Shenole Latimer @ the New Smyrna Beach Regional Library 4/14/12

Kenny & Shenole in '07

New York saxophonist Shenole Latimer stopped in New Smyrna Beach on his 2012 tour of the Southeast to re-unite with his former bandmate Kenny MacKenzie and his FL trio, at the Regional Library this past Saturday. It turned out to be an exciting night of originals by both Shenole & Kenny, as well as jazz favorites like "Green Dolphin Street", "Body & Soul" and even "Satin Doll". The video below is a tune by Kenny, from an album that featured both his trio & Shenole called "Closer to the Day". Thanks to Gloria Mariash for the footage, and to the NSB Library for putting on jazz shows like this one! - PCJ

Pianist Mike Orta

Mike Orta is a Florida resident as well as an Associate Professor and Director of Jazz Performance at Florida International University. This was taped in Poland. Mike takes an inspired and reaching solo, and the whole band is cookin'. Paquito's arrangement of the warhorse "All the Things You Are" is exciting and clever! - PCJ

DeLand's Thin Man Watts Jazz Festival 2011

First thing we heard when we pulled up to unload was the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mass Community Choir, performing on the steps of the Volusia Historic Courthouse! Big uplifting sound, great way to start the day.

Above is Matt Ward Miller - a drummer in his own right who was running sound for the shows in Chess Park. Matt did a great job achieving the delicate balance of volume and finesse needed for outdoor jazz. Kudos!

Pictured from left to right, event host & singer-songwriter Tony Amadore, Matt Miller & Thom Chambers.

The waterfall made things interesting sonically, Mr. Amadore joked that it sounded like applause! It did make for very nice picture taking: above is drummer Jay Messick - performing with the Kenny MacKenzie Trio.

Another nice waterfall shot of bassist John Pelligrino - great guy and always a smile!

Kenny MacKenzie Trio - photo by Arnette Sherman.

All the bands had a special guest performer - the clock tower. I was disappointed it did not sound in the one number we do that could have used bells ("Song One"). Thom Chambers was appreciative to have any one playing with him, but complained about the clock's "short solos".

Bringing some authentic New Orleans to DeLand was Sybil Gage. Sybil captivated the crowd with both her voice & her stage presence - an indescribably engaging energy the audience and I couldn't get enough of.

Leon Olguin is Sybil's long-time accompanist - and boy, can she pick 'em! Leon was phenomenal, always apropos, marvelously full-sounding and at times lightning fast. I was impressed. They did a great show!

Rhythm Phocus layed down the funk at Chess Park. Big band - had to combine photos to get Demetrius Garner the bass player in there! Other musicians include Roland Brawner - guitar/leader, Deanna Hall - vox, and Byron Marquese Garner on drums. If I find out the other musicians names (Les Macquarrie does not appear to be there) I'll post them.

This festival was one of the most well organized events I'd ever been to. Running like clockwork with friendly staff/volunteers everywhere - nothing was overlooked. The musicians had a 'green room' in the West Volusia Beacon building - where I met some very cool people and enjoyed the fare and a chair with a back. But I ate my Nutella sandwich in my car and observed some very neat things about DeLand - like the guy on the giant big-wheeled bicycle (sorry no pic), the "penny cabs" that whisked organizer Jeff Shepherd's charming wife Barb away somewhere - perhaps to the Sam Rivers show; and I was parked across from this fun mural celebrating the Deland Naval Air Station for WWII.

Just Jazz took the stage in Artisan Alley and provided a lighthearted, upbeat "cool" mood, playing bop and post-bop jazz favorites like "Mercy Mercy Mercy" and enjoying the late afternoon sun.

Just Jazz - Lloyd Hoppe - Bass, Geno Valet - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Mel DiLorenzo - Drums, Ernie Lombardi - Trombone, Bill Lewis - Piano.

Thom Chambers' show at Chess Park was a lot of fun. Thom played sax, flute and even a little keyboard, and hopped off stage to serenade the audience.

Thom taking a flute solo in a great song I hadn't heard in a while - "Morning Dance" - hailing from back a few years when it wasn't unusual for a jazz instrumental to be on pop radio. Also played was a fine rendition of "Just the Two of Us" and some tunes by Sting.

