Motif

Author: Burt Jagolinzer

  • Jazz Insights: Harry Allen

    Rhode Island’s Harry Allen is considered one of America’s finest tenor saxophone players. Although he was born in Washington D.C., he grew up in Rhode Island, where he became an All-State Baseball player.
    His father, Maurice, was a big band drummer who taught his son the American Songbook and the secrets of the entertainment world. Harry played at most of the local jazz spots in the Ocean State before heading to college in New Jersey. He graduated from Rutgers University in 1988.
    Being close to New York, he kept busy with gigs all around greater New York City, working with many of the Big Apple’s top jazz performers. Among the list were Bucky and John Pizzareli, Don Caymmai, Keith Ingham and John Colianni.
    Young Harry wanted to emulate many of the great tenor saxophone players, including Providence’s own Scott Hamilton, Coleman Hawkins, Ben Webster, Flip Phillips, Sam Donahue and Paul Gonsalves.
    Today, being the veteran that he has become, he travels the world, playing his own style and capturing a large fan base. When he plays nearby, it is a tough ticket to buy. So, keep your eyes open for Harry Allen when he comes our way.

  • Jazz Insights: Bobby Hackett

    Bobby Hackett, a one-of-a-kind original soft-performing trumpet-player, was born in Providence in 1915. His slow and romantic high-quality tone has never been properly imitated, though many performers have tried.

    He became popular in the last part of the previous century after being recorded with seven labels, including his most important recordings with the Capital Studios.
    Over the course of his spectacular career, he performed with Tony Bennett, Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller, Ray McKinley, Jack Teagarden, Pee Wee Russell, Lee Wiley, Horace Heidt and his long association with the great Jackie Gleason. With Gleason, Bobby’s sweet and romantic sounds can be heard on 11 highly collectible albums, still being played today.
    Among his favorite gigs were those with George Wein and the Newport All-Stars and performing on the Newport Jazz Festival stage, and jazz enthusiasts are quick to point out Bobby’s horn heard during Glenn Miller’s famous recording of “String-Of-Pearls.” Other notable performances include a stint in Louie Armstrong’s 1947 Town Hall Jazz Concert and a two-year tour with Tony Bennett (1965-67). In the 1970s he worked with Dizzy Gillespie and Teresa Brewer, among others.
    Bobby passed away in 1976 at the age of 61 at his home in Chatham, Massachusetts, and in 2012 he was posthumously inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame.

  • Jazz Insights: Frankie Carle

     

    Big band pianist and songwriter Frankie Carle passed away at age 98 in 2001 in Mesa, Arizona, where he had retired.
    Frankie (Francesco Carlone) was born in Providence in 1903, and his unusual piano styling and orchestra concepts were perfect for dancing and jazz. Frankie began performing with the Mal Hallett Orchestra in 1934. He left the Hallett group and started his own orchestra in 1935. By 1939 he had joined the Horace Heidt & Musical Knights and their ongoing tours. In 1944 he once again started his own orchestra, this time featuring the singing voice of his daughter Marjorie Hughes. He disbanded his orchestra in 1955 and began performing as a soloist.
    In 1989 he was inducted into the International Big Band & Jazz, Hall of Fame, and posthumously into Rhode Island’s Musical Hall of Fame. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk-Of-Fame.
  • Jazz Insights: Bonnie Mann

    Jazz Insights: Bonnie Mann

    jazzThree years ago we lost one of jazz’s popular cabaret singers.
    Eighty-five year old Bonnie Mann (Boncorsi Wotherspoon) was born in Pawtucket. Known for her big-band style singing she regularly could be found throughout Rhode Island with many of the great performing jazz and dance groups.
    Bonnie sang at the old King & Queens’ Restaurant on Mineral Spring Avenue with, at the time, the young Mike Renzi and others. Her beauty, style and professional voice continually captured local audiences. Her renditions of early American Song Book compositions became favorites among her loyal following. She was a constant worker for the Providence Musician’s Union and was known by musicians state-wide. Her friends numbered in the hundreds.
    In her later years she performed quite regularly with the late Mac Chrupcala and his several jazz groups. Bonnie kept singing with her heart to her very end; she died in January 2015.
    The jazz industry in Rhode Island will not forget the late Bonnie Mann.and her dynamic jazz singing voice.

  • Jazz Insights: Catherine Pratte

    Jazz enthusiast and veteran violinist Catherine Pratte was born in Providence. Cathy, who now lives in Bristol, graduated Salve Regina University in Newport and went on to receive two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education. She has played violin for more than 60 years, of which some 35 years were with the late famous Joseph Conte, who had dabbled in all facets of music, including jazz. Her background includes many years working for the Providence School Department as a music therapist, helping to solve local youth’s problems with unique musical approaches.
    Today Cathy is totally enthralled in the jazz art-form, following talented performers like the great and famous Mike Renzi. She has become a jazz critic, supporting local jazz venues, and we are lucky to have her and her following grace the current jazz events in Rhode Island.
    Jazz will survive, with the help of individuals like Cathy Pratte involved.

