Listen & Be Heard Network Arts News

This week at Armando’s:

JACK CONVERY & FRIENDS
“New Orleans Dixieland, R&B and Swing”
If Benny Goodman met Clancy Hayes!

Jack Convery - banjo, vocals
John Stafford - clarinet
Accompanied by members of The Fog City Stompers

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9
8:00 - 10:00
$8, 2 for $15

Winner of the 1973 United Artists best banjoist of Northern California contest, having performed and worked with such music legends as Bing Crosby and Perry Como, and band director of the S.F. 49ers band since 1987, Jack Convery has been hailed as “the best banjoist in the NFL.” A singer and guitarist as well, his repertoire of lively material includes timeless jazz classics, novelty show stoppers and country, pop, and bluegrass standards arranged for the banjo. Jack has worked with legendary entertainers such as Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Arthur Godfrey, Willie Nelson, The Temptations, and many more. Born in 1954 in Witchita, Ka., Jack spent his childhood in Fresno, Ca., learning the banjo at age 12. Attending banjo and jazz festivals, Jack “paid his dues” by performing at pizza parlors, as a street musician, and at numerous Bay Area gigs. Jack has numerous CD’s to his credit and performs at banjo and jazz festivals, city concerts, and at venues in Northern California.

John Stafford has been a full time professional performing musician for many years. He performed for 25 years in the house band at the St. Francis hotel in San Francisco, playing jazz and pop standards around the world with his own bands and studying music with top notch musicians from the philharmonic orchestra of Indianapolis, Indiana to jazz and “pop” musicians in New Orleans, San Francisco, and Paris , France.

banjojazz.com
youtube.com/watch?v=uqNJ5r3aM-I
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WENDY DEWITT’S Mini-Queens of Boogie Woogie Piano Extravangza

Wendy DeWitt - piano
Jennifer Jolly - piano

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10
8:00 - 11:00
$8, 2 for $15

Boogie Woogie Queen Wendy DeWitt lays down 8 to the bar like her life depends on it. She’s been doing it since childhood and takes it around the world. Add in a voice for singing the blues accompanied by a style reminiscent of Otis Spann, Memphis Slim and Ray Charles, and settle in for a soulful good time.

Wendy has appeared with Marcia Ball, Charlie Musselwhite, Otis Rush, Maria Muldaur, and Jimmy Thackery and was featured at Freight and Salvage, Berkeley’s historic venue with Big Joe Duskin, appeared at the Cincinnati Blues Fest’s famed Arches Piano Stage, headed to Boston with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters for a performance at Boston Symphony Hall, and played before sold out audiences at San Diego’s Museum of Art. With Delmark recording artist and blues heavyweight Steve Freund Band, Wendy has performed at the San Francisco Blues Fest and the Monterey Jazz Festival. The year started with a SRO pair of concerts in Paris.

DeWitt began playing blues and boogie woogie at the age of 10 and fell in with a group of former Chicagoans when she came to the Bay Area in 1984. While with the Steve Freund band for 6 years Wendy recorded at the legendary Delmark Recording Studio and performed at Buddy Guy’s Legend’s. Traveling with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Wendy toured the Southern US, played the SF Blues Festival, PEER in Belgium and performed shows with Little Richard.

Wendy has six well-received albums of her own, can be heard on numerous compilations, and is a guest on albums by Steve Freund, and many other Bay Area blues artists. Her song “What Do You Want” was a regional hit for Beach Dancers in Myrtle Beach. Recently released is a traditional style boogie/blues CD featuring songs by her favorite influences as well as her own writing. This was quickly followed up by two solo piano albums focusing on boogie woogie.

Past shows include the Freight and Salvage for the third annual production of “Queens of Boogie Woogie” produced by Wendy, several return engagements in France and Shoreline Amphitheater’s New Orleans by the Bay. In San Diego, Wendy was on the bill with Hadda Brooks on one of the legendary performers last shows and has been officially designated by the original “Queen of the Boogie” as an authentic “Queen of Boogie Woogie”.Wendy returns regularly to France, Pacific northwest and around the United States.