That's me - one of a few pianists closing out the evening in a DeLand venue. I'm looking a little tired, but I had a lot of fun here at the Elusive Grape - a big, friendly crowd rolled in for my last set and we all had a blast! Thanks to Arnette Sherman for the informative conversation and for taking this picture; and to Tony (and a few others, I'm beyond terrible with names - thank God for business cards!) for the good company!



Residents of Palm Coast - DeLand is less than an hour away, an easy trip (and scenic if you take route 11) and filled with opulent displays of fine culture everywhere you look (and a real neat record store!) - if you didn't make the festival this year, plan to go next time. This festival is in good hands! I'll be there next year - one way or another... :)   - KM

Jazz Piersonified and the St. Augustine Jazz All Stars - Labor Day 2011

Jim Pierson - 9/5/11

It's unusual these days that I get treated to live music at a gig I'm playing myself - so I decided to show up early to the Plaza de la Constitucion to listen to my buddy John Pellegrino playing bass for Jazz Piersonified. I had such a thoroughly great time.

Jazz Piersonified - Jim Pierson, Robert Banks, Cindy Pierson

Jack Pierson was swingin' and inventive on the keys, fresh from a trip and recording session in NYC, Cindy Pierson's vocal sound was warm and round, finely tuned & captivating, especially on the ballads. John was marvelous as always, digging in with all the right choices; and I got to hear and enjoy Palm Coast drummer Robert Banks for the first time - he was the icing on the cake - you couldn't help but move to his uptempo swing numbers, and his trades were crisp and thrilling.

John Pellegrino - 2011

And then the delightful experience of playing with the legendary Sid Blair for our set - the St. Augustine Jazz Society All-Stars. Well I'm hardly an all-star, but felt like one behind Sid. I got to play with and be blown away by him in Jim Miller's Big Band America - jamming in this more intimate setting was a dream come true. Honestly, the minute this guy picks up his flute I'm transported to some musical nirvana. Scott Mariash and Larry Nader were a solid, swinging section for the crowd - who hung in there til our last number, when the rain began. 

St.Augustine Plaza de la Constitucion - Labor Day Concert 2011

Jim Stafford from Eclipse Recording was very kind to let me run a line from his board and capture some of the concert - you can hear a few songs below in the pink player. Great crowd, great music, and for me - great memories! - Kenny MacKenzie

Sid Blair 2011 - photo by Heather Nader

Palm Coast Podcast to Launch Soon!

Our first podcast is almost complete! Episode 1 will feature jazz music from two Palm Coast residents, as well as a few from Ormond Beach, Daytona and even Orlando. The lineup includes Ray Guiser, Mark Chiriboga, Frank Capek and Robert Harris - and the styles are a pleasant mix of contemporary jazz, straight-ahead and top-notch smooth. There's so much talent around - can't fit it all in one show!


If you're a NE Florida jazz musician or know one with original music on a studio-quality recording, contact us at palmcoastjazz@gmail if you'd like to be considered for an upcoming podcast. We'll even stretch the boundaries a little if it's good stuff!


We're aware the calendar is working only intermittently. We've contacted the app designer; if things don't improve by next week we'll move to different calendar software - thanks for your patience!


Don't forget to tell your jazz-loving friends about us - and go catch some live music! Thanks for stopping by - Kenny

Here We Go!

Welcome to the new companion blog of our Facebook page "Palm Coast Jazz". We'll put the overflow here - more music, more pics, reviews of new cds by area musicians, videos and even interviews.

When it comes to getting attention and jazz, the more the merrier. If you'd like to contribute, blog, review shows or take pictures/video of shows, review music, interview a musician - you are very welcome! Just drop an email at palmcoastjazz@gmail.com and tell us how you'd like to contribute, and we'll set you up.

Just getting started here while we're so busy with so many things, so for right now the jazz calendar for events in and near Palm Coast, FL is over on the Facebook page. Please don't forget to 'like' us when you are there; those numbers help us and the cause in more ways than you might think!

Thanks for stopping by, support live music and be sure to visit the Florida jazz artists websites we have listed on the right hand side of this blog. Lots of good music and fun stories, and all great people!

All the best! - Kenny

ps - be on the lookout for a podcast with hot jazz from Florida musicians, coming very soon!