Jazz Duo welcome Spring at Sammy's Bagels in Fair Lawn

Every Saturday morning in April and May from 10 a.m. - noon, Sammy's Bagels at 17-59 River Road in Fair Lawn (in the Shop Rite strip mall) presents a jazz duo featuring professional Bassoonist Michael Rabinowitz and Guitarist Bob Gordon. The two performers are local Fair Lawn residents whose experience and connection with their music, their instruments and each other bring an added dimension to their jazz interpretations.
Rabinowitz (www.jazzbassoonist.com) has been on the cutting edge as a versatile bassoonist for more than two decades. His broad musical experience makes him as comfortable with Bach and Mozart as he is with Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. His festival appearances include Chicago, Montreal, Berlin, Tri-city, San Francisco and Hollywood Bowl. Michael can be heard often with the Mingus Orchestra. He has appeared at such New York City venues as Birdland, Iridium and Dizzy's at the Lincoln Jazz Center. Critics worldwide have described his playing as "brilliant, remarkable and astonishingly forceful.

Gordon played guitar professionally for more than 20 years in ensemble, duo and solo performances. His elaborate solo guitar arrangements have been published by Sheet Music Magazine, and his unique style features lush harmonies, rich melodic solos and intricate chord/melody improvisation.

With a sensitive ear to both complement and enhance each other's playing, Rabinowitz and Gordon perform varied jazz standards, ballads and classics with a few classical duets at each performance. During the first weeks of spring, they celebrated the season with tunes like "Up Jumped Spring," "April in Paris," and "I'll Remember April" - music that set an upbeat tone for those who dined in or stopped by to pick up breakfast.