Riverboat Stompers at Primavera Ristorante, February 11, 2016

7-pc Trad Jazz Band

Riverboat Stompers

Neil Flewelling cornet, Steve Straus clarinet, Frank Batchelor trombone, Phil Hower keyboard, Eric Baldwin banjo/guitar, Pierre Lemieux tuba, Rich Malcolm drums

Steve on soprano sax

Steve Straus

 

Steve Straus leads this rambunctious band on clarinet and soprano sax with amiable, good natured humor.

Members of this band come from towns all over Eastern New England.  They mix old New Orleans music from the 20’s with tunes from the ‘recent’ 60’s.  They obviously love this music – they’ve dedicated their lives to it.

Steve asked the band to sound like a Basie Band, then they played Irving Berlin’s 1911 Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Steve giving it a surprise ending with a soprano sax coda.  His sax is sweet on Paper Moon, but dynamic on Floating Down To Cotton Town.  He moved to clarinet with a vocal on a tune we’ve never heard before,  You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams.

Valentine’s Day was approaching – the evening was interspersed with love songs.  But Valentine’s Day isn’t always about loving relationships, as portrayed in his vocal, Floating Down That Old Great River. This comic song was recorded in 1915, and is typical of the kind of entertainment popular during Vaudeville.

Eric on banjo, with guitar beside him

Eric Baldwin

 

At the start of Fats Waller’s Ain’t Misbehavin’, we realized Eric Baldwin was playing rhythm banjo, adding strength to the middle of the rhythm section.

He’s been featured on guitar for years with some of his own bands.  He moved to guitar for Hoagie Carmichael’s Nearness of You, nice dance tune. He is currently teaching at Indian Hill Music Community in Littleton, MA and works as a sideman in many local bands.

 

Pierre on large tuba

Pierre LeMieux

Pierre LeMieux’s plays bass lines on tuba and extends that by turning the monstrous horn into a viable solo instrument.

Pierre leads the Mill City Jazz Band that plays in the Merrimack Valley in  Memorial Concerts-in-the-Park, Strolling sidewalk music during town activities,  Feaster-Five activities, Fund raisers,  Senior Centers,  and private parties.

He plays in parades with the Jambalaya Jazz Band, in the Shriners Swing Band, Mario Carrabba’s Big Band, and some Octoberfest German bands.

They played two early popular tunes,  It’s a Sin To Tell a Lie, a  1936 song by Billy Mayhew and Write Myself a Letter, a 1935 tune  by Fred E. Ahlert.  Pierre gave it a nice tuba solo.  He was trading 4’s with Frank’s trombone on Making Whoopee.

Frank on trombone with two mures

Frank Batchelor

 

 

Frank’s trombone sound is deep and lush, and melodic and mellow when using several mutes. He adds stimulating accompaniment to the front line.

Frank manages the band and its website – no easy task!
http://www.riverboatstompers.com/

 

 

Rich posing at the drums

Rich Manning

 

You feel the rhythm rather than hear the drum beats by Rich Malcom.  He plays in good taste.  His unique moves highlight the structure of the music by changing color, density, and dynamics.

On the snare drum, he softens reverberation by holding one stick to the drum and tapping with the other, or else tapping sticks together; or he plays softly with his fingers.  Even his solo was reserved on It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.

 

 

Phil at the keyboard, smiling at the camera

Phil Hower

 

Phil Hower introduced Irving Berlin’s Putting On The Ritz with a piano vamp.  He was featured on a warm  My Funny Valentine,  with guitar backup,  Steve playing low register clarinet solo, Frank muted trombone, and Neil’s bold cornet.

Phil’s playing offers just the right chords behind all the soloists. . Phil Hower’s heroes are the great stride pianists of the 1920’s and ’30’s, and he does his utmost to emulate their technique and style, like Jelly Roll Morton’s Why.

 

Once in a While was a barn burner, with Steve leading the band.  Tommy Dorsey’s version was #1 in 1937.

