Bill’s Blog Soul Funkified Jazz

I just received notice that The Stork Club in Boston is shut down indefinitely. There is some kind of license issue with the club owners and the company who leases them the building and licenses. So the first thing to make note of is that there will be no shows as originally scheduled. This includes this Sat June 5 and next Sat June 12.

Not that the details of their business is a topic for online discussion but the five owners of the business were leasing the space and it’s liquor and entertainment license from the previous owner. Somewhere along the chain of licensing boards, apartment dwellers, building owners and associations this fantastic club has been shut down.

I almost wrote something about how much I enjoy this club but it seemed a little self-serving. So now here’s my list of why I love this place:

The Stork is a great music club. At 9:30 when the music starts, this little 88 seat club with the band right smack in the middle comes to life. If you’re there, you’re there for the music. So musicians, bring your A game because people are listening. So if you got it, they’ll let you know how much they appreciate your efforts.  Yes the food is good and I know a LOT of people go for dinner. The chef and kitchen are great. But at 9:30…

Everyone that works there is nice to you, responsive and friendly. I can’t count how many “clubs” in Boston have rude door men / bouncers with earphones and an attitude bigger than their necks, a wait staff that treat you like you’re interrupting their texting time, and bartenders who work very hard at ignoring you and mixing bad drinks in slow motion. From the door, to the staff to the owners, everyone was here to make sure you got what you needed and enjoyed yourself.

Comfortable, no pretense, nice people (in the club), no problems or fights, actual tables and chairs, oh what else…

It’s been my experience that most clubs attract a fairly narrow demographic, in age, race and even job sector.  It seems to be the nature of things. There are college clubs, clubs for 50 year olds, all white or all black (or choose your race), all seven figure professionals or all blue collar, gay or straight, a meat market or a couple bar. But like the South End in general, the best word I can use to describe the mix of people at The Stork on a Saturday night is eclectic. With absolutely no pretense this was one of the few places I’ve performed where you would truly see the breadth of our wonderful city represented.

I hope that this club reopens soon, either at the current location or at bigger one, although I think it should stay in the South End somewhere.

Bill C Live at The Stork

I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the support with our newest and now favorite venue – The Stork Club, Boston. Also, for those of you who participated in our Haiti releif efforts (along with all the other appeals you get daily) thanks again. All of the supplies we collected for Partners in Development have been brought to Port au Prince and already been used to treat people. Don’t hesitate to throw your support their way in the future (http://www.pidonline.org).  

I am being featured a new music site on the web this month called NewGrooveMusic.com (http://www.newgroovemusic.com). The site is sponsor supported meaning that it is free for you to download. We get paid for the downloads so it would be great for you to go and pick up downloads of my CD “Bounce” for free (and any other band you happen to like). Feel free to spread the word.

New Groove Music is also putting together a compilation of their favorite artists which will include one of my songs. This compilation will be distrubuted at two huge music conferences/festivals – SXSW (South by South West in case you didn’t know) and The Red Gorilla Music Festival. I am going to try to score a few of them for myself so maybe I can share a couple.

Also, for those of you near Boston, MA things have been heating up with the Stork Club and they have invited us back for two dates in February. We will be there on Friday, Feb 12 (Valentines Day weekend – if you dare to celebrate early) and Friday Feb 26. If you haven’t been there yet you MUST come and check out this place. If you make reservations for dinner you can reserve a good table. If you’ve been there already I know you’ll be back.  

Ciao’
Bill Champitto
Soul, Funkified Jazz
www.billchampitto.com
follow me me on twitter: twitter.com/billcbos
become a fan on www.facebook.com/billchampitto

Friday, Feb 12 and Friday, Feb 26 9:30 pm. start
The Stork Club http://www.storkclubboston.com604
Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02118
This is a “free” show – no tickets/cover; our version of a stimulus package. You can make reservations in advance by calling (617) 391-0256. 

