By Michele Miller
What’s What New Port Richey
Sunday afternoon at the community theatre, and I was thinking “This is going to be fun” as the Cypress Creek Jazz Band kicked off the first set with a can’t-help-but-smile, toe-tapping rendition of the theme song from The Muppet Show.
Setting the mood. Well done. I needed the distraction.
From there, the band that proclaims they are “not your father’s New O’Leans Jazz Band” offered a taste of what might be on their upcoming cd, sliding into a variety of traditional and somewhat quirky and well-played renditions of some familiar tunes. Moving from Sweet Georgia Brown to Bad, Bad Leroy Brown. From Mr. Sandman, a tune sung by the Chordettes that ruled the radio in 1954, to Metallica’s Enter Sandman, and capping it all off with When the Saints Go Marching In.
It was the first appearance, and hopefully not the last, at Richey Sunocast Theatre for the Cypress Creek Jazz Band, which was founded by band leader and clarinet player Robin Jodoi, and is based out of the burgeoning bedroom community of Wesley Chapel and New Tampa, where they play most of their gigs these days.
The eight-piece band features Robin Jodoi – Clarinet (Leader), Greg Cannella – Trumpet (Music Director), Eddie Myers – Tenor Sax, Sid Fortner – Trombone, Marcy Gordon – Banjo/Vocals (Multi Media Manager), Tim Baily-Jones – Tuba, Phil McReynolds – Keyboard, Jeff Henson – Drums and occasional players who sit in when someone can’t make it.
“It’s a beautiful venue,” Jodoi said, noting that when they first got there for sound check, they thought the place might be acoustically dead. “Once we started playing, it really sounded good. The sound guy did an excellent job. We were happy with that and the entire venue.”
A couple of weeks later, on a Thursday night, I was sitting a couple of rows back, taking in a different genre that included some original tunes and a few impressive covers of Jimi Hendrix and other greats with contemporary blues performers Albert Castiglia and opening special guest Alex Lopez, and their bands.
Those who are into the Tampa Bay blues scene have no doubt seen both of these gents at area festivals, including New Port Richey Main Street’s now-defunct Sea Blues Fest that was formerly held in Sims Park, as well as the Suncoast Blues Sunday Concert Series that was held for a time at the now shuttered Gill Dawg’s in Port Richey. A couple of years ago, the old man and I took in Castiglia and the Blood Brothers Band on a bigger stage at the Tampa Bay Blues Fest in Vinoy Park.
Castiglia is a performer definitely on the rise. During the band’s performance, he threaded stories of having recently returned from recording at Apple Studios in London and a tour that included a gig at Red Rocks in Colorado with Blood Brothers bandmates, Mike Zito, Vivino, and Bill Murray sitting in on vocals. (Yes, THAT Bill Murray). There’s also a documentary that will be released this summer, along with the new CD that the audience got a hint of with Castiglia’s bandmates. Alex Lopez, for his part, gave the packed audience a good turn with original tunes from his new CD Retro Revival.
A few weeks earlier, the theatre hosted Letters from E: An Evening with Ed Roland of Collective Soul, a benefit concert that raised $42,550 through ticket sales, sponsorships, and an online auction featuring exclusive signed memorabilia.
Word is he’ll be back next year – possibly for two more concerts, according to Lia Gallegos, the current president of the board at Richey Suncoast.
Along with grants, donations, increased ticket sales, and performances, the dedicated board of directors and staff – past and present – have been able to procure, over the past few years, events that help fill the seats on a weeknight and raise money for capital expenses and upgrades. Among them are new sound and lighting systems that serve to turn it up a notch and make it more appealing to bands, and most recently, a new roof installation with solar panels to come.
It also opens the door for new original talent – some of it local, some of it bigger than that – to claim a place on the stage.
Richey Suncoast, formerly known as the Meighan Theatre, first opened as a silent movie theatre venue 100 years ago this summer. And while the theatre has returned to its roots of showing movie classics, over the years, it evolved into a community theatre with a healthy following, and now looks to be a bona fide concert venue.
That is sure to attract more talented original musicians who are sure to bring in their own followers who might not be into the dress-up tribute shows that are a current seat filler for the nostalgic sort at area venues.
Indeed, before the Castiglia/Lopez Show, when the emcee asked how many people were first-timers at the mostly packed Richey Suncoast Theatre, nearly every hand in the place shot up.
I’m thinking a lot of those folks will be back – especially if they see more original acts on the agenda.
The word is out. Let’s keep it going.
Now onward.
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