Jazzfest facts, hot off the press. - New Jersey Jazz Society

JerseyArticlesJazzKevin Dorn’s TraditionalJazz CollectivePhoto byCheri RogowskyVince Giordano’sNighthawksPhotos by Tony Mottola, except as noted.including a raucous “St. Louis Blues” and asmooth vocal rendition of “Wrap YourTrouble in Dreams” by bassist MikeWeatherly. Joe Licari performed a lovely andplaintive clarinet solo of “Memories of You”in honor of the late Kenny Davern.The Kevin Dorn Traditional Jazz Collectiveis a hard-swinging quintet made up of someof New York’s best young musicians. Thehot jazz they play may originate in the ’20sand ’30s but Dorn’s group makes the musicsound every bit contemporary. They rockedthrough a 45-minute set that included“Everybody Loves My Baby,” “Hindustan,”“Roseland” and a gritty and bluesy vocal on“Lonesome Road” by trombonist J. WalterHawkes.Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks were last upand delivered the afternoon’s musical coupde grâce. Led by the NJJS’s 2007 “Musicianof the Year,” the 11-man outfit swung theirway through 11 numbers that began with“Dinah” and ended with “Cotton ClubStomp #2.”Along the way they provided more of theday’s many high points, including anextraordinary dance demonstration byChad Fasca and Midori Asakura, two ofManhattan’s most accomplished danceinstructors. Chad and Midori danced aclassic Peabody to the Nighthawk’squicksilver fast “Bugle Call Rag,” circlingand crisscrossing the dance floor atbreakneck speed while effortlessly executingthe trickiest maneuvers, all to the delight ofthe ballroom crowd who looked on inspellbound attention.A short while later the group performed anexact note rendition of Coleman Hawkin’siconic “Body and Soul,” complete with therecording’s trademark piano introductionplayed by Peter Yarin and a meticulous andsoulful performance of Hawkin’s famedtenor solo by Mark Lopeman.Soon after, the 38th Pee Wee RussellMemorial Stomp came to a close, no doubtto be remembered as one of the outstandingeditions of this long running annualcelebration of jazz.JJHonoree Amos Kaune is congratulatedby NJJS Music Committee ChairJoe Lang. Photo by Cheri Rogowsky.And Phil Schaap presentedVince Giordano’s award.Photo byCheri RogowskyApril 2007 JerseyJazz 29