Music Festival with all that jazz and more
By Melora B. North

Once again Provincetown’s Bart Weisman has lined up an exciting roster of musicians for the third annual Provincetown Music festival shindig in the Madeira Room at the Pilgrim House, 336 Commercial Street in Provincetown and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Helping Our Women and the Carrie A. Seaman Animal Shelter, both in Provincetown.

Showcasing a variety of music, this year’s line-up includes headliners Freddie and the Maybellines, Peter Donnelly Band, Susan Souza and Gentle Jazz with Paul Nossiter.

Last year Freddie and the Maybellines celebrated their 20th anniversary at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis where Elena Ghioto, Fred’s wife, says, “the place was packed.”

“It’s a nostalgia band – they play 50’s to the 70’s,” says Ghioto. “My husband is the leader. Twenty-one years ago he saw a need for that genre of music. No one was doing the nostalgia music we grew up with. The [three] ladies sing up front.”

It was in 1988 that vocalist-bass player Fred Ghioto performed at an open mike night, the night that sealed his future entertainment fate. For it was that night that he paired up to sing with female vocalist-percussionists Annie Aylmer and Sheila Smith, with the three making magical music that would lead to the formation of what is now a seven-piece band.

“We were sitting around one night trying to figure out what to call the band,” says Ghioto. “Everyone agreed it had to be Freddie and the something, but we couldn’t figure out what. There was a bottle of Maybelline nail polish on the table and someone suggested we call the group Freddie and the Maybellines. It took.”

The three original vocalists are still with the band. Vocalist-Percussionist Jo Ann Marino who has been with the band for five years now, joins them. A former cheerleading champion, she helps with the choreography and rounds out the trio of women who front the band.

Also on board is vocalist Al Hebditch who has been with the band since 1994 and his brother Randy plays the drums and sings. Randy has been with the group since 2005 and has played locally with Hazy, Hot & Humid as well as Boston’s Nervous Eaters. Rounding out the band is keyboard player Dana Henrique, a former member of the group from 1996 – 2000, when he took some time off to explore other musical pursuits. He’s now back pounding the keyboard and dishing up some mean tunes.

“They usually mix it up,” says Weisman. “They play classic rock, a little bit of everything, party tunes, they are a show band. For the festival they will be playing last and they’ll be performing for an hour. The others will perform for about 45 minutes each.”

Kicking off the festival will be folk singer and songwriter Susan Souza, who hails from Baltimore, Maryland. A known rocker at heart with an alto voice.

“She contacted me to be in the festival, I have a two to three year wait list for the festival,” says Weisman. “She’s been in Provincetown before and travels all over the country.”

In fact, Souza is the co-founder of KISS (Kickass Independent Songwriter Showcase), which is presented annually at Provincetown’s Women’s Week.

Following Souza will be Gentle Jazz with Paul Nossiter. “We’ll be doing a broad range of jazz from Bessie Smith to Mingus, including Jerome Kern and Ira Gershwin,” says Nossiter, who will be joined by Alan Clinger on guitar, Laird Boles on bass and Weisman on drums.

“My group isn’t always the same except for Alan Clinger, but I’ve worked with Laird and Bart frequently,” says Nossiter. “I’ve been playing music on the Cape or over 50 years. I’ve also played in Europe for 10 years including radio, TV, concerts and clubs. I was co-producer of the Nice Jazz Festival with George Wein, who founded and produces the Newport Jazz Festival, and I’ve recorded three records.”

“Paul’s performed for the Provincetown Jazz Festival and plays many styles of Jazz and will be the only jazz group at the festival this year,” says Weisman.

The Peter Donnelly Band is up next, performing rock and country. Made up of Donnelly on vocals and guitar and originator of the Mews Coffee House which he has hosted for many years, Weisman on drums, Boles on bass and Alex Pashoian on guitar. The group will perform some folk and pop as well and songs from Donnelly’s 2007 recording “Road With No End,” produced by Weisman.

Playing host for the evening will be Provincetown’s own Lady Di. So gear up and get ready for a special event.