The tapping part was courtesy of A.C. Lincoln, a 35-year-old dancer and singer from New York who accompanied the Antoinette Montague Experience during a 40th anniversary tribute to Newark jazz station WBGO:
The flying fingers belonged to theFrank Vignola Trio. Vignola had to relearn guitar after a devastating ATV crash in 2017. Looks and sounds like his recovery is complete.
Check out Vignola’s jazzy medley with bandmates Vinny Raniolo and Gary Mazzaroppi:
Vignola dedicated their set to New Jersey’s own Bucky Pizzarelli, 93. The jazz guitar great was a festival fixture for years.
HAVE FLOOR, WILL TRAVEL: A.C. Lincoln with his folding maple dance mat, at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Montague, a Newark native, included songs popularized by Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. On the Sunny Side of the Street was a favorite of Louis Armstrong, among others.
Lincoln caught the dancing bug at an early age. His parents, singers Kim Kalesti and Marion Cowings, took him to tap jams, where he met Buster Brown, Jimmy Slyde, Chuck Green and other famous dancers.
“It’s the most natural way to communicate my musical ideas,” Lincoln said, recovering from his performance in the noontime August heat.
“I definitely felt my body burning at one point,” he said. “Water is the saving grace.”
GETTING THEIR KICKS: Vinny Raniolo, Frank Vignola and Gary Mazzaroppi at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinA future dance star practices at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinAntoinette Montague steps out at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff SoveloveACCESSORIZING WITH STYLE: Antoinette Montague’s shimmery nails, at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinGuests dance at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinTAP DANCER A.C. Lincoln cools down after noontime set at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinAntoinette Montague as new superhero, Jazz Woman, at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinTwo young friends at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinSTEPPING OUT at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff SoveloveDOWN IN FRONT! The Antoinette Montague Experience at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinVinny Raniolo kicks up his heels at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinCo-promoter Linda Smith chats with Frank Vignola backstage at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinSingers Rob Paparozzi and Antoinette Montague backstage at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinWBGO President Amy Niles and King Solomon Hicks at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff SoveloveBenny Rubin Jr. and King Solomon Hicks of the Antoinette Montague Experience at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff SoveloveBobby Sanabria if the Antoinette Montague Experience at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinGuitarist for the Antoinette Montague Experience at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin CoughlinVinny Raniolo and Frank Vignola at the 2019 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
If you’ve read this far… you clearly value your local news. Now we need your help to keep producing the local coverage you depend on! More people are reading Morristown Green than ever. But costs keep rising. Reporting the news takes time, money and hard work. We do it because we, like you, believe an informed citizenry is vital to a healthy community.
Morristown just gets better year after year after year….and for those who have just discovered the Morristown Jazz and Blues Festival…..COME BACK AND JOIN US FOR YEARS TO COME….always unexpected surprises on stage from start to finish..it’s a party each year..a good time that brings new friends together…families together…and plenty of dancing across the Green….celebrate incredible music with outstanding musicians who will blow your mind!! You may not know them when you arrive but you will be so excited to have been there to see what fun there is on stage….and revel in their infectious enthusiasm….
Morristown just gets better year after year after year….and for those who have just discovered the Morristown Jazz and Blues Festival…..COME BACK AND JOIN US FOR YEARS TO COME….always unexpected surprises on stage from start to finish..it’s a party each year..a good time that brings new friends together…families together…and plenty of dancing across the Green….celebrate incredible music with outstanding musicians who will blow your mind!! You may not know them when you arrive but you will be so excited to have been there to see what fun there is on stage….and revel in their infectious enthusiasm….