Woonsocket Radio News Room

ANNUAL RHODE ISLAND HOMECOMING

 

CONCERT at CHAN'S,RI 

 

 

DARYL SHERMAN and her AMAZING MUSICAL FRIENDS 

 

Saturday, October 16, 2021 8 PM

 

JAY LEONHART, bass  GRAY SARGENT, guitar  HARRY ALLEN,

tenor sax

 

special guest JEAN MCKENNA O'DONNELL 

 

with loving tribute to MIKE RENZI  

 

$20 advance/ $25 at door 

 

 

chanseggrollsandjazz.com  267 Main Street

 

Woonsocket, RI 401-765-1900

 

 

Through the years, my (almost) annual Woonsocket homecoming at has become like an extended family party, in addition to a great concert. My dad Sammy Sherman inaugurated the jazz series at Chan’s with JEAN MCKENNA O'DONNELL, who was my first 'live' singing mentor. Her recordings with her renowned brother Dave McKenna on piano were a constant presence in our family household. Jean has been performing 

mostly around New England. Her most recent CD Full Circle is enhanced with superb arrangements and piano by Mike Renzi. "Her voice treats listeners to perfect pitch and an array of selections from the American Songbook that few can deliver."-Motifri Magazine

 

Around 1982, some years after I'd left RI for NYC, I performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and also played that summer at the Coast Guard House in Narragansett.  A much touted young student at RI‘s Burrillville High School, HARRY ALLEN, sat in with my band, bringing the house down. He'd already been influenced by his percussionist dad and mentored by another RI tenor meister Scott Hamilton. When Harry moved to NYC he quickly rose to the top echelon -from Benny Goodman to Maxine Sullivan and John Pizzarelli. With more than 70 recordings, one of Harry's latest The Bloody Happy Song was done during the Pandemic and includes the aptly chosen Two Close For Comfort. Harry is so versatile he also regularly appears with the popular Brazilian-Jazz masters Trio De Paz. 

 

 JAY LEONHART was my very first bassist when I moved to NYC. Nothing like starting at the top!  Jay  already by that time was playing for Mel Torme, Lena Horne, Peggy Lee, Louie Bellson, Sting and 

first call bassist for studio sessions  "Leonhart is the Fred Astaire of jazz - a craftsman so seamlessly smooth". JAZZTIMES  JAY LEONHART is equally lauded as singer/songwriter with clever, quirky, heart tugging  melodies and words that weave stories. One involves Leonard Bernstein on an airplane flight doing NY Times crossword puzzles in ink. The Double Cross is Jay's humorous spin on Robert Ludlam and his anthem, It's Impossible To Sing And Play The Bass amply displays the pitfalls but magnificently proves him wrong.

 

Boston bred GRAY SARGENT has a natural feel for jazz as well as keen aesthetic for good songs. It’s no wonder he’s been a favorite of piano legend Dave McKenna, Artie Shaw's band with Dick Johnson and for around two decades, Tony Bennett (longer than any other musician in Tony's quartet). His CD  Shades of Gray is lauded "epitome of cool, unhurried and relaxed, no matter the tempo. Sheer joy and mastery."

Chan’s has long been heralded the Mecca for jazz in New England. The room where concerts are held is very spacious with room to distance seating. For more info/reservations: 401-765-1900

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or www.chanseggrollsandjazz.com 

 

 

 

 
Former President Trump is back in court today as jury selection resumes in his hush money criminal trial. This morning, one of the seated jurors was dismissed after she expressed concerns about her identity being made public. As of now, six jurors have been chosen. Trump is accused of falsifying business records in order to cover up payments allegedly made to an adult film star just prior to the 2016 election.        The U.S. is hitting Iran with new sanctions. The sanctions target Iranian leaders and entities connected to the country's missile and drone program. The Treasury Department also says it's punishing five companies associated with Iran's steel industry and three subsidiaries of an Iranian automaker. The sanctions are in response to Iran's attack on Israel last week.        The Democratic-controlled Senate quickly dismissed the impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas yesterday. The Senate voted to rule both impeachment articles unconstitutional because they did not rise to the level of "high crimes and misdemeanors." Senate Republicans raised several motions to try and kick off a lengthy trial, but they all failed along party lines.        New York has the longest commute times of any state in the nation. That's according to a new report by the U.S. Energy Department. D-O-E researchers studied nine to fivers and found those in New York spend an average of 33-point-two-minutes driving to their cubicles. Those in Maryland, New Jersey and Washington, DC also spent more than 30 minutes driving one-way to work.       Hawaii's Attorney General's Office has released the first phase of its findings from a months-long investigation into the Lahaina wildfire. The report points out several communication failures and identifies the starting point of the fire. It says the fire started early in the morning on August 8th and traces the origin to fallen electrical wires. That fire was declared extinguished, but was reignited by strong winds just before three o'clock in the afternoon.        Ye [[ YAY ]] is reportedly the suspect in a battery case in Los Angeles. TMZ reports Kanye West is accused of punching a man in the face late Tuesday night. The report says the man may have grabbed or pushed Ye's wife Bianca Censori. Authorities have not announced any charges.        

Old News Archives