The One That Got Away
‘Making a difference’ often comes through unexpected channels
Hoagy Carmichael was an immortal musician and songwriter who also played croquet. Who knew? (Photo credit Indiana University)
When I was a young, ambitious music journalist in my mid-20s, there was a grail, a grail so rarified I didn’t even dare pursue it – getting a byline in the Rolling Stone. A Stone story, the conventional wisdom went, would more or less pave the career road, or so I thought. So I had to keep my powder dry until I had a sure thing
I had been in the business for a good six or seven years, and had what I considered one of the best jobs in journalism, covering music in the Hudson Valley - Rick Danko was on my speed dial, for instance - when the first realistic opportunity to land a Stone byline came about. A musicially-gifted guy I was nodding acquaintances with when he was in college had broken out fairly significantly by writing several of the songs and producing an album that went Ka-boom! for another artist, with a couple of Top 10 pop songs.
So I called the Stone and made a pitch. Sounded good, they said. I tracked the guy down and told him the Stone was interested.
He was game, he said, on one condition – I could not mention his Dad. Which, frankly, was impossible, as his father was one of the best-known songwriters in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. And as much as I wanted that byline, I had a fine job covering a bustling and top-shelf music scene that paid the bills already, and I knew there was no way the folks at the Stone would go for a Dadless story. But I told him I’d give them the option.
The editor and I agreed a Dadless story was really no story at all, so my one and only opportunity at being almost famous blew away like a pinfeather on a zephyr. But as I have already mentioned, I had a job that paid the rent and offered me plenty of creative satisfaction, so the disappointment was barely a blip. The One That Got Away wasn’t that big a fish after all when all was said and done.
I’m in a similar situation right now, playing email tag with somebody prominent enough that running a profile in 8495Jazz might be a nice bragging rights thing, but carries no tangible payoff. If it happens it happens, and if it doesn’t, c’est la vie, but at this point it has a decided waiting for Godot vibe.
I learned years later that “making a difference in people’s lives,” one of those journalistic chestnuts we’re supposed to say at job interviews, doesn’t need a story with a big name or a sense that we’re going on a crusade. You just have to give folks information that may come in handy. The “story” that illustrates it best to me is a short “upcoming events” listing I placed in a suburban Los Angeles newspaper for an open house the Beverly Hills Croquet Club was holding. A retired physicist and his wife showed up and within three or four years he was one of the best tournament croquet players in the country, traveling nationwide and having a blast (in case you’re interested, serious tourney croquet is about as similar to backyard smash ‘em croquet as the US Amateur golf tournament is to a weekly retired guys 9-hole league). That one little brief enriched his life tremendously.
All this is my long way of saying this week’s column doesn’t have a flashy top feature and has a few more show listings than usual; go check one out and let the music take you along with it. It may not make a difference in your situation to the extent the croquet notice did for my friend, but whatever difference it makes will be welcome and positive.
And, in the spirit of the season, some of these gigs are raising funds for good causes, helping to make a difference for others beyond the bandstand. Today’s Elm City Big Band show at Cafe Nine in New Haven is also the band’s annual sock drive fundraiser. Tuesday’s Poughkeepsie Jazz Project jam will be raising money for Toys for Tots (or you can bring a new, unwrapped gift).
And we’ll have plenty of interesting stories coming up in the very near future.
The Elm City Big band returns to Cafe Nine for their holiday show and sock drive fundraiser today. Cover is an oh-so reasonable $10, and you can help make somebody’s life a little easier with that.
Out and About with 8495Jazz
These listings are a curated sampling of shows in the region. As an independent resource for jazz news, 8495Jazz does not receive any consideration, free tickets, or affiliate fees for these listings. Please confirm events are still happening directly with the venue.
8495Jazz Wild Card Gig of the Week
Carmine’s, East Hartford, CT
Paisley All-Star Jazz Invitational, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 7:30 pm (Dana Lauren vocals, Matt Dwonszyk bass, Matt DeChamplain keybds, Jimmy Gavagan drums). The last of this year’s monthly jams switches things to this Tuesday. Free, tip jar.
8495Jazz Spur of the Moment Gigs TODAY
Cafe Nine, New Haven, CT
New Haven Jazz Underground’s Elm City Big Band Holiday Jazz Concert and Fundraiser, 5 pm (doors at 3). Holiday sock drive for those in need. All ages. $10.
