'Jazz at Sunset' returns 'All In' with Verve Jazz Ensemble and beautiful melodies

This year's "Jazz at Sunset" concert behind The Hanover Theatre featuring the Verve Jazz Ensemble at 6 p.m. on Aug. 25 could be a new musical dawn for some in attendance who are being exposed to jazz for the first time.

Verve Jazz Ensemble leader and drummer Josh Feldstein wants to keep them engaged along with veteran jazz-lovers.

"The music that we play is foundationally rooted in beautiful melodies," Feldstein said during a recent telephone interview.

"I'm always looking to identify melodies people are going to enjoy regardless of how sophisticated their jazz ear is," he said.

The New York City-based instrumental ensemble has won widespread acclaim and high ratings in the JazzWeek radio charts with eight albums in just over ten years, the latest of which, "All In," was released in May.

Feldstein has said the band strives to appeal “to everyone from people in their 20s who know nothing about bebop to people in their 80s who grew up in the swing era ... Part of the band’s mission is to expand the audience of classic instrumental jazz."

The ensemble is typically constantly shifting genres with a repertoire that includes ballads, Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz, hard bop, swing and blues. "All In" even has a even a jazzy reinterpretation of the "Odd Couple" television theme tune.

'Jazz at Sunset'

"Jazz at Sunset"  is produced by The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts and 90.5 WICN Public Radio. The Verve jazz Ensemble is also currently WICN's Artist of the Month.

The outside area behind The Hanover Theatre will be transformed into an outdoor, picnic-style concert venue to include food trucks and cash bars.

"Jazz at Sunset" was a popular, long-running summer series originally presented by WICN and the EcoTarium and held on the EcoTarium’s grounds in Worcester for 22 years until 2012 (the final year the series was called "Live at Sunset"). The series subsequently had a brief run at SAC Park in Shrewsbury. Jazz musician and singer Grace Kelly performed the concert in 2017 that revived "Jazz at Sunset" in its new iteration behind The Hanover Theatre. She also returned last year.

The Aug. 25 concert will be the first time that both the Verve Jazz Ensemble and Feldstein have performed in Worcester.

The ensemble has ranged from a trio to a septet with Tatum Greenblatt on trumpet, Willie Applewhite on trombone, Alexa Tarantino on alto sax/flute, Jon Blanck on tenor sax, Matt Oestreicher on piano and guitar, Elias Bailey on bass, and Feldstein on drums.

For the "Jazz at Sunset" concert four members will take the stage — Blanck, Oestreicher, Bailey and Feldstein.

An early love of jazz

Feldstein was born in New York City and began studying drums at age 11, later playing in the Queens all-borough orchestra during high school. Feldstein recalled that a drum teacher told him that his drumming style reminded him of Gene Krupa (1909-73), a drummer, band leader and composer.

"I said, "Who's Gene Krupa?'" Feldstein said.

"The next lesson he brought a (Gene Krupa) record. It was on the Verve label," he said of the famous Verve Records jazz label.

"I listened to the music and I loved it ... I don't think I sound like Gene Krupa, but I guess learned what was possible on the drums listening to Gene," Feldstein said.

He also "learned about jazz" and listened to the big bands and many different styles.

"That was the way my journey began," he said.

"I wasn't interested in Michael Jackson, I wasn't interested in the Beatles, I wasn't interested in Fleetwood Mac. I loved jazz."

He went on to study extensively with drumming legends John Riley and Joe Morello and toured with a big band. But he was involved in non-musical work while living in Danbury, Connecticut, with his wife when some "local jazz guys found each other in the community," Feldstein said.

They "enjoyed each other" and formed the Verve Jazz Ensemble in 2006, named to express Feldstein's love of the music associated with that storied Verve label that Krupa played on.

The ensemble played local restaurants and country clubs before establishing its roots in New York City. It swiftly developed a big following.

Every time the group played people asked where they could get its recordings, Feldstein said. The only thing was, the ensemble hadn't yet made any albums.

"After years of this I said we're going to record an album." Appropriately, the title of the 2012 release was "It's About Time," Feldstein said.

The album hit No. 5 on the national JazzWeek radio chart in 2013.  The ensemble's second album, "East End Sojourn” (2014) with guest guitarist Peter Bernstein, reached No. 8 and received JazzWeek’s "Top Albums of the Year" status.

Finding new listeners

Verve Jazz Ensemble is now a nationally acclaimed ensemble with a worldwide listening audience.

However, it has been said that modern jazz, like modern classical music, lost listeners and audiences because it became too intimidating for people not into the following the music into the labyrinthine depths of experimentation.

"I think intimidating is a good adjective," Feldstein said, "There's a place for that (avante-garde jazz). But even the average jazz listener has a challenge with that ... We only have 2% of the population listening in. So if you're going to meet new listeners we've got to keep them moving."

For example, the ensemble tries to "get to the point" in instrumental solos, Feldstein sad. "Sprawling solos — newer jazz listeners have a hard time with that," he said.

"I think it's important to be respectful to audiences' attention. It's important to prevent the listener's ear getting fatigued."

With that, Jeff Hanley of Jazz Happening Now says of "All In" that "The maturity and thoughtful, tasteful passion for jazz of the VJE collective pours out of the speakers."

"All In" has two originals and eight arrangements.

Feldstein said "As a band leader I'm always looking for side 'B' — that great side that didn't get enough radio play but was still amazing."

One instance of "underserved" gems on "All In" is an arrangement of jazz pianist George Shearing's "Midnight in the Air." "Even if you've been listing to jazz for 50 years you've never heard of that tune. It's that type of approach we take seriously," Feldstein said.

Along with that, "We have more recognizable tunes," he added.

Verve Jazz Ensemble is "a full time endeavor for the guy that runs the band," Feldstein said. Namely, himself. The rest of the ensemble are "busy professionals — instructors, performers," he said.

While New York is the band's base, some members live and reside elsewhere and Feldstein currently lives in Amherst.

"We are at this point a recording group. We try to have an annual project." He works closely with Blanck, Greenblatt and other VJE musicians to craft the group's broad portfolio of arrangements, and oversees the band’s steady recording and production schedule.

Live performances such as the "Jazz at Sunset" concert are relatively few at the moment. The schedules of some ensemble members makes it difficult to arrange performances. "We get booked nationally about 6 to 8 performances year," Feldstein said.

Still, he's looking forward to coming here.

"I happen to be a Massachusetts resident," he noted. The concert will have "a lot of energy."

6th Annual 'Jazz at Sunset' featuring Verve Jazz Ensemble

When: 6 p.m. Aug. 25. Gates open at 5 p.m. Please note that alcohol may not be brought in and must be purchased at the event. This event is rain or shine. There are no refunds, exchanges or rain dates.

Where: Outside behind The Hanover Theatre and Conservatory for the Performing Arts

How much: $30 per person (bring your own chair) or $175 for VIP stage-front tables that seat four people. (877) 571-7469; www.thehanovertheatre.org.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: 'Jazz at Sunset' returns 'All In' with Verve and beautiful melodies