VINCE, Vaillant (Sofia, May 23, 2011)

I confess that my title is a play on the comic strip character.? But it has a more serious meaning.

With Basie, Goodman, Lombardo, Ellington and others have disappeared, how many people have led a band - not only stirred a stick - more than thirty-five years?? Vince Giordano began his career as a conductor in 1975.? I would not have believed it myself, but Dan Levinson provided this fact last Monday night to Sofia and I hope Dan in the matter.

It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a hero to support an eleven hot musicians so that the length of time.? Hail, Vince!

Vince and Nighthawks hold court - in a more largely affectionately swinging way - to the Cache Club in Ristorante in Sofia (i.e. a flock of steps down, near the tuba at 211 West 46th Street, New York City).

Monday night, was particularly prestigious.? In the audience were George Avakian, Frank Driggs, Leo McConville, Jr. and his wife Linda, Eric Elder, and his significant other drowned, Peter Mintun, Rich Conaty and many others.

Wonderful dancers!? Among them: Sam Huang, Michelle deCastro, Nina Galicheva, Tina Micic, Kathy Stokes, Marty Visconti, Eric Schlesinger, Celia Gianfresco, Jerry Feldman, Carolina Rueda, Eli Charne...

And the band!? Vince, course, vocals, bass, low saxophone and tuba; Mike Ponella and Randy Reinhart on trumpet / cornet. Jim Fryer on trombone. Dan Levinson, Dan Block and Mark Lopeman, reeds. Peter Yarin, piano; Andy Stein violin and baritone saxophone; Ken Salvo, banjo / guitar; Arnie Kinsella, battery.

I was sitting (with the permission of the graceful McConvilles) perpendicular to the Nighthawks table, sort of viewers JAZZ lives will immediately notice the different point of view on the half dozen videos that follow.

Here's IMAGINATION, a "modernist" piece by saxophonist / arranger and composer Joseph "fud" Livingston:

One of the two sessions of jam the evening - it on me BLUES MY NAUGHTY SWEETIE gives to.? Admire the dancers spinning approximately three minutes! :

Vince loves stir "new" arrangements for nightjars, which - being in-depth professional - read through them on the first try.? This is a certain change of pace of SWEETIE - a chart of 1920 of a modest promise of fidelity, I will be with you in APPLE BLOSSOM time - with Dan block shown on flute:

There is only nice?

Something much more addition - a romp to BORNEO, where bamboo babies are swaying to the music of Nighthawks.? Echoes of Bix, Tram, and Bill Challis:

And two for Louis, with Mike Ponella, taking solos.? One is BLUE TURNING GREY on you, a pretty Fats Waller mock-lament (Louis recorded in 1931 and then - a beautiful slow tempo - almost a quarter of a century later, a date of registration supervised by our George Avakian, in the audience Monday):

Close this post with a romping BEAU KOO JACK (translated: "lots of money!") originally recorded by Louis with Earl Hines and Don Redman, organizing and playing alto - later Hines took for his own group of Victor and had its section of trumpet play swirling solo of Louis' in unison:

Wishing all my JAZZ live readers good health, continued to happiness, beau koo jack and the ability to get in Sofia of a Monday or Tuesday night to see nightjars and the dancers in person!? (This position is for professors Sammut and Redmile, but you can join in the chorus).