I don't know if your dad ever told you this but you have to be very careful with the funk. It can put permanent (and embarrassing!) stains on your clothes, bumping up your chance of making terrible first impressions in social situations.
Even worse: it can get you mistaken for a smooth jazz musician. Just think, one wrong move and you're sandwiched in between Kenny G and Boney James. Ouch.
As luck would have it, Gregg Gelb knows how to handle the funk. He's got a drummer slinging with that loose-but-tight feel, a sympathetic piano player who can amp up the funk with snazzy unison lines as well as wide-ranging solos, and a bassist who can swing like crazy. This is one fun little tune. The soulful vibe might induce spontaneous body part wavin', but I predict no other social disturbances.
Reviewer: Mark Saleski Jazz.com
_________________________________________________________________________ "Gelb's knowledgeable in-depth writing makes the unit sound larger than it is, a feat assisted by the bold entrances, maturity and expert musicianship of the players."
"Authentic Swing ---- The Gregg Gelb Swing Band, a Triangle mainstay, is authentic, varied, and substantive, the size of the group is small, but with a huge sound, you would think you were hearing an 18-piece big band."
Owen Cordle, Jazz Reviewer for The News and Observer, Raleigh, NC and Jazz Times
Sorry I can't make this very interesting program [Gelb’s DMA recital/lecture on 1959 JAZZ]. I'm busy that day giving a commencement speech and attending social events at APP State. Would love to hear a recording of your event if there is one.
Very much liked your Gospel arrangement [Gelb’s arrangement of Go Tell It on the Mountain for Choir, Orchestra and Big Band]. Well done! I do hope that we can utilize this arrangement and more of your skills in this area in the future.
And BRAVO to you for your superb job negotiating and finessing the big solo in Symphonic Dances [NC Symphony performance of Rachmaninoff’s “Symphonic Dances]. I've never heard it more beautifully played, both technically and spiritually. Many thanks!
All the Best, Bill Curry [North Carolina Symphony Associate Conductor]
"Once in a blue moon someone captures pure musical excellence on a CD. Such is the case with "Then and Now." This is the best small group I've heard in that same blue moon. These arrangements are exciting listening. While the soloists are all good, and Kathy is special on the vocals, the ensemble passages are true team work."
On Tuesday night, September 18, 2001, the opening concert of the recently revived Smedes Parlor Series at St. Mary's School became a serendipitous rally for the spirit of America in light of the tragedies of the previous Tuesday. The program, "A Classical and Jazz Evening," featured well-known area jazz musician Gregg Gelb and four others playing works by Benny Goodman and Leonard Bernstein. Goodman's music was synonymous with World War II homeland patriotism and Bernstein's love for America has been expressed in such works as "West Side Story" and "Mass." Although it was not referred to as such, it took only a few minutes for the whole audience to respond to the program as a tribute to the fallen and as a booster for pride in our country.
"Seven Come Eleven" immediately established the group's total command and extreme comfort, allowing the listener to concentrate on the magic that jazz can invoke. "Lullaby of the Leaves" perfectly conjured the rolling winds of autumn, Gelb and Paolantonio fused in focused, strong waves of sound. The high held clarinet notes of "Slipped Disc," instantly recognizable as a Goodman signature, added to the "hot" intensity of that number.
Kathy Montgomery Gelb, Greg's wife and noted vocalist on her own, switched the mood with her rendition of "I Thought of You," her soft-grained smoothness and clear diction buoyed by her husband on sax and Gladstone's rich bowing. The instrumentalists finished off the set with the jaunty "Don't Be That Way" and the toe-tapping "Airmail Special," the most upbeat and dance-inducing number of the evening, with dense chording on piano and hot licks on clarinet.
Within the formal setting of the Smedes Parlor and heard under the glittering chandelier, the music had already taken on a more classical feel. For the opening of the second half, the crossover was furthered by the playing of Bernstein's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, the composer's first published work, completed in 1942. Gelb was joined in this performance by Milton Laufer, a distinguished pianist with a long list of credits, who has just begun a tenure as pianist-in-residence at Peace College (replacing Ray Kilburn). Together, he and Gelb attacked the sonata with ferocity and extreme emotion. Gelb proved himself an accomplished player in a more structured work. The many conflicting moods of the piece eerily reflected those of the audience in these unsettling times. __________________________________________________________________________________
Gregg Gelb and his Swing band recently played at a dance for the Rowan Public Library. The “Big Swing” dance was part of a month long program of activities planned for The Big Read, a National Endowment for the Arts and Institute for Museum and Library Services grant which Rowan Public Library received. We chose to celebrate the novel The Grapes of Wrath and asked Mr. Gelb to tailor his program so that it would include music primarily from the 1930’s Swing Era. He and his band did a wonderful job. We could not have been more pleased. They were flexible with their fee which helped us working within grant budget restrictions. They were accommodating and cooperative with our agenda that evening which included dance exhibitions from a local dance studio. Dancer’s age ranged from 6-nearly 90. The music was fabulous and just what we had hoped for as far as period and exceeded our expectations in musicianship.
We were just delighted with the dance and the music that the Gregg Gelb Swing Band provided and would certainly recommend them for any type of activity whether it is a concert, educational program or dance.
Best regards,
Gretchen Witt Local History/Genealogy Room Supervisor
I would like to recommend Mr. Gregg Gelb for a resident artist position with ArtsTeach. Mr. Gelb presented a jazz program for the Music Appreciation class, Honors Band students and the African-American History class on April 18, 2008 at Western Harnett High School. The students and faculty were treated to a timeline of jazz history and music ranging from Dixieland to Bebop and Free Form jazz. Mr. Gelb demonstrated the various styles and composers on clarinet and alto and tenor saxophone. His thorough knowledge of jazz history and his mastery of jazz improvization and technique was like bringing the textbooks to life. With his experience as Visiting Artist at Central Carolina Community College and as bandleader for his own jazz swing band, Mr. Gelb is uniquely qualified. His ability to teach, perform, inspire and broaden the jazz audience make Mr. Gregg Gelb the perfect choice for a resident artist position.
Sincerely,
Sandra H. McNeill Music Teacher Western Harnett High School Lillington, NC
Gregg Gelb has brought jazz performers to Ingram Elementary School four times within the past ten years. Each visit has been greatly anticipated by our students, who have always been delighted with the performers. I have sought out Gregg’s Heart of Carolina jazz performances and always felt extremely lucky when our school has been chosen to host his special guest artists.
Gregg directs the Heart of Carolina Jazz Orchestra, a non-profit big band which promotes jazz music education through performances around Sanford, NC. For each of their evening Temple Theater jazz performances, they also present an education workshop where their featured guest artist demonstrates and performs for students either within the public schools or at after school daycare organizations.
In September 2006, Gregg brought Ramon Kenan (trumpet) and Taylor (piano) to my school. I prepared the students ahead of time during their music classes, using school resources and some materials that Gregg loaned to me. Approximately half of the student body (@300 students) attended the jazz presentation, and it was a great success.
I highly recommend Gregg for an artist residency within the ArtsTeach program. Your students will be greatly entertained while being educated.
