Robert Randolph electrifies the Green, capping memorable Morristown music fest

Robert Randolph reaches for heaven at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Robert Randolph reaches for heaven at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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Video: Robert Randolph lets ‘Good Times’ roll on the Morristown Green

By Kevin Coughlin

Robert Randolph  compares his shows to church services.  He won’t get many arguments from the huge crowd who saw his Almighty performance Saturday on the Morristown Green.

Randolph and his Family Band capped the sixth annual Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival with a rip-roaring, rollicking set that melded funk, rock and blues, putting a giant exclamation mark on a day full of superlative moments.

The George Gee Orchestra got things off to a swinging start.

Then, 90-year-old Bucky Pizzarelli, still on the mend from a stroke, made his bid for Comeback Player of the Year, trading his customary sportcoat for shirtsleeves to play a gentle set of jazz standards.

Bucky was backed by guitarist Ed Laub, violinist Aaron Weinstein and bassist Martin Pizzarelli, his son. They dedicated It’s Been a Long Long Time, a signature song of the late Les Paul, to Les’ son Rusty Paul, a performer at prior Morristown festivals, who passed away in January.

“I didn’t want to miss this. And I was lucky I made it,” Bucky said backstage on a warm August afternoon.

Slideshow photos by Jeff Sovelove, Berit Ollestad and Kevin Coughlin

Robert Randolph reaches for heaven at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Tristen Randolph, 6, and her cousin Mason, 3, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Tristen's dad, Marcus Randolph, drums in The Family Band for Robert Randolph. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
George Gee leads his swing orchestra, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
General Washington provides security for the George Gee Swing Orchestra, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
'WHICH SIDE ARE THESE PEOPLE ON?' Statues at  at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
YOUNG FAN at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Singer Eric Hayes checks out the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
THE NEXT FEST: Mary Cobb, Lucille Knapik, Ginger Brennan and Eileen Foehlich at booth for the Morristown Festival of Books. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Getting comfy at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Cyndee Geoffroy snaps photo, while Beth Bachmann of Uke-A-Likes fame takes in the music at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Crowd settles in at at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
ALL SMILES at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
TAKING IT ALL IN at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Will Fullman and granddaughter Madasyn Tarver enjoy the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Madasyn Tarver, 3, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bucky Pizzarelli, a colorful sight at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bucky Pizzarelli draws a crowd, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
BEST SEATS IN THE HOUSE at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Sammie Nellins, 4, brought a friend to the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Janice Nellins and daughter Sammie, 4, of Denville, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
The Sazonovs of East Brunswick--Iryna, 9, and parents George and Victoria--at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE! Paparazzi at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Linda Smith and Don Jay Smith, co-producers of the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Steve Lucas performs tribute to his late bandmate, Rusty Paul, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Aaron Weinstein performs with Bucky Pizzarelli, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
WHAT HEAT? Marco Palos of Louis Prima Jr and The Witnesses in his summer best. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Marco Palos snaps selfie with Bucky Pizzarelli at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Belated birthday cake for Bucky Pizzarelli, 90, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Wedding across from Festival sure had great free music.  Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Marco Palos of Louis Prima Jr & The Witnesses at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Leslie Spencer of  Louis Prima Jr and the Witnesses at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Leslie Spencer and Louis Prima Jr at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Mayor Tim Dougherty watches backstage at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Louis Prima Jr. and Marco Palos at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Quinn Sullivan at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Meghan Jambor, center, of the Dodge Foundation, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Jennifer Moschella and Christian Schuller at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Morristown Onstage emcee Tara Bernie, with Brinley Arthur, Kate Silverson and Layla Moroses, her daughter, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Ella and Keira Vasold, both 4, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Robert Randolph at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bucky Pizzarelli made a comeback at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Robert Randolph and Quinn Sullivan at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Dancing up a storm at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses gaze upon crowd at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
HOOPING IT UP at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Mayor Tim Dougherty welcomes crowd, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Morristown First Lady Mary Dougherty dances with mothe-in-law Barbara Dougherty, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Dancing at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Ryan McKay of Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Barefoot in the grass, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Louis Prima Jr. drumkit, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Jostling for a view at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
LOCAL JAZZ HEROES: Jerry Vezza and Grover Kemble, backstage at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Crowd relaxes at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Berit Ollestad
Councilwoman Toshiba Foster and disabled rights advocate Bill Byrne at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Berit Ollestad
Preparing for the evening portion of the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Berit Ollestad
Jazz Fest volunteers Phil and Travis Fielding, Aug. 20, 2016. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Morristown Councilman Michael Elms and Morristown First Lady Mary Dougherty at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Fest. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
WHERE'S MY SEAT?  The 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Berit Ollestad
Jonathan Frias of Louis Prima Jr. & The Witnesses, at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
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Shadow