This week I connected through my friends at Delta with Gail Hull from Partners in Development in Ipswich, MA. Her group has been doing work in the developing countries near our borders since 1990. Gail is headed to Haiti on Saturday to check on her team that was in Haiti during the quake, and over the next few weeks various medical teams and supplies will be heading to Haiti as well. And for this real world commitment and giving, they need medical supplies and airline miles.

Saturday night we will be joined by some Delta Airline employees (present and past) who will, we know from past experience, be donating their own passes to get people that can really make a difference into Haiti. Anyone who can join us for this show is encouraged to bring medical supplies (the list is below) and also vouchers for your frequent flier miles that we can give to Gail for her teams to get back and forth.

I know you’ve had plenty of exposure and opportunity to provide support to Haiti. In fact, I need to thank everyone who joined us for our group text at last week’s show. We all text-ed “Haiti” to 90999 together. Each text donated $10 to the Red Cross. And this is a unique opportunity to do something that will have an immediate and lasting impact on peoples lives and enable Gail to do the work we all wish we could do.

Even if you can’t make our show (BUT YOU SHOULD!)… please check out this wonderful organization at http://www.pidonline.org and see if there is something you can do to help.

Saturday night is looking like it will be an exciting evening, with great music, great people and the opportunity to do something exceptional. I hope you can make it. The show details and the list of supplies that will help PID in their mission are listed below. Be well.

Bill C

Saturday, Jan 23, 2010
9:30 pm.
The Stork Club
http://www.storkclubboston.com
604 Columbus Ave
Boston, MA 02118

This is a “free” show – no tickets/cover; our version of a stimulus package. You can make reservations in advance by calling (617) 391-0256. 

Supplies needed include:
bandages
gauze
splits
casting supplies
antibiotic creams
hydrocortizone cream
alcohol prep pads
topical pain relief creams
antibiotics
pain relief (Tylenol/ibuprophen, adults and children)
cough medicine
eye wash
Visine
vitaminsCiao’ Bill Champitto
Soul, Funkified Jazz
www.billchampitto.com
follow me on twitter: twitter.com/billcbos 
become a fan on www.facebook.com/billchampitto  

I am not very good at pulling pictures together from shows – I wish I had more… but a good friend, Jeff Fullerton was there last night and took these great shots… I thought I would share them. This link should get you to all of the pictures, both of my band and of Max Klau’s band (and yes I was playing keys for Max’s show) … http://www.flickr.com/photos/8587491@N02/

It has only been a couple of weeks since the first copies of “Bounce” arrived and starting making their way to the media, but I want to share with you some of the things that have been going on….

• I had an interview today with the North Shore news papers for a story that should run this week.
• On Friday night (actually Saturday morning) at 12:45 I will be a guest on Al Davis’ Jazz Gallery on WGBH FM (89.7).
• On Saturday night (ok, Sunday morning) I will be a guest on Sherry Smith’s show ‘Round Midnight on WATD FM (95.9).
• Then I might be heard on WFNX RM (101.7) Sunday morning Jazz Brunch with Jeff Turton (still being confirmed).
• On Monday I will be a guest on WICN FM 90.5 with Tyra Penn at 1:00 pm.
• Of course Tuesday night is the big release party (I already told you about that and if you didn’t get your tickets yet you really should) The show is at 8:00 at Scullers in Boston (the Doubletree Hotel on Storrow Drive… 400 Soldiers Field Road) … you can get your tickets now at http://web.me.com/sueauclair/Bill_Champitto_At_Scullers/May_12_09.html, www.ticketweb.com, or call Scullers directly at 617-562-4111. Tickets are $20.
• Then later that week I will be a guest on WEIB FM (106.3) on their morning show. We will be announcing a performance in western MA that WEIB will be hosting. 

Just writing all of this stuff out is overwhelming. The response from this CD has been fantastic and I didn’t even mention the coolest thing of all… I am in negotiation with a publicist who has a Canadian artist that wants to record some of my music on his upcoming CD. He is a well known recording artist in Canada who has spent time in the states on Broadway and on some impressive sets in Hollywood. Wish me luck…

Well that’s the update for the past two weeks…. and I can only hope there’s more to come. In the meantime, if you are able to make it to Scullers I want to thank you for taking part in the fun. The show starts at 8:00 so you’ll be home at a reasonable time – unless you want to join us later on Newbury Street for the after party! If you can’t make it you can order a CD or download for your MP3 player at http://www.billchampitto.com/downloads.html. I hope we can catch up real soon. Be well.  

