Jimmy’s  NEWS

Additional News Articles, Press Releases, Testimonials and References
are available upon request.

 

Saturday September 10th I’ll be performing on the Lady Bea out of Brunelle’s Marina in South Hadley. Very casual and fun cruise up and down the Connecticut River. Call 413-536-3132 for tickets and information.

 

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Tuesday September 20th is my debut at the Visani Dinner Theater in Port Charlotte FL. Awesome place with great food. Show is $10 and starts at 7:30. Call 941-629-9191 for details and reservations!

 

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Sunday September 25th is my first LIVE BAND show at the Belchertown Fair. We will be performing my “Cruisin’ Thru The Fifties” show from 1PM to 3 PM and admission is FREE!

 

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Sunday October 16th is the Agawam Cultural Council Fundraiser at The Agawam Senior Center at 2PM. I will perform all the big hits by the greats of Las Vegas. Details, information and tickets call 413-821-0659.

 

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Help fight Autism at The Huke Lau in Chicopee Sunday October 16th at 6PM where I’ll perform with The Glamour Girls, Route 66 and Moose & The High Tops. Tix & Info call 413-593-5222.

 

 

Thanks folks,

See you from the stage!

Jimmy

 


Special thanks to: DK Multimedia, Robert J. Cookish Photography, Ann Murphy of “Wake Up Your Image”, Sleaque Images Photography, Derick Cummings, Tony Colapietro Video & Photography.


Quotes:

“When Jimmy starts singing people pause to find the source of the smooth, wonderful voice”

Tom Shea, Reporter, Springfield Republican

 

"People love him. Besides his wonderful singing, he is charismatic and charming. Jimmy has a way of bringing folks back down memory lane."

Becky Sullivan, Activities Director, Keystone Commons, Ludlow MA


”It wasn't only your great voice but your friendly warmth with the audience.  You certainly made everyone feel a part of the evening as well as feel very close to you.
Richard and Natalie LaBrie, Arthur Murray Studio

Combined with his natural ability to sound like the original artist, his voice is rich and elegant. And his live performance really entertains. Through his interesting Rat Pack style song selection, amusing trivia, humor and great charisma, his show is truly memorable."
Mark Ashe, President, MarX Rolling Dance Review.

Additional News Articles, Press Releases, Testimonials and References
are available upon request.



Jimmy Mazz takes 'em down memory lane

Thursday, January 01, 2009

By Tom Shea / Springfield Republican

Jimmy Mazz starts singing.  It's an old Dean Martin song, "Sway." "When marimba rhythms start to play/Dance with me, make me sway/Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore/Hold me close, sway me more."  Jimmy is sitting in a booth at the Friendly's restaurant on Boston Road in Springfield. It is late for breakfast, early for lunch, a handful of days before New Year's Eve. He is dressed in a very cool black tuxedo-like jacket, matching shirt, blue jeans and comfortable-looking black shoes. His short, well-cut, dark hair is swept back. There is gray in his sideburns. He could pass for a cousin of actor Kurt Russell.  When Jimmy starts singing, low and not trying to draw attention to himself, a few people pause in eating their bacon and eggs to turn and find the source of the smooth, wonderful voice.

Mostly, on this recent morning, Jimmy Mazz talks.  He tells me how much he loves the music of Sammy Davis Jr. "Sammy's the bomb," he says.  James Mazzaferro is the middle of three children born to a working-class family, and its first musical member. Only his late mother, he says, called him Jimmy. He played left field in baseball, defense in hockey and knew all the words to every Beatles song.  "Even now when I hear 'I Wanna Hold Your Hand,'" he says, his brown eyes growing wide, "I get chills."  At Ludlow Junior High, classmate Billy Chmura asked Jimmy if he wanted to be a singer in a band.  "I didn't sing," he recalls. "Except along to the radio. I said yes. I wanted to do it."  Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" was the first song Jimmy Mazz ever sang into a microphone and backed by a band. He was a singer. Now crowding 50, the father of three still is.

These days, he's crooning from the songbooks of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr. and Engelbert Humperdinck.  Sometimes he is solo, backed by digital tracking. Other times with a band or orchestra. "Standards and classics," is how he defines his song selection. "I'm not an impersonator or tribute artist," he says. "I give an interpretation of these great songs through this character of mine, Jimmy Mazz."

Four years ago, Jimmy Mazz quit his day job as a salesman for a software company to concentrate on music full time.  "I've been in and around the music scene since I was 14," he notes. "I was in a band once, Picture This, that came close to a record deal. I sang for Breezin', a very popular local wedding band. But it always came down to the music. I didn't want music to be my part-time job."  Last year, Jimmy Mazz played more than 100 dates, from assisted-living facilities to cruise ships, and all kinds of stages in between. He already has gigs booked for 2010.

On New Year's Eve, Jimmy played a noon concert dubbed "Noon Year's" at Ludlow's Keystone Commons, an independent and assisted-living facility, then helped ring in the new year at the Log Cabin Banquet & Meeting House in Holyoke. "The residents love him," says Becky Sullivan, activities director at Keystone. "Besides his wonderful singing, he is charismatic and charming. Jimmy has a way of bringing them back down memory lane." Jimmy finishes his tea and the last of an English muffin. It's time to go. He starts singing "Ain't That a Kick in the Head," another old Dean Martin song.  "I'm livin' life with a smile," Jimmy says. "Everybody on this planet can tell I'm living the life I was supposed to live."

Tom Shea can be contacted at:  tshea@repub.com

A Summertime Beach Dance Party –

in March?

 

Chicopee, Mass – A triple bill of fun-time bands – each playing music with a beach theme – filled the house to the rafters at the Hu Ke Lau on March 1, 2009.  The show brought together Sun Protection Factor 4, Changes in Latitudes, and the Jimmy Mazz Orchestra with special guest Tommy Sandz – all better known for playing warm-weather venues outdoors.

