SJFS 2014 Night 2 recap April 24, 2014

Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Travel.
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2014 night 1

Jay Rowe‘s twelfth annual Smooth Jazz for Scholars benefit concert resumed on Saturday night with a packed house.  They were in for a wild night.

Kevin McCabe welcomed the house, or audience, at approximately 8PM:

The first song of the night was by select members of the West Shore Middle School Band.  Twelve hours earlier on Facebook, the band’s teacher, Bob Nunno, let me know that some of his students would be opening the show.  I told him that was great and I looked forward to seeing them.  Pictures from their song can be found in the set list below.

The band for the rest of the night consisted of Jay Rowe on keyboards:

Dave Anderson on bass:

Trever Somerville on drums:

…and Steve Scales on percussion:

SET LIST
1. Clocks (Coldplay cover)
Musicians: Select members of the West Shore Middle School Band, under the direction of Mr. Bob Nunno (who also played keyboard)

Applause:

Like the previous night, Kevin returned to the stage to introduce Jay and his band.  Jay welcomed the audience…:

…then played the first song of the main show, the second song overall:

2. Pleasure Island (Jay Rowe)
Originally heard on: “Laugh Out Loud,” 2001
Featured musician: Jay Rowe (keyboards)

3. George Can’t Dance (Chieli Minucci)
Originally heard on: “Catwalk,” 1994 (Special EFX album)
Featured musicians: Chieli Minucci (electric guitar), Nelson Rangell (alto sax)

4. Till the End of Time (Chieli Minucci)
Originally heard on: “Genesis,” 2013 (Chieli Minucci & Special EFX album)
Featured musicians: Chieli Minucci (electric guitar), Nelson Rangell (alto sax)

5. Point of Departure (Nelson Rangell)
Originally heard on: “Red” and “Blue” (upcoming albums) (1/30/15 UPDATE: “Red” and “Blue” are available for download this Sunday, February 1.)
Featured musician: Nelson Rangell (alto sax)

6. Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)*/Slammin’ (Nick Colionne)
Originally heard on: “Influences,” 2014
Featured musician: Nick Colionne (electric guitar)
*-Jay’s intro tune for Nick

7. Melting Into You (Nick Colionne)
Originally heard on: “No Limits,” 2008
Featured musicians: Nick Colionne (vocals/electric guitar), Marion Meadows (soprano sax) (walked on mid-song)

8. The Lift (Marion Meadows)
Originally heard on: “Body Rhythm,” 1995
Featured musician: Marion Meadows (soprano sax)
Marion and Jay co-wrote this song, the last track on “Body Rhythm,” which featured both them and Dave Anderson.

9. My Cherie Amour (Marion Meadows; Stevie Wonder cover)
Originally heard on: “Body Rhythm,” 1995
Featured musicians: Timmy Maia (vocals), Marion Meadows (soprano sax), Chieli Minucci (electric guitar)

10. Blue Lagoon (Chieli Minucci)
Originally heard on: “Genesis,” 2013 (Chieli Minucci & Special EFX album)
Featured musician: Chieli Minucci (electric guitar)

11. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (The Allman Brothers Band cover)
Featured musicians: Caitlin Kalafus (drums), Chieli Minucci (electric guitar)

12. Children’s Games (Nelson Rangell; Antonio Carlos Jobim cover)
Originally heard on: “Red” and “Blue” (upcoming albums) (1/30/15 UPDATE: “Red” and “Blue” are available for download this Sunday, February 1.)
Featured musicians: Nelson Rangell (whistling/piccolo/vocals/claps), Musician (acoustic guitar)
When I spoke to Jay in February, I wondered what Nelson’s whistle song would be this year.  This was a pleasant surprise, and the second year in a row where Nelson covered a Jobim tune.

13. Rainbow Seeker (Nelson Rangell; Joe Sample cover)
Originally heard on: “Far Away Day,” 2000
Featured musician: Nelson Rangell (flute)

14 (Finale). James Brown Tribute
Featured musicians: Everyone, led by Nick Colionne (vocals)

Now for various pictures of each musician, beginning with Jay Rowe:

Dave Anderson:

Trever Somerville:

Steve Scales:

Chieli Minucci:
Electric guitar:

Acoustic guitar on “Children’s Games”:

Nelson Rangell:
Alto sax:

Flute:

Piccolo:

Percussion via Steve’s chimes:

Vocals and claps:

Whistling:

“Nelson Rangell, ladies and gentlemen!”:

Nick Colionne:
Guitar:

Vocals:

Marion Meadows:

Timmy Maia:

Caitlin Kalafus:

This was Caitlin’s first appearance at SJFS in six years.

To be blunt, she rocked!

The audience agreed.

On to wide shots.  First up, “George Can’t Dance”:

“Till the End of Time”:

During “Melting Into You”…:

…and after:

“The Lift”:

During “My Cherie Amour”…:

…and after:

“In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”:

“Children’s Games”:

Steve and Trever’s “Rainbow Seeker” duet:

The wild finale (isn’t it always?): Nick’s tribute to James Brown:

“Yeah!”:

“Ha-haaaa!”:

Nick: “Here we go!  Can I count it off?!”  Nelson: “Count it off!”

“1, 2, 3, ‘ey!”

Time to go into the audience:

(singing): “What about you?!”: (4/27 UPDATE: Or as it’s spelled on “Influences,” “Whatta ‘Bout You?”)

What about Jay’s mother-in-law?:

Meanwhile, back on stage:

Caitlin briefly returned to drums…:

…and Timmy took over percussion:

No tribute to James Brown would be complete without the cape routine:

Jay wrapped it up:

“See you all next year!”

Bob Nunno was sitting near where I set up.  So, we spoke for a few minutes after the show.  Then, I had my girlfriend take our picture:

Putting together these recaps is a labor of love.  From capturing to editing to uploading to writing, it’s a long and trying process.  When I left the Parsons Complex on Saturday night, I contemplated not going again.  But that would be crazy.  I love Smooth Jazz for Scholars.  For two days out of the year, Milford is my home.  I am grateful to Jay and everyone involved each year for putting on what I consider the Super Bowl of contemporary jazz.

I’ll be back, and I hope you, the reader (if you’re into this genre), make plans to come, too.  Thank you for reading, and to quote Jay, see you all next year!