Wendy’s songs are played on blues radio throughout the world and she has been a featured performer on syndicated radio programs including West Coast Live.Wendy’s newest release, Boogie Teaser Too (available on CD Baby) is her 6th on the Wette Music label.
wendydewitt.com

Jennifer Jolly has been “radiatin’ the eighty-eights” in New Orleans R&B, boogie-woogie, blues, funk, and Americana styles throughout the Bay Area for over twenty years. Her deep feel for the traditions of Professor Longhair, Albert Ammons, Ray Charles, Art Neville, and other keyboard greats anchors her full, joyful sound. She performs on piano, electric piano, and Hammond B-3 organ.

Jennifer has appeared at many of the Bay Area’s premier venues and festivals, including The Fillmore Auditorium, Yoshi’s, The Great American Music Hall, Freight and Salvage, Ashkenaz, New Orleans By The Bay, and San Francisco’s Carnaval. She’s performed or recorded with Phil Lesh (The Grateful Dead), David Grisman, legendary folk/jazz vocalist Barbara Dane, R&B guitarist Robert Ward, and many others in genres ranging from jazz to ska.

Currently, Jennifer co-leads The Jolly Gibsons (New Orleans funk/jazz/blues) and The Jolly/Steinkoler Duo (blues/boogie-woogie), plays piano with Big B and His Snake Oil Saviors (country swing/boogie), and performs solo piano shows and various duo and ensemble concerts. For eighteen years she held the keyboard chair in Hot Links (New Orleans R&B) and its successor, Johnny Harper’s Carnival. Other groups have included David Gans and The Broken Angels (improvisational Americana/rock), Bass Culture Revue (neo-soul/reggae), The Uptown Rulers (New Orleans R&B), Marie Schumacher and The Invisible Band (folk pop/rock), and The Big Picture (R&B/soul).

Jennifer is on the faculty of The Jazzschool in Berkeley, CA, has taught every summer at Cazadero Performing Arts Camp since 1999, and maintains a busy private teaching practice. She has appeared as keyboardist and vocalist on a dozen recording projects, including “Happy Jalopy” by The Jolly Gibsons.
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JIMBO TROUT & THE FISH PEOPLE
“BeBop Bluegrass”

Jimbo Trout-Guitar, banjo, kazoo & vocals
Jimmy Sweetwater-Washboard, harp & vocals
Chad Manning-Fiddle & mandolin
Steve Neil-String-bass & vocals
Greg Laakso-Clarinet & saxophone

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11
8:00 - 11:00
$8, 2 for $15

JimBo has hosted the monthly bluegrass jam session at the Atlas Café since 1998. He has recorded with Rob Wasserman and Preacher Boy. JimBo leads the band with his hard, fast picking, raw vocals, and wry wit.

Steve Neil also works with Portland-based The Wags and San Francisco funk band Swoop Unit. Steve keeps the whole thing grooving steady, like it should!

Born in North Adams, MA, Jimmy Sweetwater grew up moving around a lot. When he finally settled down in Gainesville, Fl, he really started making music. Ending up in San Francisco in ‘89, Sweetwater’s Harmonica and Washboard has become a bonafide local fixture and can be heard on dozens of CDs by Bay Area-based musicians.

Chad Manning has performed with Darryl Anger, Joe Craven, Don Walser, Ron Kavana, and many others. He can be seen performing locally with bluegrass legends David Grisman and Due West as well as western swing band Lost Weekend. Chad’s fiddling will tug at your heartstrings!

Greg Laakso has been working with the Chazz Cats and Funky Beulah. Greg is one of the swingingest horns around!
jimbotrout.com

COMING UP NEXT WEEK
Mal “Man on the Street” Sharpe’s Dixieland band
Hot Latin Jazz& Salsa with El Desayuno
Vive Le Jazz!  Think Paris…

707 MARINA VISTA
MARTINEZ  94553

You can check out upcoming shows and details  at
armandosmartinez.com

No one under 21 admitted.