Neil on fantastic open bell cornet

Neil Fluelling

 

Neil Lewelling was featured on Sleeping Time Down South.  He plays a 60’s Getsen cornet, beautiful rich tone, playing spontaneous improvisations.  He’s played trumpet for 50 years, until he recently discovered this cornet, handed down from a couple of friends.  He plans on playing cornet for the next 50 years!

 

The final tune came as a surprise, we didn’t realize time had run out.  They sent us home with sweet New Orleans Traditional Jazz: Up a Lazy River. 

They are wonderful and dynamic musicians, fun to watch and great to listen to. You can hear them March 6th at Ken’s Steak House and March 24th back at Primavera Ristorante.  Hope to see you there!

Marce

Riverboat Stompers at Primavera Ristorante, March 26, 2015

7 pc Dixieland Band

Riverboat Stompers

Steve Straus clarinet/soprano sax, Neil Flewelling cornet, Frank Bachelor trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo, Phil Hower piano, Pierre Lemieux tuba, Richard Malcolm drums

The Riverboat Stompers are a seven-piece ensemble specializing in Traditional and Dixieland Jazz of the 20’s to 40’s. They bring an air of authenticity, and you can easily tell this is the music they cherish and have played for many years.   Jimmy Mazzy sat in on banjo and vocals, free to sing many of his unique vocals.

The others all came from a distance, driving  through a downpour for their first performance at Primavera Ristorante.  We haven’t seen them since July at the Sherborn Inn; they were well received.

With tight ensemble they began Dark Town Strutter’s Ball, Honeysuckle Rose; heartfelt solos.  Ain’t She Sweet, Pierre’s tuba was bouncing off the back wall; Rich Malcolm stood up from the drums, just tapping two sticks together!

Jim singing and playing banjo

Jimmy Mazzy

 

Jimmy’s soul-warming vocals are encouraged; he really gets his head around the lyrics.  Lulu’s Back in Town, All of Me.  Phil’s piano offered just the right chords behind him, as well as all the soloists.

 

 

 

 

Steve Straus on soprano sax with Jimmy behind him

Steve Straus on soprano sax

 

 

Lazy River started nice and slow, Frank’s trombone playing with passion.  Then pushed by Steve’s soprano sax, the band surged upbeat.

 

 

 

Neil on muted cornet

Neil Fleweling

 

A new horn in the band, Neil Flewelling has admirable technique with solos that move lightly from phrase to phrase.  Neil has been playing professionally for over 50 years and teaching music for over 40 years in the Haverhill school systems.  He fits right in with this band.

 

 

They played serious Dixieland Jazz, no shtick.  Steve did ask the audience to “name this tune.” Hint: A Traditional Jazz barn-burner, based on a Sousa March.  Nobody remembered Fidgety Feet. (We’re all getting old!)  Straus on clarinet, hot cornet and tuba duet.

Pierre on tuba in front of fireplace

Pierre Lemieux

 

South, fine tuba.  Generally the tuba plays almost exactly the same bass lines.  Pierre Lemieux’s tuba  plays some melody and counterpoint.  He is heard all over the North Shore, leads his own group “The Mill City Jazz Band” and is a regular in “Jim Kilroy’s Jambalaya Jazz Band” and “The Jailhouse Seven”.

 

 

 

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Jim vocal, sophisticated exchange between cornet and sweet soprano sax.  Tuba solo was backed by Rich Malcolm, standing, just clapping his hands for beat.  The drummer is the heartbeat of Traditional Jazz.    Rich may teach at Berklee, but he’s a knowledgeable Dixieland Jazz drummer and keeps a sensitive beat using anything at his disposal.  Baby Face was wild, another Jimmy vocal, with Malcolm backing him by tapping on bell and rim of the bass drum.

Riverboat Ramblers RhythmAnother New Orleans Chestnut, Bourbon St. Parade –“ Let’s fly down or drive down, to New Orleans.”  Not a bad idea.  They’re looking for volunteers for the upcoming French Quarter Festival on the 9th.

A 1922 original, Limehouse Blues, was recorded in 1922 by Red Nichols and his Five Pennies. Fancy drum solo, Rich twirling/spinning sticks in his hands, with the band playing behind him in low stop time.  My Gal Sal, soft clarinet opener, with tuba softly mirroring his notes.

