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May 20, 2013

Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?

Hannan Adely: Town raises Palestinian flag at City Hall

Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Morgan Housel: When smart investors do stupid things

Sharon Saloman, M.S., R.D.: Hunger games: Eat more, weigh less, without starving

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star

The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation

David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church

Emily Alpert: Recession dragged down birth rates for less-educated women
Morgan Housel: The deep downside of home ownership

Peter Teffer: Will Dutch police soon be stalking cybercriminals on your computer?

Heidi McIndoo, M.S., R.D.: Meatless 'meat' can have its own set of problems

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate! This must-try appetizer is delicate yet has depth of flavor: Corn-Leek Cakes with Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche

May 10, 2013

Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be

Caroline B. Glick: The dirty little secret about Israel's Arabs

Mona Charen: Hawking's Moral Calculus: The man and the movement he embraces
Morgan Housel: The biggest retirement myth ever told

Sandi Doughton: Eyes may provide new insight into brain problems

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : The Great Gatsby's Jewish Ties; Jews in the "Time 100 list" List; People's Most Beautiful Women

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A sweet-hot meal: Pear salsa spices up salmon

May 8, 2013

Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas

Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate

Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
Amanda Paulson: Study reveals sad truths about community colleges

Harvard Health Letters: Evidence weak that zinc, echinacea are beneficial

The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility

May 6, 2013

Edmund Sanders and Patrick J. McDonnell: Think Israel's objective in Syria is to weaken Assad or embolden the rebels? Think again

Brian Bennett: Israeli airstrikes may show weakness in Syrian defense

Michael Ollove: Millions of ex-felons, parolees and those on probation are about to be entitled to tax-payer paid health coverage
Karen Kaplan: Most men can skip PSA test for prostate cancer, urologists say

Kimberly Lankford: How to track down a lost life insurance policy

Dream of Mars exploration achievable, experts say

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan M. Selasky: EGGPLANT WRAPS are an easy, sumptuous and scrumptious meal

May 3, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Human Courage and the Unavoidable, Disturbing Text

Steven Emerson: Attorney General Fights CAIR in Court, Lauds it in Public

Mediterranean diet helps beat dementia: study
Harvard Health Letters: When to be screened for a hearing problem

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Iron Man's Jewish Connections; Marc Maron's New TV Show; Martin Landau Grows Up with Israel; Shalom, Allan Arbus

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: A sweet surprise for Mother's Day dessert

May 1, 2013

Jonathan Rosenblum: An Improbable Journey to Orthodoxy

Jonathan Tobin: Blame Obama, Not Israel for Syria Push

Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Halena M. Gazelka, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: What you need to know about implanted pain relief devices

Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine

Jessica Shugart: When it comes to math, MRIs may be better than IQs

The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The celebrated chef on how high-maintenance ASPARAGUS RISOTTO need not be

April 29, 2013

Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust

Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?

Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Morgan Housel: He's rich, smart and old: Listen to him

Thomas Salinas, D.D.S.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: The safety of amalgam fillings

Harvard Health Letters: Tomatoes and stroke protection

Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Swing into spring with lemon cream pie

April 26, 2013

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The world is a mirror

Caroline B. Glick: Time to confront Obama

Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Kimberly Lankford: New strategies ease pain of paying for long-term care insurance

Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Too much ibuprofen?

Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Jewish Major Leaguers, 2013; New Movies and Comedy Show; Shalom, 'Lumpy' (Leave it to Beaver)

The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : A bright and cheerful salad to herald the warmer months ahead

April 24, 2013

Steven Emerson: Boston Bomber Exposes Islamist Secret

Morgan Housel Admit it: No one has any idea what's going on
Harvard Health Letters: Can you get headaches from headache medication?

Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D.: How to easily get more Omega-3s in your diet

Melissa Healy: Pot in a pill: All the pain relief without the smoke

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan Russo: Chipotle Chili Butternut Squash Soup is bold, zesty, hot

April 22, 2013

Ken Dilanian: Counterterrorism's future is unclear

US man departing country arrested on terror charges
Barbara Williams: An unorthodox but growing treatment in a 9-year-old's battle against cancer

P.J. Skerrett, M.D.: How to recognize a good whole grain product

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Teen actor Jonah Bobo in New Flick: Hunky James Wolk on Mad Men; Erich Segal's Daughter Writes Prize-Winning Jewish Novel


Jewish World Review July 10, 2009 / 18 Tamuz 5769

A Swingin' Discovery

By Greg Crosby


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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Life is full of little surprises and sometimes those little surprises can be delightful. One came my way recently when I was listening to an internet jazz radio station. The host, a fellow by the name of Denny Farrell, was at a live swing music event and was interviewing the musicians - two brothers by the name of Midiri. Then I heard the Midiri brothers play and I became an immediate fan. As Louis Armstrong might have said, man, these cats sure do swing!


For those of us who love swing and big band jazz, finding these guys is like manna from heaven. They play in the Benny Goodman style, using charts right from the era. To listen to them you'd think they must have been playing with the Big Bands, but no, they are relatively young, probably in their early 40's. I checked into they're web site: MidiriBros.com and found out more info.


The brothers are New Jersey boys, Joe and Paul. Joe plays clarinet and saxophones and Paul plays the vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, drums and trombone. The Midiri Brothers play not only jazz, but classical music. They have been playing since graduating Glassboro State College in the mid 1980's and can be heard leading groups ranging from trios, quintets, sextets and big bands all featuring Joe's outstanding clarinet.


Initially performing only on the east coast, the boys finally branched out and made their west coast debut in 2002 and now perform at many west coast jazz festivals throughout the year. These include Mammoth Lakes Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, The Pismo Jubilee By The Sea Jazz Fest, Redwood Coast Music Fest, and Sun Valley Swing-n-Dixie Jazz Jubilee. The Midiris also perform in jazz clubs on a regular basis from Chicago to Florida. They continue to play concerts and dances in their home state of New Jersey. Their big band features many of the arrangements of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and the Dorsey Brothers as well as many of their own arrangements.


They have had major articles written about them in both The Mississippi Rag and The American Rag, both respected jazz news papers. The L.A. Jazz Magazine stated "Catch them whenever you can!" as well as "their sextet is one of the most exciting small group swing units around today." Bob Fallstrom wrote in the Herald-Review, "I've seen and heard hundreds of clarinet players. Joe Midiri is the best. …I've seen every Joe Midiri set here, enthralled by his tone, his technique, his creativity, his imagination and sound."


And I totally concur with Mr. Fallstrom. I own quite a lot of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw and Dorsey recordings, I listen to them frequently and I can tell you the Midiri Brothers are right up there with the greats. Beyond being good musicians, they have that certain indescribable something in their soul, a feeling, an innate sensitivity to the style of swing. It may sound corny, but it's what separates the mediocre from the great.


I caught a glimpse of them on YouTube and let me tell you, as good as they sound, watching them perform is even better! The next time they're out in California I plan to see them in person, which will probably mean the Pismo Beach Jubilee By The Sea in October. In the meantime I'll have to be content ordering up a couple of their albums. They have about seven or eight recorded which are all available off their web site.


It is such a pleasure to discover real musical talent is still around and being performed and appreciated in America in 2009. With all the junk we are exposed to on a daily basis, with all the ugly noise we're assaulted with from TV, movies, shopping malls, almost everywhere we go, who'd a-thunk that a couple of New Jersey guys are still swingin' beautifully at gigs from coast to coast. Thank you, Midiri Brothers for keeping swing music alive and well a little longer.

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JWR contributor Greg Crosby, former creative head for Walt Disney publications, has written thousands of comics, hundreds of children's books, dozens of essays, and a letter to his congressman. A freelance writer in Southern California, you may contact him by clicking here.

Greg Crosby Archives

© 2008, Greg Crosby

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