Steve Taddeo Big Band, September 9, 2017 at Bemis Hall

18-piece Big Band

Steve Taddeo Big Band

videos by CineDevine

Saxophones: Maureen Amaral, Kaitlyn Haggerty, Jeff Poster, Jim DeVito, Ben Petrucci and Frank David;
Trombones: Bob Sinclair, Rick Ong, Kurt Thuler and Chris DeCenzo;
Trumpets: Larry Panzer, Skip Gummoe, Garry Freedman Richie Thuler and Bill Cable;
Rhythm section, David James piano, John Deardon string bass, Bill Doyle guitar and Steve Taddeo drums and Leader;
Vocalists: Debby Nordike  and Paul Agnew and special guest Paul Monat cornet

In 1939, Dick Donovan fulfilled a lifelong dream by starting the Dick Donovan Big Band with Paul Brann, bass.  As the leader of a 20-piece big band, Dick delighted audiences throughout New England and helped to bring authentic music from a bygone era to listeners young and old. He retired from the bandstand in 2008.

Donovan gladly turned the band  and charts over to drummer Steve Taddeo and Paul Brann.  Since then, they have been rehearsing the band every other Monday in Waltham MA.  They did swing dances and mostly private parties.

Steve drumming in ecstacy

Steve Taddeo

 

 

Recently re-titled The Steve Taddeo Big Band.  Steve gets an overwhelming feeling of happiness and joyful excitement leading this band – Paul Brann is still Manager.

 

 

piano, string bass, guitar, drum

The Rhythm Boys: David James, John Deardon,  Steve Taddeo, Bill Doyle

They started with Don’t Be That Way, with Maureen Amaral on clarinet

Ben Petrucci, original Member of the Donovan Band, plays alto sax on
Stella By Starlight

Moonlight Serenade

Debby Nordike sings Orange Colored Sky

Paul Agnew sings I Can’t Give You Anything But Love

720 In The Books

Guest Paul Monat plays cornet on I Can’t Believe That You’re In Love With Me

A Foggy Day In London Town, Kurt Thuler, Trombone

Rose of The Rio Grande  Kurt Thuler Trombone

Drumming Man – Steve Taddeo does his drum walk-around, ending with bassist John Deardon’s play on Ray Bauduc and Bob Haggart’s drum/string bass duet.

They closed with Orange Coast.  They plan to play many summer concerts.  If you’d like to hire The Steve Taddeo Big Band, email Steve Taddeo at taddeosm@comcast.net  .

More Videos:

A Tisket A Tasket
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_6Gy5iDL6Q

Opus One
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBfccYQRwOI

Big John
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkJx_OI8YoI

Tuxedo Junction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPJ-lWycN7Q

Quincy  & The Count
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKQ5XeEoAFM

Board Meeting
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vg-Qoxfm5s

Leap Frog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcSNfWTfxUw

Right Idea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibadM09VhNI

Fannie Mae
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qheS-hxdz8

Big Swing Face
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBeVao6tA6k

Orange Toast
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5Tig_bR2eQ

A Foggy Day In London Town
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8kPxVmPUts

Traffic Jam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BquTq3PjUyQ

It’s Almost Like Being In Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS0_zJKAv-U

Freckle Face
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTv-lpx_J3o

Riverboat Stompers at Primavera September 14, 2017

Steve Straus leader/clarinet, Neil Flewellen cornet, Frank Batchelor trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Phil Hower piano, Pierre Lemieux tuba, Rich MacMillan drums.

7 piece Trad Jazz Band

Riverboat Stompers

The Riverboat Stompers are a seven-piece ensemble specializing in Traditional and Dixieland Jazz of the 20’s to 40’s. 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.

They kicked it off with livewire ensemble on Struttin’ With Some Barbecue.  This is fine New Orleans jazz, with cornet, trombone and clarinet against a four-piece rhythm section.

Jimmy Mazzy sat in on banjo singing many of his inimitable vocals, starting with From Monday On.

siting, passionately playing clarinet

Steve Straus

 

Steve Straus leads this rambunctious band on clarinet with amiable, good-natured humor.  There is great passion and intensity in his clarinet playing.  He sang several songs, especially adding drama to Ace In The Hole.

 

 

 

sitting, playing cornet

Neil Flewellen

 

 

Neil Lewelling was featured on Sleepy Time Down South. He plays a 60’s Getsen cornet, beautiful rich tone, playing spontaneous improvisations, with admirable technique and solos that move lightly from phrase to phrase.

 

 

 

 

Frank standing, playing trombone

Frank Batchelor

 

 

Frank’s trombone sound is deep and lush, and melodic and mellow when using several mutes.  One of his favorites is a Fats Waller tune played by The Paris Washboard – Our Love Was Meant To Be.  They played it with only four players – trombone, tuba, piano and drum.

 

 

 

Phil on keyboard

Phil Hower

 

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.  When the band took its first break – after playing for an hour and a half, he sat by himself playing I Love a Piano!

 

 

 

Jimmy Mazzy

 

 

Jimmy Mazzy’s soul-warming vocals are encouraged; he really gets his head around the lyrics.  The band kept him busy – check out the list of tunes below to see how many he sang.

 

 

 

Pierre playing large tuba

Pierre Lemieux

 

 

 

Pierre LeMieux was back after a lengthy absence.  He plays bass lines on tuba and extends that by turning the monstrous horn into a viable solo instrument.  He videotaped the whole evening, and we hope to get some of them later.

 

 

on minimal drums, bass and snare, 3 cymbals

Rich MacMillan

 

You feel the rhythm rather than hear the drum beats by Rich Malcom.  He is a knowledgeable Dixieland Jazz drummer and maintains that essential Trad beat.  His unique moves highlight the structure of the music by changing color, density, and dynamics on a minimal drum set.  He sometimes softens reverberation by drumming with his hands!

 

 

The Riverboat Stompers closed with a rowdy Wang Wang Blues, then softly segued into ¾ time with  ‘Till We Meet Again.  They are wonderful and dynamic musicians, fun to watch and great to listen to.  They inspire one another; you can easily tell this is the music they cherish.  So do we, and sincerely hope to hear them again!
http://www.riverboatstompers.com

TUNES:

Struttin’ With Some Barbecue
From Monday On, Jimmy
Putting on The Ritz, Steve
Sweet Sue, Jimmy
My Blue Heaven, Neil
Downtown Strutters Ball, Jimmy
Rosetta, Jimmy
Do What Ory Say, Jimmy
Beale St. Blues,  Jimmy
Lady Be Good, Jimmy
Exactly Like You, Jimmy
Ace in The Hole, Steve
Sunny Side of the Street
Our Love Was Meant To Be
Wang Wang Blues
‘Till We Meet Again