Southington Rotary Mardi Gras Night

It was a dark and stormy night...

2010-02-19T04:30:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Southington Rotary Mardi Gras Night Crossword Contest
Alas, a stormy night wasn't about to deter these hearty souls from a great Fat Tuesday party. Nor a great crossword contest!

Rules: There are NO rules! Gather your team of four; then select a name. Get the answers by hook or by crook, then submit your completed puzzle to us by the end of the night. (Hint: Tip your servers, they may return the favor.) A winner will be selected from the correct entries and the team will receive gift certificates to Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill.

The results:
Eleven teams submitted completed entries. Five teams were eliminated for incorrect answers. Teams FTT#1 and FTT#2 (possibly cheating from each other) tripped up by answering that January 6th, the start of the Mardi Gras (or Carnival) season, was Trinity instead of Twelfth Night. The Friends team slipped up by guessing that the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is commonly known as Carnival instead of Jazz Fest. The Three K's Plus One did not know that the Mardi Gras parades are organized by Carnival krewes. And Minnow 3 was tripped up by inserting an a instead of e in file gumbo (I know, I wanted to give you a pass, but the that damn rules committee overruled me).

That left six finalists:
The Mighty Browns
Sue, Meg & Eric
Chet & the Juniors
G-Spot
The Kanes
The Saints

And the winning team is -
CHET & the JUNIORS!

Congratulations!

On behalf of the Rotary Club of Southington, we would like to thank Barry, Cheryl and the wonderful staff at Anthony Jack's for their generosity, assistance and good humor in putting on this event again this year. The food was outstanding (kudos for the beignets) and the servers were good sports helping us out with the crossword contest. We would also like to thank Pat Giamatteo and Rogo Distributors for their donation of the beer. To Rob Jockel and Dr. Ya Ya's Gumbo Party, another great performance to set the mood for the evening! To all those who braved the surprising storm to attend and to all who couldn't make it, but bought tickets anyway - thank you! And finally, to all the committee members who pitched in to make this event possible (you know who you are), you're the best! See y'all next year!
- John Kennedy/Trish Walden, co-chairs

Mardi Gras Night 2010 - Your Invitation!...

2010-01-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

Tell all your friends. If you have no friends, tell anyone else you know. The 6th annual Southington Rotary Mardi Gras Night will be held on Fat Tuesday, February 16th at Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill. In addition to fine food and interesting people (only if YOU come, of course), you will be thoroughly entertained by Dr. Ya Ya's Gumbo Party. To quote New Orleans' own Dr. John - "SUCH A NIGHT!" Just imagine, all this and support for this year's designated beneficiary, the Southington Education Foundation, and other Southington Rotary Club community programs, too!

Just the facts, Ma'am:
Date/time: Fat Tuesday, February 16, 2010 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Where: Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill, 30 Center Street, Southington, CT 06489 - directions
Cost: $65/person, includes food stations, beer, wine, entertainment
Reservations:
Co-chair John Kennedy @860.276.8025,
Co-chair Trish Walden @860.378.1226,
Anthony Jack's @860.426.1487

Dr YaYa's Gumbo Party
Who's Dr. Ya Ya? The original Dr. Ya Ya was a voodoo root doctor in 19th century New Orleans, a successor to Marie Laveau and Doctor John. How'd a band from the Nutmeg State come to be named after him? Dr. Ya Ya's Louisiana specialty was a jimson weed elixir, not the fake nutmegs carved from wood and sold by Connecticut peddlers of old. One hundred & fifty years or so later, drummer Tom Smith got tired of missing Mardi Gras every year because of gigs in New England and asked friends to join together in a party band to celebrate Fat Tuesday. At their 1992 debut, this masked ensemble of popular Connecticut musicians had so much fun that they continued performing sporadically as Dr. Ya Ya's Dirty Rice Revue. The current Dr. Ya Ya's Gumbo Party grew from this mysterious krewe. What's a gumbo party? When a group of friends get together for a gumbo party, everyone brings a different ingredient to toss into the cooking pot. For example . . Bassist Andy "Uncle Chickenbone" Karlok got his start with Greasy Fred & The New Haven Stompers, alongside Dr. Ya Ya singer Rob Jockel. Over the years, Andy has toured America with blues guitarist Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, backed the incomparable New Orleans singer Johnny Adams and blues legend Hubert Sumlin, could once be found playing bass and theremin with acclaimed Boston lounge lizards The Electric Logs, and is often heard with River City Slim & The Zydeco Hogs. Drummer Tom Smith did his New Orleans rock'n'roll studies loafing on a Coca Cola cooler in the back of Tipitina's - digging Professor Longhair, The Meters, Earl King, Irma Thomas, The Neville Brothers & other greats - and playing a few gigs on Bourbon Street. Now back his native CT, Tom juggles gigs with a ridiculously long list of bands, including The Hickups, Mercy Meadows, The Bandidos, The Alex Butter Field, Eugene Chrysler & the Hillbilly Shakespeares,and whoever else will feed him. Guitarist James Montez met singer Rob Jockel and drummer Tom Smith in New England bar band Dance Committee in the 1980s. James and Tom continue to play and record together in a variety of roots rock acts, including bluesy twang trio The Bandidos, hardcore honky tonkers The Hickups, and rockabillies Eugene Chrysler & the Hillbilly Shakespeares. Keyboardist extraordinaire Scott "Scooter" Van Dyke toured the U.S. with New Orleans-based jam band Brides of Jesus, whose history includes a six-month stint as Meters guitarist Leo Nocentelli's backup group. After heading north, Scooter played with New England faves Gus Factor, the Michael Cleary Band, and Hot Skillet Papas. These days he keeps the funk alive with Lava and Catfish Jam. Vocalist Rob Jockel was one of the founders of Eight To the Bar, helping instigate its 1970s incarnation as a rocking Texas swing band devoted to Bob Wills and Asleep At the Wheel. When 8ttB's sound headed for Motown and jitterbugging, Rob departed in his own direction, singing with Dance Committee and later joining Scooter and Tom in blues quintet Hot Skillet Papas. He also currently fronts the seven-piece Memphis Soul Spectacular, which includes a few Dr YY members. When in New Orleans, he is partial to Uglesiche's etouffée (r.i.p.) and Liuzza's onion rings. Booking: Cutting Edge Entertainment (203) 693-9116

