Photo by Jim McGannl
Danny Tobias and Friends
Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 2pm
INDOOR CONCERT & LIVE STREAM
Community Arts Center
414 Plush Mill Road
Wallingford, PA 19086
During the past decade, Danny Tobias has emerged as one of TSJS’ most favored musicians, having appeared with the Midiri Brothers Sextet, Marty Grosz's Hot Winds, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, and as a leader in his own right, including the annual All-Star Concerts. On this latest occasion. Danny will be joined by two illustrious NYC-based musicians: multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Vince Giordano (another veteran TSJS performer, here playing string bass, tuba, and bass sax) and pianist Conal Fawkes, plus reed man/violinist/mandolinist Dennis Lichtman and drummer/vocalist Jim Lawlor; also a TSJS stalwart). Equally at home with a cornet or trumpet, Tobias brings beautiful shape and individuality to his jazz performances. Playing professionally since the age of 15, he’s best known for traditional jazz and swing, either reproducing classic arrangements or artful improvisation with the music of “The Jazz Age” at Tri-State Jazz Society’s concert at Community Arts Center, on Sunday, January 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
All of the musicians on this concert are shown with links to their websites.
Band Personnel
Danny Tobias – Leader, Cornet, Trumpet, E-Flat Horn
Arnt Amtzen – Banjo, Guiter
Vince Giordano – String Bass, Tuba, Bass Sax
Jim Lawlor – Drums, Vocals
Randy Reinhart – Trombone
A 1985 graduate of Trenton State College (now College of New Jersey), Danny Tobias has worked with such jazz luminaries as Kenny Davern, Warren and Allan Vache, Harry Allen, Howard Alden, John Bunch, Marty Napoleon, Greg Cohen, Derek Smith and many other jazz legends. Danny just released a new CD on the Ride Symbol record label, Silver Linings, featuring multi-instrumentalist Scott Robinson, pianist Rossano Sportiello, bassist Joe Plowman and drummer Kevin Dorn (all of whom are TSJS alumni).
https://syncopatedtimes.com/danny-tobias-silver-linings/
Grammy-winner, New York native and multi-instrumentalist Vince Giordano has played in New York nightclubs (with the Nighthawks, most recently on Monday and Tuesday nights downstairs at Bond45 in Times Square), appeared in films such as The Cotton Club, The Aviator, Finding Forrester, Revolutionary Road, Cafe Society, HBOs Boardwalk Empire and for concerts at the Town Hall, Jazz At Lincoln Center, the Newport Jazz Festival and the 92nd St Y for the past four decades. Recording projects include soundtracks for the Emmy Award-winning Boardwalk Empire with vocalists Elvis Costello, Patti Smith, St. Vincent, Regina Spektor, Neko Case, Leon Redbone, Liza Minnelli, Catherine Russell, Rufus Wainwright and David Johansen. Vince and his band have also recorded for Terry Zwigoff’s Ghost World, Tamara Jenkins’ The Savages, Robert DeNiro’s The Good Shepherd, Sam Mendes’ Away We Go, Michael Mann’s film Public Enemies, and John Krokidas’ debut feature, Kill Your Darlings, along with HBO’s Grey Gardens and the miniseries Mildred Pierce. The Nighthawks are also seen and heard in the USA Network series Royal Pains and in the PBS series Michael Feinstein’s American Songbook. The band’s has also worked on Todd Haynes’ Academy Award-nominated film Carol; the Emmy-winning Bessie bio-pic on HBO, and Cinemax’s The Knick starring Clive Owen. The guys have also recorded music for the Maggie Greenwald film called Sophie and the Rising Sun that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. Vince is also a seasoned TSJS veteran, having appeared with Scott Robinson, another outstanding multi-instrumentalist; David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Jazz Band (on banjo and guitar); and Richard Barnes’ Blackbird Society Orchestra.
Jim Lawlor began playing drums after moving from Philadelphia to Atlantic City in 1979, just as the town was beginning its rise as the East Coast gambling mecca. His primary teacher was Chris Columbo, former drummer with Louis Jordan's Tympani Five and father of Count Basie drumming legend Sonny Payne. Jim spent eight years in the Chris Sooy Swing Band, a very popular group that pre-dated the Neo-Swing movement by a decade. He was then hired by Joe and Paul Midiri to play and sing in their small groups and big band. In 2000, the Midiri ensemble landed on the festival circuit and gave Jim a chance to travel and perform around the USA. He is another frequent performer at TSJS, noted primarily for his association with the Midiri Brothers and Danny Tobias.
Arnt Arntzen has been involved with music from a young age, mostly learning from his immediate and extended family. He has a degree in music, majoring in Jazz and Contemporary Guitar, from Vancouver Community College, where he was the recipient of many awards and scholarships throughout his four years there.
Randy Reinhart played his first gigs when he was a teenager, making azz his profession at the age of 18 and becoming an ongoing substitute at Eddie Condon's on 54th street in 1973. He played with some of the finest players on the New York scene including Vic Dickenson, Pee Wee Erwin, Herb Hall and drummer Connie Kay. In the mid 1970’s he began doubling on trombone while touring with Paul Lavalle's Band Of America. You can hear his cornet in many Bix Beiderbecke tribute recording and concert orchestras. The Arbors release, “Celebrating Bix”, places Randy with three cornetists, Jon-Erik Kellso, Randy Sandke and Dan Barrett.