Cheney Hall, Manchester, CT
Manchester Jazz Festival, 1 pm (doors 12:30). Featuring Good Vibes Fellowship, Grass Routes Bluegrass, Hall Monitors, Dan Pugach Big Band w/Nicole Zuraitis. GA $40, VIP $80.
Other Upcoming Shows
Linde Center for Music and Learning, Lenox, MA
Christmas Dreaming w/Stella Cole (vocals), Saturday, Dec. 13, 7 pm. GA $43, students $15 including service fee.
Real Art Ways, Hartford, CT
Instantiations (combo improvisation), Sunday, Dec. 14, 2:30 pm. GA $16.50 including service fee.
University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Jazz Combos IV, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 7:30 pm. GA $17.85, students $12.51 including service fee.
Parkville Market, Hartford, CT
Holiday Jazz with Nat Reeves Trio and guest Ted Piltzecker on vibes, Monday, Dec. 8, 6:30 pm. Free (season finale).
New England Conservatory, Boston, MA
Jazz Small Ensembles: Afro-Latin, Brazilian, World Rhythms, Thursday, Dec. 11, 7 pm. Free.
VFW Post 399, Westport, CT
Ed Cherry (guitar, combo), Thursday, Dec. 11, 7:30 and 8:35 pm. GA $10.76-$20.76, student/vets $15.76 for 7:30 show.
Regattabar, Cambridge, MA
A Jazz Tribute to Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Sunday, Dec. 14, 4 pm. GA $41.79 including service fee.
Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT
Christmas Spectacular w/Chris “Big Dog” Davis (keyboards, combo), Saturday, Dec. 13, 7 pm. GA $73 including service fee.
The Falcon, Marlboro, NY
Kneebody (eclectic combo), Sunday, Dec. 14, 7:30 pm. $30 suggested donation.
Firehouse 12, New Haven, CT
Tyshawn Sorey Trio (drums, combo), Friday, Dec. 12, 8:30 and 10 pm. GA $20 for 8:30 show, $15 for 10 pm show.
The Side Door, Old Lyme, CT
Benny Benack III Quartet Season’s Swingin’ Greetings, Saturday, Dec. 13, 8 pm. GA $54.45, students $27.98 including service fee.
Palace Theater Poli Club, Waterbury, CT
Abrianna Madden (vocals), Friday, Dec. 12, 7 and 9 pm. GA $42 including service fee.
Pump House Music Works, S. Kingstown, RI
URI Big Band, Friday, Dec. 12, 7 pm. GA $23.18 including service fee.
Social Bar & Kitchen, New London, CT
Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra Big Band Holiday Show, Wednesday, Dec. 10 and Thursday, Dec. 11, 6:30 pm. GA $17.85 in advance including service fee, $20 at the door.
Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
Wesleyan Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble Fall Concert, Friday, Dec. 12, 7:30 pm. Free.
Jams
Cafe Nine, New Haven CT
New Haven Jazz Underground jam, usually 2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month: free admission
Saturday jazz jam most Saturdays, 4 pm. Free.
Blackeyed Sally’s, Hartford, CT
Jazz Wednesdays, featured set 7 pm, jam session afterward.
Mahoney’s, Poughkeepsie, NY
Poughkeepsie Jazz Project, every Tuesday, 7 pm. Free.
Park City Music Hall, Bridgeport, CT
Scott Cushman and Friends followed by jam, first Wednesday of the month.
Jazz Societies and Organizations (great info on events, festivals, and more)
Jazz Society of Fairfield County
Jazz Fridays at Three Sheets New Haven 1st/3rd Fridays from 6-9pm
Jazz Thursdays at The Cannon New Haven every other Thurs from 7-9pm.
8495Jazz takes its name from the two Interstate highways that cross our region, I-84 and I-95. Within short driving distances from either, you can find incredible entertainment, from local jams to world-famous festivals in New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. 8495Jazz: From Newburgh to Newport!
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This story might inspire me to play croquet. When it warms up.
Love that croquet anecdote. The leap from a simple event listing to someone discovering a late-life passion ilustrates something profound about curation and access. You didn't create the physicist's love of competitive croquet, but you created the junction where his latent interest met opportunity. That's the understated power of regional arts journalism, teh connective tissue that makes scenes cohere rather than just exist