04/15/2026
Music Mondays at the Scandinavian Center have made Mondays our favorite day of the week. Join us on April 27th at 2pm for the piano duo of Leslie Amper and Randall Hodgkinson. We hope to see you there!
Please enjoy this review by Dinah Bodkin, and have a listen to the livestream recording of this concert, just published on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/XC4HdPgG_do !
Music Mondays presented âJazz Tapestryâ on April 13, with Billy Novick, clarinet and vocals, Tomoko Iwamoto, violin, and Greg Toro, bass. They opened with âI Canât Give You Anything But Loveâ. We first heard the familiar tune in the violin as Iwamoto communicated a deep and sultry feel. Then came Novick on vocals, with clarinet and bass solos following. Each performer brought the rhythmic freedom and swing we would expect, but each also brought a personal element to his or her riff. In addition, there was a close interaction between the three, each seeming to know what the others expected. After this first number, we knew we were in for a special hour.
Next came Fats Wallerâs âHoneysuckle Roseâ. The piece is characterized by a short, bouncy tune. Fun and pleasure emanated from all three as the motif and all supporting elements were thrown back and forth. This was followed by âMy Blue Heavenâ by Walter Donaldson. A vocal interlude (âWhipporwills call, evening is nigh, Hurry to my Blue Heavenâ) evoked the coziness of family life. Next came âBlack Orpheusâ by South American composer Luiz Bonfa. With its strong first and third beats, the piece had the feel of a vibrant Latin dance. The trioâs rhythmic freedom enhanced the joy and sensuality. Next came âItâs a Sin to Tell a Lieâ, which Bill Novick had thought throughout his youth was by Fats Waller. But an audience member at one of his concerts corrected him by googling the piece. It turned out not to be by Fats Waller. We enjoyed it nonetheless, particularly the vocals (âBe sure itâs true when you say I love youâ). Next came âIt Had to be You.â The violin leads with the familiar tune. Then the clarinet embellishes the tune. In the bass solo, the embellishment takes on a life of its own. During this piece we saw Novick hold up four fingers to the bass player. He explained later this was his way of signaling a change of key to four flats.
Nat King Coleâs âL-O-V-E" came next. This piece, one of the longer ones, delightfully encapsulated everything we enjoy about jazz. The interchange among instruments was charming, with the clarinet leading off but soon passing its lovely tune to the violin. The tune then passed to Novick on vocals. Soon came a long bass solo in which clarinet and violin did more than accompany. They seemed to comment on the instrument itself, the violin playing pizzicato and the clarinet interjecting short bouncy notes, again, possibly in imitation of what the bass does so well. Novick performed something of a one man act, rapidly switching between vocals and clarinet. The piece ends in a final ode to love.
âYou Stepped Out of A Dreamâ followed. Flowing lines and trills in the violin and clarinet created a contrast with the preceding choices. Then came âThese Foolish Thingsâ, its poetic lyrics (âA cigarette that bears a lipstickâs tracesâ) and romantic sway evoking a fine meal in a romantic restaurant. The recital concluded with âIâll See you in my Dreamsâ where the trio demonstrated their understanding of the swing and intimacy of jazz.
Novick had stated at the outset that he understood Music Mondays to be primarily a chamber music series. He outlined the way in which these players would fit the mold. The playersâ conversationality and their ability to respond to one another resulted in this hour being an example of chamber music at its finest.
âDinah Bodkin
