A swinging night of mainstream jazz was delivered at the historic Vitello’s restaurant, fame of the Rat Pack and Robert Blake. The April 4, 2017 gig included a pair of bands, one lead by guitarist Doug MacDonald and the other with tenor saxist Roger Neumann at the helm. The toes were tapping!
MacDonald’s team of Ricky Woodard/ts, Andy Langham/p, Harvey Newmark/b and Paul Kriebich/dr and guitar and tenor swing in unison on “T&G” with Woodard in a gospel groove for “Empty Pockets” and Kriebich glistening in a rivulet on “My Shining Hour.”
Roger Neumann had Carl Saunders/tp, John Campbell/p, John B. Williams/b and Roy McCurdy/dr bopping with delight as Saunders waxed eloquent on “Weaver of Dreams” and delivered a spacious samba of “If You Never Come to Me.” Neumann’s tenor was warm and beefy on a driving “Tenor Madness” and went bel canto on “I’ll Never Be the Same.”
All that’s missing here is the two drink minimum. A real fun night of toe tapping!