Winter Solstice Celebrated at The Last Whiskey Bar

By Peter Lyons Hall

Thursday, December 21 the celebration of the winter solstice was observed at The Last Whiskey Bar in Warwick NY, by the Rick Savage soartet, featuring flugel horn player, Rick Savage, keyboard artist Joe Vincent Tranchina, bass player Earl Sauls, and drummer, Eliot Zigmond.

According to SlowNorthcom the event symbolizes an astronomical event occurring when the Earth’s tilt towards the sun is at its minimum, resulting in the shortest day and longest night of the year, and, at times, has been known to signify a sacred moment in the earth’s seasons, depending upon the indigenous peoples origin:

• Yule: This Norse tradition involves bringing home large logs and feasting while the logs burn, which can take up to 12 days. 
• Inti Raymi: The Incas honored their sun god, Inti, with three days of fasting leading up to the solstice. On the day itself, they would gather to watch the sunrise and offer chicha, a sacred fermented drink, alongside animal sacrifices.
• Dongzhi: Celebrated in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, this festival began as a harvest celebration and has now evolved into a time for family gatherings and welcoming longer days.
• Zuni Tribe: The indigenous Zuni tribe of western New Mexico marks the winter solstice as their new year, with celebrations that include fasting, prayer, and the traditional Shalako dance.

What each of these celebrations had in common is the integration of distinctive music that forms the inspiration for a new season and hope for the blessings of a new year. When Savage and his fellow musicians gathered during this year’s solstice, their interpretation of many of the jazz standards produced a magical evening for attendees that challenged even the creativity of the sophisticated bartenders that were on duty that night. Their rendition of Herbie Hancock’s Cantaloupe Island, for example, was a harmonic treat, with Tranchina improvising the original D minor blues scale with his own intricate, melodic variations, while Sauls and Zigmond eagerly filled in the blanks.Educated at world renowned music school Indiana University, musician/composer/ producer/audio engineer/videographer, Rick Savage has lived and worked in & around New York city for the past 36 years. He continues to be in demand as a performing & recording trumpet player, making guest solo appearances on the CD projects of many NY area artists. His Rick Savage 4tet recently appeared at the Hudson Valley Jazz Fest.  

Rick also has a rich composing background. He scored “A Whole New Day” for Cinemax, staring James Gandolfini. Other composing credits include jingles & industrial films for Nissan & Pfizer. Locally, Rick is owner of Savage Multimedia (savagemultimedia.com). His history as a former band member/studio musician for well known artists, set the stage for the makings of an extremely versatile artist.  

Soartet.com is comprised of veteran NYC jazz musicians that have worked and/or recorded with Bill Evans, Michel Petrucciani, Stan Getz, Tania Maria, Art Farmer, The Supremes, Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, John Abercrombie, Blood Sweat & Tears, Benny Golson, Sonny Fortune, Billy Hart and many others. They are seasoned jazz educators and have performed workshops and clinics throughout the US and abroad.