The Vegas Voice 1-20

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Dixieland Swings at IAC
By: Sam Wagmeister / People & Places
One of the longest running shows in Las
Vegas is the off-Strip production that packs
the Italian American Club the first Thursday
of nearly every month, a throwback salute to
bathtub gin and speakeasy days. Hostess Jeanne Brei, for more than a
decade, has taken time from her busy schedule as trade show magazine
editor to produce The Swanky Supper Club Soiree with her band, The
Speakeasy Swingers.
Brei’s love of Dixieland, swing and jazz and her fellow performers
inspired her. “I get to invest in and keep the music alive…and keep
my musicians working,” she explains. The sextet is anchored by Las
Vegas Hall of Fame musicians Dick Jones (bass), Bob Chmel (drums),
Steve Johnson (saxophone), Bill King (trumpet) and Charlie Shaffer
(keyboard).
Saxophonist Don Hill retired from the band three years ago, at 94, but
remains an audience member. Hill, who performed with the legendary
Treniers for 55 years until they disbanded in 2003 told Brei when he
joined the band at 81, “I’m too young to retire.”
Brei’s early life abruptly changed after her father, an Air Force pilot
who was in the original astronaut training program, developed polio
and spent the rest of his days in an iron lung. “We had a piano my
whole life,” she recalled, “and I took tap lessons beginning at eight.”
Summers, on a Midwestern farm, Brei and her brothers wrote and
Getting a New Bed
By: Adrea Nairne-Barrera / 60s to 60
It’s a new year and we’re guilty of resolutions
never kept from the year before. More
concentrated effort is promised for this year but
not much changes.
We go through the same old
promises of diets, budgets and closet
cleaning. So we made a bold move
and decided to buy a new bed.
There are all sorts of warnings
about new beds, when and why
to buy them, how healthy or not
healthy they are after a few years
and prices that are so confusing you
might want to just keep sleeping on
the old one another 10 years.
The first serious discussion was
the size of the bed. Can we manage a Queen with 2 dogs that get first
right of position every night? The King crowded the bedroom so my
choice was to scale down a little.
I figured the dogs would have to adjust. After all, they’re dogs!
Then came the new headboard and whether or not to hang something
over our heads on the wall. Coming from earthquake country, I have
January 2020
produced shows. “We
played the animal circuit.
Lions Club. Elks. Moose.”
Northwestern University
provided Brei the
opportunity to pursue
theater and journalism
but a busy work schedule
allowed limited stage time.
“I worked three jobs. I
didn’t even have money for
toothpaste,” she smiles.
Journalism barely sustained her after college, working off-hours
entertaining on lunch cruises and piano bars before landing a role
touring with Phil Ford and Mimi Hines in No No Nanette on her road
to Las Vegas.
Brei’s monthly themed shows continue to draw loyal audiences with
a true Las Vegas vibe that includes an intermission with the showgirl
Spotlight Dancers.
Performances: Italian American Club, 2333 E Sahara Av, Las Vegas.
At the door, $20. (702) 457-3866 Photo: Brei’s Disney tribute. Photo
by Susan Nitebunny.
Sam Wagmeister is The Vegas Voice Nightlife Editor. He loves to
hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact him via email:
LasVegasHomeTeam@Gmail.com.
a thing about things over my head while I’m asleep. Been there, done
that.
But I was ready to compromise and buy a tapestry for the wall. Not a
big one but just enough so it didn’t look bare. It’s 23” X 54” and looks
awesome in great jewel tones.
I forgot one thing. It hangs on a
curtain rod affixed to the wall and if
that comes down on my head, I’m
not going to be happy. So much for
my great idea.
New colors on the tapestry call
for new colors on the bed. We have
a new comforter, sheet sets, europillow
covers and shams with a new
side rug by the bed. Not sure I saved
anything.
The bed goes up and down at the
head and the foot. We never agree
on which way we really like it and one night the puppies slid down the
pillow because the head was too high. I wound up with a tail in my eye.
We’re getting used to it.
Adrea Nairne-Barrera writes of celebrations, observations &
complaints of life in the 60s to being in your 60s.