Guitarist Charlie Apicella is the leader of Iron City. The band’s sixth CD, Groove Machine features Charlie’s hard bop-inspired originals and arrangements of classic Blue Note Records gems.
Guitarist Charlie Apicella is the leader of Iron City. The band’s sixth CD, Groove Machine features Charlie’s hard bop-inspired originals and arrangements of classic Blue Note Records gems.
Charlie Apicella is an Eastman Guitars Featured Artist, a Guild Guitars Sponsored Artist and a ZT Amplifiers Official Artist. He is a regular contributor to Vintage Guitar Magazine’s YouTube channel.
He has written lessons for DownBeat and Just Jazz Guitar magazines and has been profiled in Vintage Guitar and Hot House magazines.
==============Joining Charlie on this special event.
Gene Ghee – tenor sax
Radam Schwartz – organ
Alan Korzin – drums
Gene Ghee – Instruments: tenor saxophone Secondary Instruments: soprano, alto and baritone saxophones, flute, alto flute, clarinet, and bass clarinet. As a leader: solo, duo, trio, quartet and quintet with: John Patton, Eddie Gladden, Radam Schwartz, Geary Moore, Andy McCloud, Benito Gonzalez, Don Williams, Corcoran Holt, Casandra Wilson, Monte Croft, Danny Mixon, Dave Gibson, Greg Bandy, Larry Ridley, Ed Stoute, Gerald Hayes and others. In Big Bands Local 16 saxophone ensemble, Clark Terry Youth Band, Jaki Byard, Apollo House Band, Frank Foster, Barry Harris Ensemble, Charlie Persip, Odean Pope Saxophone Choir, Julius Hemphill Saxophone Ensemble, Grover Mitchell, Sam Rivers, Muhal Richard Abrams, Mercer Ellington, Clifford Jordan, George Gee, Lloyd Price, Panama Francis, Ringling Bros.Barnum and Bailey Circus, Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, Tito Puente, Machito, Wade Barnes’ Repertory Ensemble, Sam Wooding, Charles Sullivan, Supper Club Orchestra, Cotton Club Band, Newark All-Star Jazz Arkestra with Amiri and Amina Baraka and many others.
Also performed with Monguito Santamaria, Art Blakey Jr., Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Tiny Grimes, John Patton, Teddy Pendergrass, Anita Baker, B.T.Express, Toru Oki Blues Band, Arthur Prysock, Little Jimmy Scott, Little Anthony and The Imperials, Della Griffin, Etta Jones, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Benny Powell, Eddie Palmieri, Machito, Barry Harris, Harlem Youth Symphony Orchestra, Eric Frazier, Rosalind Grant, Greg Bufford,Calvin Hill, Charlie Apicella, Carrie Jackson and many others.
Radam Schwartz, Hammond B3 Organist, and pianist has built his reputation over the last 30 years playing with such great musicians as Arthur Prysock, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Al Hibler, David Fathead Newman. He continues to make music today. Radam’s prolific career has led to many successful recordings. His recent recordings as a leader are Organized (1995 was mentioned in the B3 Bible as one of the essential organ records of all time, #28 on the national charts), Conspiracy for Positivity (2005, #15), Magic Tales (2007, #11), Blues Citizens (2009, #9), Songs for the Soul ( 2010, #23). In 2009 and 2010 Radam received awards from Sesac for jazz compositions. He was also mentioned in Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll in August 2009.
Radam Schwartz has been a jazz educator for almost 30 years: he was the musical director of the Jazz Institute of New Jersey for 15 years which won the Louis Armstrong Award from the IAJE in 1996, has been an artist in residence at Middlesex County Arts HS for over 25 years, and currently is on the teaching staff at Jazz House Kids in Montclair, NJ. In 2012 Radam’s ensemble at JHK won first place nationally in the Charles Mingus competition. He taught at the Montclair State University jazz Connections camp for 16 years and is currently a part-time instructor at the Jazz Academy at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. He was also a staff accompanist at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University between 1986 and 1997. He received a Masters from the Jazz History and Research Program at Rutgers Newark in 2012.
Alan Korzin – drums –
MORE ABOUT CHARLE APICELLA
QUOTES
“I think you will find that “Sparks” will light the artistic fires of the soul and intellect.” Heartfully, YUSEF LATEEF
“As a player, Apicella immediately brings to mind Grant Green. He’s funky, he’s bluesy, and he’s not afraid to get dirty at times. The perfect illustration of how great this band is together is Charlie’s “64 Cadillac.” Apicella and band have that perfect jazz rapport that allows them to be tight as hell and play off each other beautifully.” JOHN HEIDT, Vintage Guitar Magazine
“Apicella’s playing shines…[he] is aware of the straight-ahead tradition, showcasing his Wes Montgomery influence…Apicella’s guitar sound is bright and clean, and easily cuts through the huge sound of the organ.” TIM FISCHER, Just Jazz Guitar Magazine
“Apicella is a lithe, swinging guitarist with an affinity for the contrasting styles of both Grant Green and Wes Montgomery…An all-around impressive debut by a guitarist of substance.” MARK GARDNER, Jazz Journal
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VIDEOS
Video of “Come Sunrise” live at Luna Stage.
https://youtu.be/7pxprpYP6YQ
Video of “64 Cadillac” live on WBGO, 88.3FM.
http://www.wbgo.org/post/hear-guitarist-charlie-apicella-and-iron-city-our-studio-paying-tribute-jack-mcduff#stream/0
