Home » Jazz Articles » Live Review » Big Band Swing Slam at Copacabana

211

Big Band Swing Slam at Copacabana

By

Sign in to view read count
Swing is Back! And the Copacabana was the Place, 560 West 34th Street at 11th Avenue, NYC on October 25th, 2003 for Broadway Musical Director Danny Holgate and a band of journeymen musicians who would “transform us back to the classic 1940's and ‘50's Night Club Era” according to Tiffany Wright, the evening’s hostess.

I recognized Zane Paul from the Cab Calloway Orchestra in the first tenor chair; Brad Shigata-trombone from George Gee’s Band; Brian Grice from Calloway Brooks’s recording band at Birdland; Al Gata-electric rhythm guitar (with Dizzy Gillespie’s early 70's) and Danny Holgate-piano whose credits include Bubbling Brown sugar, Eubie, Guys & Dolls revival and a recent Billy Holiday revue.

Opening with “Symphony Sid”, “Tuxedo Junction” and “String of Pearls” the rhythm got the dancers on the floor. A dark haired gal’s smile caught my eye, but before accepting my invite to dance protested that she had not danced to swing before but then Gisela did just fine interpolating her natural latin rhythm. Afterward a bevy of short skirted gals began serving rounds of hor d’oeuvres.

On “One Day at a Time”, a song by Johnny Brandon who staged tonight’s event, the Big Band got a chance to shine on it’s own before THE HIP CHICKS captured us all - first Gabrielle Lee with a powerful voice and delightful shrieks over Mr. Holgate’s piano then LaTanya Hall (Jackson) sang “Is You Is, or Is You Ain’t, My Baby”, making me believe that she was asking me! Zane Paul played a hip clarinet solo that generated the first applause for an instrumental solo. The next highlight, was a Brian Grice drum solo on another Brandon song “Percussion” but the tap dance team The Williams Brothers, both in tux and tap shoes, stole the show to “A-Train” accompanied by Ned Holder-trombone and Bob Magnuson-alto sax (from Mike Longo’s Band) with a stop- time tap sequence against the whole Swing Band! When is the last time that happened live on a New York stage? Now that they have our attention the tap duo mirror sings synchronized solos, time steps, shuffles then shows off with a medley of songs concluding with Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” including both Hip Chicks and the male singer.

Cab Calloway’s “Minnie the Moocher”, the Band’s finale (Cab was Danny Holgate’s boss for 20 years), led by Brian Grice charging the rhythm section and LaTanya as Minnie distracting us in a scanty blue sequined flapper leotard costume.

The exceptionally well thought out program and band presentation bodes well for the return of Big Band Swing to the Copa.

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.