the Charlie Bown Blues Band Concert August 13
FOSEL ordered dry weather for the Charlie Brown Blues Band concert on Tuesday, August 13, something we forgot to do for the Zeke Martin and Oracle performance on July 23, with the predictable result. We were rained out. The event had to move inside the South End library where drummer Martin's high-octane performance may have left the book shelves slightly out of place.But since the alternative was no music at all, some two dozen jazz-and-blues aficionados braved the branch's cookbook section, chick-lit paperback displays, librarians' desks and DVD racks to squeeze themselves into the make-shift rows of chairs. Then they sat back as the library turned into a sound stage. It was worth it.
In addition to drummer Zeke Martin, the Oracle band showcased bass player Joseph Sumrell; guitarist Scott Tarulli; and Rusty Hughes on keyboard. The playlist included one of the band's favorites, "In the Middle," composed by Sumrell, followed by "Traffic," a creation by Hughes, featuring the sensational Martin drumming segment that left the library's furniture slightly ashake. It was followed by a nice rendering of Bob Hebb's "Sunny," which led into "Skinny," from Martin's first CD, Landscapes. "Shade Dance," which came next, is another number composed by a band member, guitarist Tarulli; the final two were "In Motion." from the Martin CD Funky Stuff; and "It Ain't You," from their latest CD, Four. No, there were no copies available for sale. "I forgot. Don't tell my wife," said Zeke Martin. "She'll kill me."
Joe Sumrell and drummer Zeke Martin
The Charlie Brown Blues Band, playing at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, August 13, is made up of a group of five highschool students from the Boston Arts Academy.They include Faraday Julien Fontimus, Christoff Glaude, Leshawn Harris, Antonio Shiel-Loomis and Joshua Sutherland. This year, the band won the 2013 Fidelity Investments Young Artists Competition and played with the Boston Pops at Symphony Hall on May 29. You may recall Antonio Shiel-Loomis, the son of saxophonist Pat Loomis, who played guitar for the first summer concert performance in Library Park on July 9.
The concerts are free. Bring chairs. Enjoy the sliced watermelon provided by FOSEL. Check this web site for weather-related changes. The Jazz and Blues series is funded by a generous donation by the Ann H. Symington Foundation.
The final concert will be on Tuesday, August 27 at 6:30 PM with pianist Frank Wilkin's group, WeJazzUp.