Bill O’Brien photo
After a rainout last week, the 10th annual Branford Jazz Series opened this past Thursday with the grooving hard bop style of Rich Goldstein and The Gratitude Ensemble.
With a bigger-than-expected crowd, the green filled up with an estimated audience of 700.
Bill Keane served as master of ceremonies. He welcomed the crowd, thanked the sponsors, and introduced the group
“I thought between the 4th of July the day before, and the very hot weather tonight, we’d be lucky to get 400,” said a smiling committee member Alex Palluzzi, who doubles as director of parks and recreation for the town. The temperature was in the high 80s at the start of the concert. Palluzzi did everything from selling T‑shirts to cleaning up after the concert.
Last week’s concert ‘Run N’ Fly’ was postponed because of rain and the committee hopes to reschedule them if it can be worked out.
This week the audience was treated to some creative jazz led by Rich Goldstein
…and his talented group that included Behn Gillece, who came up from South Jersey, on vibes
…Yahn Frenkel on organ
…and Ben Bilello on drums.
The group opened with “Cataloupe Woman,” and followed by a modified version of ‘What a Difference a Day Makes,” an original Spanish song written in 1934 by Maria Grever and made popular with the English version by Diana Washington who won a Grammy for it in 1959.
Amanda Perham from Guilford enjoys jazz on the Branford Green.
These youngsters were having a good time.
Goldstein holds positions as professor of jazz guitar at the University of Hartford’s Hartt School of Music, Southern Connecticut State University, and Central Connecticut State University. He is also involved in various jazz camps, including the Litchfield Jazz Camp and performs a number of lectures and master classes annually.
Jazz Series sponsor Al Canosa of Mosaic Printing, Signage and Marketing Services, and his wife Sharon, applaud the group.
Every concert includes an intermission. Here, this young man plays the “Free Keys” piano on the green.
This little lady was in the groove with her dancing.
Other songs played by the group included “Our Miss Brooks,” “Green Thumb,” “Nuages,” and the song that became a jazz standard by the legendary Thelonious Monk, “I Mean You.” The group was called back for an encore and closed the night with “Ready and Able.”
Great sound once again provided by Dennis Nardella.
Tonight, Quarteto Monderno Brazilian Jazz and their founder, guitarist Richard Boukas, perform beginning at 6:30 p.m.
The group takes a bow. Members are Ben Bilello (left), Rich Goldstein, Behn Gillece, and Yahn Frenkel
