Concert celebrates Niewood, his music
A major tribute to the late Rochester-born saxophonist Gerry Niewood is, thankfully, in the works. Several first-class musicians, including his lifelong friend and bandmate Chuck Mangione, will come together at the Eastman Theatre at 8 p.m. Oct. 14 for an evening of Niewood-inspired music.
Others expected to play include saxophonist Pat Labarbera, trumpeter Lew Soloff and saxophonist Adam Niewood (Gerry’s son), along with the Eastman Jazz Ensembles, pianists Harold Danko and Bill Dobbins, guitarist Bob Sneider (who played in Mangione groups with Niewood) and others.
Niewood died at age 65 on Feb. 12 in the crash of a commuter plane outside Buffalo. Also among the 50 fatalities was guitarist Coleman Mellett. Both were members of Mangione’s band and were heading to a concert in Buffalo.
The memorial service for Niewood was held March 2 in Glen Ridge, N.J., where Niewood had lived for more than three decades. The Oct. 14 concert — The Eastman School of Music Salutes the Musical Legacy of Gerry Niewood — is designed to pay tribute to his music and to raise funds for a Gerry Niewood Memorial Jazz Scholarship at the Eastman School.
“The concert will premier arrangements of Gerry’s originals done by an all-star cast of writers — Bill Dobbins, John Labarbera, Rich DeRosa, Dave Rivello, Mike Titlebaum, Don Menza and Russ Kassoff,” says Sneider, and will also showcase important tunes from Niewood’s musical history. “He kept notebooks full of original compositions; some have never been heard in public that are gems.”
I interviewed Gerry in depth shortly after he moved to northern New Jersey (to be closed to Manhattan musical opportunities). He said at the time that his goal was the constant search for that distinctive sound that people would recognize as “Niewood.” I think he achieved it, in both the warmth and versatility of his sound, but also in the open warmth of his personality and the fondness and respect he engendered in his fellow musicians. The Oct. 14 concert holds the promise of a special night.
Word will be forthcoming on further concert plans, ticket arrangements, etc.
POLISH UP the Oscars. It’s a bit early to be mentioned the “O” word, but two movies now on local screens will probably get some attention.
First, there’s The Hurt Locker, which opened last week. It’s the first bona fide great film of 2009, as well as the first great film inspired by the Gulf wars. Director Kathryn Bigelow has created a masterpiece of intense suspense and insightful vision, portraying a year of service in the life of a military bomb disarmer in Iraq.
Jeremy Renner is fabulous as a hotshot bomb expert who is clearly addicted to the perverse pleasures of life-and-death danger. He’ll surely get an Oscar nomination because I can’t believe we’ll see five other male performances in the remainder of 2009 that are anywhere near as riveting.
But rest assured, The Hurt Locker is a film as stunning as its central performance.
And then there’s Julie & Julia, which opens today. It’s a sweet, funny, food-enriched film that offers two fact-based profiles.
One is of the late, great Julia Child, one of the first and biggest of the chef superstars. She was an over-the-top personality with a never-to-be-forgotten voice, and she’s played with infinite over-the-top delight by Meryl Streep. I think we can safely predict Oscar nomination No. 16 for the grande dame of actresses.
But it’s not a one-course meal — you’ll also enjoy Amy Adams, who stars in the film’s second thread. She’s a modern-day low-level office worker and Queens resident who discovers a life for herself when she starts an insane project. She’ll cook all 500-plus recipes in Child’s landmark Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and write a blog about it. (This turns into a book, which turns into this movie.)
Both women are blessed with supportive husbands, played by Chris Messina and the wonderful Stanley Tucci with more zest and humor than you might expect from “supportive husbands.” It wouldn’t bother or surprise me if Tucci also got an Oscar nomination.
The movie sent me looking into the Child memoir that prompted her half of the film: My Life in France (co-written by her great-nephew Alex Prud’Homme). It offers charm and additional stories that’ll please filmgoers who love the Child half of the film.
The modern part of the film — about Julie Powell (Adams) — is also based on a book, Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen.
I haven’t looked into it, but I might be enticed.
