in, focused on guitar. You’ll be hearing more from him!
Stevedore Stomp is strictly instrumental, with two trombones, and Noel on alto sax, Sherman clarinet, Tom Brown on growling cornet.
Second session, multi-instrumentalist John Clark stepped in for Noel. Clark and Kahn work together and play off each other – superb craftsmanship.
John Clark joins Heartbeat Jazz Band
Sherman Kahn alto sax and clarinet, John Clark bari sax, soprano sax, clarinet, Tom Brown cornet, Skip Hughes trombone/vocals, Ben Griffin trombone, Steve Keeler guitar, Shari Lewis piano, Al Bernard sousaphone, Bill Logozzi drums, Jane Campedelli vocals.
They opened with a good ol’ good one, New Orleans, and ended up with some Rock & Roll. With Skip and Jane singing, Clark took out the baritone sax for Goody Goody. They asked him to call the next tune, he chose Sweet Georgia Brown that featured two trombones.
Steve, Ben Griffin, Albie, Skip Hughes
Down in Honky Tonk Town, powerful, with Sherman on tenor sax, Clark on soprano sax, hot dazzling solos buoyed by propulsive rhythm section. Both on clarinet, they ‘worked like government mules’ on Avalon.
Sherman Kahn and John Clark
Jane and Skip are a show by themselves. Big discussion on who will start Just a Closer Walk With Thee, Jane says to Skip, “You start, like you always do”. Skip replies “And you’ll get the last word in, I’m sure”!
Jane and Skip go at it
Jane got the last word in, softly backed by Ben on trombone.
Tom Brown cornet
John Clark beat out a hard driving tempo for a scorching Running Wild. Clark’s soprano sax traded 4s with cornetist Tom Brown setting sparks flying.
Steve Keeler
Steve Keeler made the guitar intro to a Dolly Parton tune, Pretend, and pushed the beat on Hey Good Lookin’ Jane and Skip scatting. Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone.
Bill Logozzo is a most unique individual. This world needs more like him! Besides being a fine musician with a great band, he drums up charitable support for the needy with his high-powered Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band and Musical Dreams for Human Harmony.
Bill Logozzo
His mission: “To solicit and earn funds through musical productions and programs for the purpose of helping people from all religions, races and ages, with specific medical needs and/or handicaps. To achieve the highest donation rate possible, through minimal expenses and volunteer labor.”
Karen Senn is now letting the world know where they’re playing by emailing The Heartbeat Weekly Pulse and posting on Facebook.
