They brought impressive musicianship to a highly enthusiastic audience.

-The Lethbridge Herald, Canada
 
 
 
 

The swing numbers were overflowing 
with energy and 
presented with ease and elegance.

-Saarbrucken Zeitung, Germany
 
 
 
 

A fabulous performance.

-Jack Fishman. 
Executive Director
Long Beach Symphony,  CA.
 
 
 
 

The swing selections have all the essential elements of the big band sound. They are performed with fire and precision.

-Larry Elgart,  ìThe Ambassador of Swingî
 
 
 
 

The audience was able to hear the true level of their skill as a group, as well as their individual talents. 
They sparkled in their solos and the variety of the selections they played.

-Sun Valley,  ID
 
 
 
 

Their non-stop excitement sent people jumping spontaneously to their feet!

-The Olé,  AZ
 
 
 
 

The Side Street Strutters play regularly at Disneyland, but there is nothing ëMickey Mouseí about them. These guys are good!

-The Long Beach Gazette,  CA
 
 
 
 

An energetic, supremely entertaining, hard-driving performance.

-Sacramento Union, CA
 
 
 
 

Their engaging style and humorous delivery keep the audience entertained throughout the performance.

-Michael Krajewski, 
Guest POPS Conductor, 
Houston, Long Beach, 
New Mexico, and 
Jacksonville Symphonies

Jazz band delights concert patrons

By JERRY R. PAYNE
Special to the News Messenger

The Marshall Community Concert Association welcomed the Side Street Strutters on Tuesday evening with a large and enthusiastic, appreciative audience.  Spontaneous applause erupted throughout the evening.    The band showcased their Dixieland skills during the first half of the program with such favorites as "South Rampart Street Parade" and "Tiger Rag."  The highlight of this segment was their rendition of "Tin Roof Blues."  The second half of the concert featured Big Band Swing played with exquisite style and versatility.  Greg Varlotta, trumpet, "wowed" the audience with his tap dancing ability, alternating phrases with trumpet playing and tap dancing, bringing shouts of "BRAVO!" from the crowd.  Varlotta exhibited his versatility throughout the program, playing trumpet, banjo, tuba, singing and dancing.

Each member of the group was featured during the concert:  John Noreyko, tuba, was featured on "Frankie and Johnnie," and as vocalist "ala Nat King Cole," on "Straighten Up and Fly Right;" Robert Verdi, saxophonist and spokesman for the band, was featured on both the smallest member of the saxophone family,the sopranino sax, playing the Rudy Weidhoff classic, "Saxophobia," and the largest saxophone in the world, the contrabass sax.  Mark Massey, pianist, was featured on "Danny Boy;"  Vince Verdi, Clarinetist, played a lively rendition of "Sing, Sing, Sing;" and David Ryan, trombonist, was featured on the beautiful ballad, "Moonlight in Vermont."  The band's arranger, former trombonist, Joey Sellers, has crafted ingenious, fresh-sounding arrangements for the ensemble, making the ensemble sound like an 18-piece band.

Although each member of the "Strutters" was a standout player on the their own instrument, the most impressive aspect of their playing was their very accurate, authentic ensemble performance - they were a "band" in every sense of the word, exceptionally well-rehearsed.  The Community Concert Association of Marshall is to be commended for bringing such fantastic talent to our city.  The evening was a most enjoyable, rewarding musical experience!

Symphony POPS! Struts Stuff With Side Street Strutters in Top Concert

By Jim Ruggirello
Gazette Music Writer
 

When you're hot, you're hot.    The Long Beach Symphony was hot for its second POPS! concert of the season at the Arena Saturday night.  It was an almost flawless evening, making it difficult on the one hand to pick out highlights and on the other to find fault.  The concert was loads of fun, but it left a curmudgeonly critic little to write about.  I hate when that happens.    Principal POPS! Conductor Michael Krajewski was at his best, providing moments of droll humor and outright hilarity (his attempts at tap dancing are indescribable)  while knowing when to cede the spotlight to his guests, the orchestra or the music itself.  Krajewski is one of the best in the country at what he does, and Long Beach is fortunate to enjoy his services four times a year.

And for once the guest artists operated at Krajewski's high level.  The Side Street Strutters play regularly at Disneyland, but there is nothing Mickey Mouse about their musicianship.  These guys are good!  The Strutters (clarinet, sax, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano and drums), whose repertoire runs from the earliest New Orleans jazz through the Swing era, displayed on this occasion a breathtakingly tight ensemble with flashes of individual brilliance.  Saxophonists Robert Verdi, the congenial master of ceremonies, did a masterful job of introducing the group's numbers while acknowledging the orchestra's contributions and keeping the program moving.    Some moments did stand out.  A very nice arrangement of "Just A Closer Walk With Thee"

featured the stellar clarinet of Vince Verdi. The other star, trumpeter Greg Varlotta, lent real distinction to Jelly Roll Morton's "King Porter Stomp" and "Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White."  A couple of rare instruments, Varlotta's soprano trombone and Robert Verdi's contrabass saxophone, provided some diversion.  And drummer Paul Johnson along with the Strutters and full orchestra really got the Arena rocking on "Sing, Sing, Sing."    The whole evening was really about fun, classic jazz and great performances.  The sound system was remarkably well behaved.    No matter.  This was one of the best POPS! concerts the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra has put on in a long time.

Side Street Strutters delight packed house!

by BRIAN McMAHON
Special to the Morning Star
 

This year's Community Concert series opened with excitement Monday night as the Side Street Strutters Jazz Band entertained a capacity crowd at the Vernon Recreation Centre.  From the opening "Original Dixieland One Step" to the encore of "The Saints",this sextet kept the audience entertained and dazzled.    This is a very tight ensemble.  If you missed the concert, you really missed some terrific music and a well-crafted show. There was plenty of comedy onstage, reminiscent of the Canadian Brass.     The Side Street Strutters played mostly Dixieland but had enough variety to keep everyone interested.  The ballad, "Stars Fell on Alabama", was a nice change of pace and featured an exquisite tenor sax solo by emcee Robert Verdi.  Tubist John Noreyko helped spice up the program with his vocal version of "Makin' Whoopie."

The Strutters even played a contemporary arrangement of the Isham Johnes hit "Gonna Sit Right Down", propelled by drummer Paul Johnson's tasty brush work.  This Bill Evans inspired arrangement was by multi-talented trombonist/pianist Joey Sellers.    One usually expects fast-fingered clarinet playing with a Dixie group, and Vince Verdi didn't disappoint.  His solos were melodic and truly Dixie as were those of trumpeter Greg Varlotta.     Varlotta showed off his many talents doubling on piano, slide trumpet, and tuba.  He also strummed tenor banjo in a comical "I'm Confessing That I Love You" with Robert Verdi on bass sax.    The musicianship of the Side Street Strutters was top-notch, from the incredible tuba work on "Frankie and Johnny" to the smooth trombone of Sellers on "On the Street Where You Live."     They played requests, received a standing ovation and deserved every second of applause.