Jay Geils Allstar Band Rocks the Umbrella

The J. Geils Band is a staple of classic rock, particularly in the Boston area. However, at a benefit concert for the Emerson Umbrella, Jay Geils and his Allstar Jazz and Blues Review saw several popular performers coming together for a one night only show that demonstrated Geils' new approach to music, joining forces with the awesome talent of some premier jazz and blues players.

The band was comprised Saturday night of saxophonist and pianist Fred Lipsius, of Blood, Sweat and Tears fame, guitarist and singer Doug Bell, from the Bellvue Cadillacs, and heralded jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin. Backing the band was Les Harris Jr. on drums and Jesse Williams on bass.

“Tonight's show will be straight-ahead jazz standards like Count Bassie, Duke Ellington – big band, swing jazz,” explained the event's promoter and Concord native Wade Rubinstein before the show. “On the blues side, they will be playing stuff like T-Bone Walker and BB King - classic blues.”

Rubinstein has been a jazz and blues fanatic for years. A promoter of several local shows in the past, Rubinstein knew seminal jazz guitarist Beaudoin, who had played before with friend Geils. After a few talks, Rubinstein managed to secure the Emerson Umbrella as a venue and talked the rest of the Allstars into taking on this one-night gig to support the arts center.

“What's been great is Jay has been known as a rock icon, but he's taking a risk and doing something new,” detailed Rubinstein. “It's a little bit of a risk to cross into a different genre and break from the reigns.”

Rubinstein's intent with this show is to get some music that usually heads to venues in the city, and bring it a little bit further out to regional places like the Emerson Umbrella.

“I want to bring one to two shows a year of live music to Concord,” admitted Rubinstein. “I want people of all ages to enjoy these shows. The people who remember the big bands and then my generation of the 70s. And it will appeal to kids because jazz is so fun and influential.”

Premium ticket holders got to enjoy an artist's reception thirty minutes before the show where guests shared food and drinks and mingled with the musicians.

Speaking with guitarist Doug Bell, the blues and jazz songster explained how he came to play the gig, “For me, I just did the Legends Tour with Jay and we had always wanted to play together. He asked me if I wanted to do more jazz stuff and I was absolutely thrilled.”

Bell went on to explain why he feels regional theater's like the Umbrella's are important music houses, “If we didn't do these kind of fund raisers, we wouldn't have these cool places to play. There are more interest in centers for the arts than decades past. Here' s something we can be a part of that is really diverse entertainment from talented musicians, comedians, to high art. It's very important to us.”

The capacity crowd filled the Emerson Umbrella's nearly 400 seat concert hall. After that, there was nothing left to do but sit back and enjoy some upper-class jazz and blues masters perform their craft.

Be sure to check out our photo gallery of the show and video of the Jay Geils Allstar Jazz and Blues Review preforming the New Guitar Summit's tune, Betty's Bugle.

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