AUGIE HAAS + 8

LIVE AT THE SPEAKEASY

Independent Label

Augie Haas, trumpet/vocals/bandleader/composer; Rick Germanson, piano; Dick Sarpola, bass; Gary Kerkezou, drums; Todd Groves, Alto Saxophone; Troy Roberts,

tenor Saxophone; Alden Banta, Baritone saxophone; Andrew Neesley, trumpet; Hailey Brinnel, trombone/vocals. SPECIAL GUESTS: Major Attaway & Kacie Sky, vocals.

“What you hear is what actually happened that night, in real time.  We did one take and recorded it live in front of an audience at the Speakeasy on the Upper West Side.  Our goal with this album is to immerse the listener in the highest quality music, set within an ambience of authentic sounds of people enjoying themselves.  We wanted this record to be fun, real, and raw. … I think we achieved that,” says Augie Haas.

The energy captured in this New York City, Upper West Side jazz room is off the charts.  “Live At the Speakeasy” is an amazing example of what happens in one of the jazz capitals of the world on a single night.

Augie Haas is a trumpeter, singer and bandleader, popular around town.  If you close your eyes, you can become one of those audience members, startled by the authentic and exemplary talent compounded in one night at a jazz room. Dick Sarpola opens the evening on his walking bass as he sets the tempo for “Jamo Rocks.”  The saxophones of Todd Groves, Troy Roberts and Alden Banta jump into the mix, along with Augie Haas on trumpet with Andrew Neesley. Also part of the horns is  the trombone mastery of  Hailey Brinnel.  This opening tune has me glued to my speakers. Their excitement is contagious.  I hear the audience making exclamation statements. Their voices sound giddy with joy. The + 8 Ensemble swings harder than a Joe Louis punch.

Before I can catch my breath, Hailey Brinnel puts down her trombone, walks up to the microphone and sings at a rapid-fire pace, “The Sound.”  She is phenomenal and sets the stage for an epic saxophone battle between Todd Groves on alto sax and Troy Roberts on tenor sax.  Brinnel follows this up with her rendition of the standard jazz song “Candy,” letting her vocals dance atop the solid walking bass of Sarpola. Hailey was a 2021 Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition Finalist.

This particular evening, Augie Haas introduced a couple of special guests.  One was Major Attaway who sang “Fly Me To the Moon.” He was a huge disappointment on vocals. Haas is also a composer, and the 5^th track features his tune “You Can Fly!” It’s well-written and puts the spotlight back on this excellent band and the Haas talents on trumpet. Haas has also composed “Keep On Keeping On” that features Todd Groves on alto sax. Another favorite was “Feelin’ Alright,” a slow shuffle, where the horns are as smooth and harmonically sweet as violins.

Haas has worked with a number of iconic artists including The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Gil Evans Project, Birdland Big Band, The Maria Schneider Orchestra and Harry Connick, Jr.

Augie Haas is currently a regular member of the orchestra for Aladdin on Broadway and has worked on many other Broadway shows.

“This album is a real document of ‘live’ music and jazz.  The ‘live’ aspect is important because technology permeates today’s music to the extent that it can be hard to be sure what is actually performed and what is produced,” Augie Haas concludes.

They close with a Straight-ahead, swing tune called “Za Toba Pojde Jak Na Bal” and it’s a wonderful way to close out an evening of “live “ jazz.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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