 

With a line out the door and every table taken, revelers lucky enough to have purchased tickets in advance escaped the cold of New England in winter in favor of the islands atmosphere of the famed Polynesian supper club.  Many in attendance sported beach attire, Hawaiian shirts, and leis, and sipped scorpion bowls, dined on Pu-Pu platters, and danced the night away. It was a fitting environment for the show which benefited the Children's Miracle Network.

 

The show caught its first wave as SPF-4 cranked out a set of blistering instrumental surf rock. Their set, a roughly 50/50 mixture of original compositions and covers of 1960's surf legends, helped the audience tune out the foot of snow that was forecast to begin falling before the evening was over.

 

Jimmy Buffett tribute legends Changes in Latitudes were next to take the stage. Starring front man Steve Kareta (you mean that wasn't Jimmy Buffett?), the show was configured in its "mid-sized" ensemble for this venue. Parrotheads flocked to the dance floor for a set of classic Buffett tunes that had everyone dreaming of cheeseburgers and Margaritas.

 

Jimmy Mazz finished up the evening's entertainment with an all 1950's and 1960's beach rock set, supported by singer-guitarist Tommy Sandz.  No one works a crowd quite like Jimmy Mazz, and he soon had partiers dancing the Stroll, doing the Limbo (how low can you go?) and snaking a conga line around the room.

 

In addition to great musical performances, these bands should be recognized for their especially quick transitions between sets…smooth as that first Margarita going down on a hot July afternoon.

 

Though the show had to end, the fans (your humble reviewer among them) didn't want to leave. Eventually, many of us had to be reminded, politely, that it was time to move along.  As we filed out the front door, the bite of brisk wind and falling snow reminded us that winter was still at hand, though optimists know this means that summer is coming. Until then, memories of the Summertime Beach Dance Party will keep us warm.

 

 

Scott A. Williams

Wordsmith & Freelance Entertainment Reporter

www.BandSpace.FM

“Fine Tuning for the everyday Musician”

“Jimmy Mazz” works the Springfield Area and Beyond

June 1, 2008 by cslicer

“Jimmy Mazz” Entertains from the Springfield Mass area

www.JMazzSings.com 

REVIEW

 

Go see Jimmie ! Period. I was referred  to Jimmie by another musician. I love getting referrals from musicians because that brings credibility to the gig. So let me describe the style of Jimmy Mazzaferro. Style, Classy and you better be ready to dance. So bring out those David Bowie “Red Shoes”.  

 

He’s Got the Goods

Now if you are going to go out and listen to Jimmy, be prepared to hear a number of artists.   Lou Rawls, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, Dean Martin, Bobby Darrin, to just name a  few. Good singer, very very good singer.

 

Hot Daddy  

Stage presence is great. We went to Pazzo Ristorante in Springfield, right next to the Basketball Hall of Fame.  Jimmy plays there on a regular basis. What a nice restaurant, too. Jimmy went on about 9:30pm, Friday night. After about 6 songs, Jimmy had about 20 people on the dance floor cooking in the “Hot Town tonight.”  

 

Vegas 3  

While we enjoyed ourselves Patrick Tobin (a member of Jimmy’s new Vegas-style variety trio, “The Vegas 3”) stopped in and sang some really good stuff. Patrick sings the “Hits of  Frank Sinatra” and the Swing era as well as hits by Michael Buble’ and others. Guy is good and hooked up.

 

Booked & Busy

 

Check out his website.  His “Dance Card” is very well in demand. I saw every age from 20’s on up dancing on the dance floor. I am going to see him again. Thanks to Jason Stratos  of the band  Half and Half .

 

  

Carl Slicer, Sr Editor, www.BandSpace.FM

 

June 13, 2008
By DAN DeNICOLA

Mazz-Appeal

If you're any sort of boulevardier, you've probably recently heard (or used) the phrase "Smooooth, like Jimmy Mazz." And you're in the know that, in addition to being a comment on the qualities of the Mazzatini,* a libation concocted by Jimmy Mazz (aka James Mazzaferro), those words refer as well to the cool-cat presence of this Ludlow-based entertainer.

Loosely titled "Crooning...Vegas Style," Jimmy's show is meant to carry you back to the good old days of Sin City headliners, a time of booze, broads and Rat Pack shenanigans. But let's get one thing straight: Jimmy is not an impersonator or a tribute artist. If you go to a Jimmy Mazz show expecting some two-bit facsimile of Frank, Dean, Sammy, Bobby, Tony, Johnny, Elvis, Englebert, Willy or even Wayne, you're square and you're nowhere. Get hip instead by anticipating some very unique interpretations of these great artists - as well as a good-sized dose of the singular Jimmy Mazz humor.

You'll find Jimmy tonight, 6:30-10:30, at the Delaney House in Holyoke (no cover). Or look for him on Sunday at the Oaks Banquet House in Agawam, where he'll be joined by Elvis impersonator Ray Guillemette Jr. and Frank Sinatra tribute artist Patrick Tobin for a 7:30 Lions Club benefit show called "The Vegas 3" ($20, 789-2702). Also mark your calendar for next Sunday, June 22, when Jimmy will take his place as part of the Ludlow Gazebo Summer Concert Series (6:30-8 p.m., free).

*Combine Grey Goose Vodka, Blue Curacao and a dash of Cointreau; garnish with a lime or orange wedge. Shake, do not stir (the idea is to get that very thin layer of ice along the surface when poured into the glass). Warning: A different vodka or Triple Sec will not work. Insist on the original Jimmy Mazz ingredients. And please - drink responsibly.

- DAN DeNICOLA

Additional News Articles, Press Releases, Testimonials and References
are available upon request.