Some clouds wandered by, but Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses blew them away with a mighty horn section.

“Once you’re on the stage, you don’t feel the temperature. It’s hot, you sweat a little bit more. We have fun playing,” said Prima, who compared Morristown to the fictional small town in Back to the Future.

Video: Louis Prima Jr. & The Witnesses turn up the heat

The fun continued with Quinn Sullivan, back for his second Morristown Jazz & Blues Fest–at the ripe old age of 17.

A guitar prodigy, Sullivan has been learning to master his adult voice, with impressive results.

“I think singing every day helps a lot,” said the Massachusetts native, who will be a high school senior this fall. He dedicated Buddy’s Blues to his mentor, famed bluesman Buddy Guy.

Randolph invited Sullivan back onstage to join the Family Band, and the teen played with such verve that he could have passed for one of Randolph’s many multi-talented cousins.

“He’s great,” Randolph said later.

Dancing up a storm at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Dancing up a storm at the 2016 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove

A steady stream of fans brought lawn chairs and blankets throughout the 10-hour festival; quite a few of the ladies wound up dancing onstage with Randolph and The Family Band.

“We’re loving it,”  Janice Nellins of Denville said as she basked in the sunshine. Someday she will remind her daughter Sammie, 4, about the legendary performers they saw.

“I’m so excited to be here. We were out of town last year. I’m a big fan of Robert Randolph and Bucky Pizzarelli… It’s a treat,” Nellins said.

The Sazonov family–George, Victoria and daughter Iryna, 9, made the trek from East Brunswick, even though Victoria is only weeks away from giving birth to another child.

“The setting it beautiful…and it’s very good sound,” said George Sazonov.

Gabby Neely, a 9-year-old violinist from Dover, enjoyed Aaron Weinstein’s embellishments with Bucky Pizzarelli. She found the afternoon both relaxing and entertaining. “You could feel the beat,” she said.

Dancing to Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses. Video by Berit Ollestad

Mayor Tim Dougherty, who hatched the festival, was ecstatic.

“It’s been a great day. All the acts have been fantastic… they just keep getting better and better each year,” he said, praising co-promoters Don Jay Smith and Linda Smith. 

Funded with private donations, the annual event aims to help downtown restaurants and businesses, the Mayor said.  So far, Mother Nature has gotten the memo.

“It’s six years of really good weather, and I’m very grateful for it,” Dougherty said.

Robert Randolph, a former Morristown resident, is the only pedal steel player on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest guitarists. He left many grateful fans in his wake this weekend.

“The one thing that’s missing around this world is everybody concentrates on a lot of bad news. And the bad news is just a part of life,” Randolph, 36, said after his full-throttle set.

“The only thing you can continue to pass on is love. Love, peace and happiness. When we play it’s really like a church service, bringing people together, concentrating on positivity, peace, love and happiness.”

Amen, Brother Robert.

Stay tuned for more videos and photos.

MORE COVERAGE: THE 2016 MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL

Robert Randolph and Quinn Sullivan. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Robert Randolph and Quinn Sullivan. Photo by Kevin Coughlin

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