  • Jazz Insights: Debra Mann

    One of Rhode Island’s finest all-around jazz entertainer is Debra Mann. Her young talents brought her to Boston’s Berklee College, where she studied jazz and classical music. Soon, she became a premier jazz pianist and singer, gracing top performing halls, restaurants and hotels. She operated as a solo artist for a period and then formed a trio and later a quintet.  They became world-class performing groups.
    Debra is a regular recording artist with the Whaling City Sound organization from New Bedford. She is an active member of The Jazz Education Network, as well as The Providence Musicians Union. Among her many credits was a featured guest appearance during a Boston Pops performance. Debra was nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award.
    Her gigs regularly highlight the American Songbook, Brazilian jazz music, the music of Joni Mitchell, Jobim, Dave Frishberg and her original compositions. Currently, she teaches voice and piano. Debra joined the faculty at Brown University in 2014 and Wheaton College in 2015, and you can catch her terrific performances throughout the area!

  • Jazz Insights: Joe C Esposito

    One the premier reed players in New England represents Rhode Island. Joe C. Esposito was born in Westerly, grew-up in Warwick and now lives in Cranston. His smooth tenor saxophone style shows off his education — he’s a graduate of Boston’s Berklee College.
    Joe is a proud freelance reedman, who also provides private lessons in several schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In the evenings he performs with many of the great local and visiting musicians at clubs, restaurants and private parties. Joe often performs at Twin Rivers with the Steve Anthony Band or The 5th Element (Newport) and at the Patio on Ocean Cliff, by the water on Newport’s famous Ocean Drive.
    Joe’s accomplishments include gigs with the late Aretha Franklin, Henry Mancini, Herb Pomeroy, Joan Rivers and Don Rickles. He has also played in programs with Bob Newhart, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Bernadette Peters, Bobby Shew, Harold Jones and Kathy Lee Gifford. And Joe is quick to boast of his local work with Mike Renzi, Dick Lupino and a wide selection of top New England musicians.

  • Jazz Insights: Mike Coffey

    Newport’s Mike Coffey is one of Southern New England’s premier veteran drummers. He was born in New London, Connecticut, and grew up in nearby Niantic, Connecticut. His father, Louis Coffey, was a noted percussion teacher and Mike became one of his students.
    For 22 years, Mike played in the US Navy Performing Band. After ending his military career and returning to Newport, he became a substitute school teacher in the Middletown school system. He continues teaching today, and teaches students private drum lessons to complement his professional gigs.
    Mike has completed his 48th year as a performing drummer, having played with hundreds of different groups in his long career. Among his highlights are his 15-year stints with the late, popular pianist Mac Chrupcala and veteran bassist Al Bernstein. He is quick to include special work with the great international acclaimed pianist, Mike Renzi.
    You can catch Mike Coffey at the drums every Sunday afternoon at the Atlantic Resort in Middletown from 4 – 7pm (reservations are recommended).

  • Jazz Insights: Nicolas King

    One of America’s top-rated musical entertainers today hails from Westerly, Rhode Island. Nicolas King, who is 26, began crooning at age 8. He quickly developed a style touching cabaret and jazz-swing — his famous grandmother, Angela Bacari, worked with his special skills, and another one of his mentors was Liza Minnelli. As he advanced, people began comparing him to Mel Torme, Bobby Darin and Mark Murphy.

    He performed regularly in Rhode Island and worked his way to New York City where he received gigs in the Broadway musicals Beauty and the Beast and A Thousand Clowns. He even was employed him on television commercials. Today, he is one of the most sought-after talents in Greater New York City, has several CDs and has been traveling around the world, often with Rhode Island’s super pianist Mike Renzi accompanying him.
    Nicholas King is more than just a crooner and jazz singer, he has become a professional entertainer with excellent personal performing skills that are not generally found in the music world.
  •  Jazz Insights: R.J. Von See

     Jazz Insights: R.J. Von See

    accordionR.J.Von See, (Robert John Von See) has played a major role in musical efforts in Rhode Island.

    He grew up in New Jersey, and began his jazz infusion quite early in life. The accordion and the trombone were his first instruments, and he joined a group called the Rhythnaires that performed on the “Jimmy Dean Television Show” back in 1954. Soon after, he picked up the guitar and bass and began performing in Pennsylvania and other places.
    R.J. moved to Newport some 35 years ago, where he played with the late(s) Matthew Quinn and Connie Williams. He also worked with Newport’s premier reed player Art Manchester.
    In later years, R.J. promoted and hosted the “Music in the Mansion” series at the famous Elks Club in Newport. He became vice president of the Newport Jazz Association (non-profit) and was the co-producer and founder of “Newport Jazz Week,” which today is called BridgeFest and is held the week before the Annual Newport Jazz Festival each August.
    Today R.J. is a supporter of music and jazz and connects to the annual jazz and folk festivals. He leads a growing group of individuals who want to find a permanent home for jazz in Newport, which is long overdue.