Ciao’
Bill C

Bill Champitto
Soul, Funkified Jazz
cell (617) 320-4136 – land (617) 314-6503
http://www.billchampitto.com/
www.myspace.com/billchampitto

This video includes a live performance of two of Bill’s songs, “A Better Way” and “You Know Me”. It features Bill on piano and vocals, Keita Ogawa on percussion and Keith Kirkpatrick on bass. It was shot during a live performance at Scullers Jazz Club in Boston, MA.

video of Bill performing at Scullers, Boston

This performance of Rigamaroll was recorded live in studio. It features Bill with Keith Kirkpatrick on bass and Ricardo Monzon on percussion. Enjoy.

I was selected as a finalist from thousands of entries and edged out three other finalists for the opportunity to perform at Steppin’ Out with the Stars 2008 Gala. With Keith on bass and Keita on percussion, we performed live for a panel of judges and, according to the Dimock Center’s press release, “energized the audience” at Scullers Jazz Club on Monday, September 29th. “His trio edged out three other artists/ensembles for the opportunity to perform on the main stage at this year’s Steppin’ Out gala Saturday, November 8th.”

We performed my new single “A Better Way” and the best selling single from “Water’s Edge”, “You Know Me”. The show lineup includes such great jazz and R&B artists as Lala Hathaway, Andre Ward, Monty Alexander, Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spaulding, Kendrick Oliver, Wannetta Jackson, Larry Watson, Julia Nixon and Samba Tremeterra.

Thanks to all of you who showed up in support. This was fun and the show in front of an aduience of 3,000 will be very exciting.

About Dimock, in case you don’t know… (from their website)

The Dimock Center, founded on July 1, 1862 as the New England Hospital for Women and Children, was the first hospital in New England opened and operated by women for women, and only the second in the country. Noted prominently for its role in the history of women in medicine, Dimock strives to continue in the innovative spirit of trailblazers like Dr. Marie Zakrzewska, who established the hospital, and Mary Eliza Mahoney, the country’s first black nurse who studied here in 1879. Our nine-acre campus was designated as a National Historic Site in 1985 and a National Historic Landmark in 1991. Today, as the largest community based agency in Roxbury, Dimock serves thousands upon thousands of children, adults and families each year.
Dimock is a local and national model for the delivery of comprehensive health and human services. Our Health Care programs provide health maintenance, screening, immunizations, and prevention for adults and children with specialized clinics, including Women’s Health and OB/GYN, HIV/AIDs, eye care, and dental care. Our Child and Family Development programs offer group fitness activities, academic support and computer training, as well as a safe environment for children and adolescents. Our Behavioral Health program assists those struggling with mental illness, developmental delay substance abuse or violence issues. For many individuals and families, participation in Dimock’s programs and services literally saves lives.

http://www.dimock.org
http://dimock.org/display.asp?node_id=11673

I was amazed to find this posted to you tube (didn’t know it was there) … someone at one of my shows must have taken this with their phone or something… anyway, it is my YouTube debut….

I was honored to work with my old friend Ricardo Monzon which is always a setting for magical things. The club is having a dispute with the major licensing organizations (BMI, ASCAP and SESAC) which is a story for another day, but until its resolved performers are not able to perform any of the music they license. Since that’s nearly every popular song over written, I performed four hours of my original music along with many improvisations.

Like many of the land bound towns close to the shore, after a beautiful day followed by a warm summer’s night the audience often wanders to the shore. Not the case this night. Attendance was very good and people were very generous with their applause and praise. This kind of warm response really fueled the music. I had a fantastic time and think they did as well. Thank you again to everyone who made it out that night. I’m looking forward to the next show.

I am in the middle of writing a blog about the recent behavior of ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. If you’re interested, keep your eyes open for it. Be well.