Phil’s piano took the intro to a lively Putting on the Ritz. Phil Hower’s heroes are the great stride pianists of the 1920’s and ’30’s, and he does his utmost to emulate their technique and style. His strongly rhythmic left hand has enabled Phil to be continuously on the roster of trad jazz bands.

Exactly Like You, In My Honey’s Loving Arms, lyrical, hugging the melody, Jim singing.

Steve asked if we would like to hear a Gershwin tune?  Why not?   Piano took the intro to Lady Be Good, Neil’s cornet sneaked in a bit of Stumbling.   (They can make Trad Jazz out of any melody.)   The audience was paying attention, feeding off the band’s energy.

clarinet, cornet, trombone, also shows banjo, drum & tuba

Front Line

They closed with a zesty delivery of Kid Ory’s 1926 Muscat Ramble. It was excellent Dixieland Jazz from beginning to end.  We hope to hear them again, with better weather.  They do have a CD for purchase – check out their new website created by Frank Batchelor at http://www.riverboatstompers.com/.

Riverboat Stompers at the Sherborn Inn

7-piece Dixieland Band

Riverboat Stompers

Steve Straus reeds, Larry Baxter cornet, Frank Batchelor trombone, Phil Hower piano, Jim Mazzy Banjo, Pierre Lemieux tuba, Rick Malcolm drums.

Riverboat Stompers played at the Sherborn Inn June 25th, 2013, featuring the music of Hoagie Carlichael, Gershwin, Cole Porter, and more. They began hot and heavy with That’s-a-Plenty.

Steve Straus clarinet, Larry Baxter cornet, Frank Bachelor trombone

Front Line: Steve Straus, Larry Baxter, Frank Batchelor

Steve Straus moves easily from clarinet to soprano sax on New Orleans.   Jimmy Mazzy had many of the vocals, but Larry Baxter took over for some tunes, Lady Be Good C’est Si Bon.  Steve Straus also did a fine vocal on Cottontown.

Pierre Lemieux on tuba

Pierre Lemieux

 

 

Pierre Lemieux thoughtfully supports the band and each musician without pushing.

 

 

They dedicated Blue Turning Gray Over You to their late trombone player, Tom Page, who died about 1 ½ years ago.   Ensemble vocal took the intro to Sophie Tucker’s Some of These Days, with Jimmy taking it over with soft backing by Baxter’s cornet.

Phil Hower at piano

Phil Hower

 

 

Pianist Phil Hower listens carefully; responds with delicate and resourceful phrases.

 

 

This is a fun band.   Medley for today, with audience participation,  Ain’t She Sweet, Five Foot Two, I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover.  Everyone gets into the vocal on Alabama Jubilee, and on kazoo.   They have a ‘name this tune’ contest.  Jimmy singing, scatting, carefully not giving away the title.  But this time no one came up with the tune “South”.   Maybe next time.

Rich Malcolm on drums

Rich Malcolm

 

 

Drummer Rich Malcolm is capable of slam banging with the best of them, but he’s unselfishly maintains the beat, letting loose on solos so that we sometimes hear the melody in his drums. He started with a Latin beat on Comes Love, with swinging bridges.

 

 

 

Jimmy Mazzy, banjo/vocals

Jimmy Mazzy

 

 

They slowed the pace for Why, a  little known tune played by Golden Gate Rhythm Machine on the West Coast, and the Riverboat Ramblers on the East Coast.  Mazzy putting his heart into the tune in his own unique Mazzy style.

 

 

 

They closed with ‘Till We Meet Again.  We might be able to catch them playing somewhere on the North Shore. Check out www.riverboatstompers.com for their schedule.

Tunes played today:
That’s a Plenty, New Orleans, Lady Be Good, Blue Turning Grey Over You, South, Alabama Jubilee, Why, Who’s Sorry Now, Home, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, Cottontown, I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Miss Otis Regrets, Medley, Comes Love, Lulu’s Back in Town, C’est Si Bon, Some of These Days, ‘Til We Meet Again.