Mardi Gras
"Mardi Gras" (French for Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is the final day of Carnival, the three-day period preceding the beginning of Lent, the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday immediately before Ash Wednesday (some traditions count Carnival as the entire period of time between Epiphany or Twelfth Night and Ash Wednesday).[1] The entire three-day period has come to be known in many areas as Mardi Gras.[2] Perhaps the cities most famous for their Mardi Gras celebrations include Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Per IRS regulations, $35 of the ticket price qualifies as a donation to the Southington Rotary Trust, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Such a night...Fat Tuesday 2009!

2008-02-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras 2008 pics courtesy of Ginny Roy...

2008-02-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras Night at Anthony Jack's is back!!!...

2007-12-28T14:18:00.000-08:00

Fat Tuesday, February 5, 2008, SAVE THE DATE!!!!

Tell all your friends. If you have no friends, tell anyone else you know. The 4th annual Southington Rotary Mardi Gras Night will feature the D Smith Blues Band in a return engagement in response to the overwhelming feedback from last year's performance.

Just the facts, Ma'am:

Date/time: Fat Tuesday, February 5, 2008 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Where: Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill, 30 Center Street, Southington, CT 06489 - directions

Cost: $65/person, includes food stations, beer, wine, entertainment

Why: To support the programs/scholarships of the Southington Rotary Club

Reservations: John Kennedy @860.276.8025, Trish Walden @860.378.1226, Anthony Jack's @860.426.1487

Mardi Gras Night 2007- more Fat Tuesday pics....

2007-02-22T14:15:00.000-08:00

The party....

2007-02-22T03:10:00.000-08:00

The food was deliciously spicy, the D. Smith Blues Band was HOT and Johnny Gumbo wore his famous PIANO SHIRT Tuesday night at Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill for the 2007 Southington Rotary Mardi Gras fundraiser. Thank once again to Barry, Cheryl and the staff of Anthony Jacks for being such gracious hosts. And thanks to Dolores Fanelli and her hard-working committee for creating the wonderful Mardi Gras ambience. And finally, thank you to all who attended to support our annual fundraiser.

See you again next year! Photos below courtesy of Ginny Roy.

The welcome.....

2007-02-20T23:30:00.000-08:00

The Rotary Club of Southington is proud to announce its 3rd annual Mardi Gras Night to be held on Fat Tuesday, February 20, at Anthony Jack's Wood-fired Grill. The proceeds of this fundraiser have been designated for the Southington Science/Math Initiative (benefitting all students in the Southington School system) and other Rotary charities.

Tickets can be obtained by calling Anthony Jack's (860)426-1487, John Ryan at (860)628-1766, John Kennedy at (860)276-8025 or from any other Southington Rotary member. If you were there the last two years, you know what a great night it will be.

Mardi Gras 2006
Mardi Gras 2005
Jazz 'N Ribs 2002

The band...

2007-02-20T21:30:00.000-08:00

Entertainment will be by the D. Smith Blues Band, who wowed the crowd at this year's Apple Harvest Festival. Per their bio, the band, "...winners of the Connecticut Blues Society's "Talent Search 1998," formed in November of 1989 as the D. Smith Blues Project. Finalists at the Connecticut Blues Challenge in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2004, these fixtures on the Connecticut blues scene made their first public appearance back in June of 1990 at Water Street Station in Torrington, and their first Hartford appearance at The Muni in October of that year.

With a harp and slide guitar dominant sound, The D. Smith Blues Band repertoire is heavily skewed to the Chicago-style sound of the fifties and sixties. They pay homage to the Chicago masters such as Howlin' Wolf, Elmore James, Muddy Waters, and Little Walter by offering interpretations of their music that seeks to preserve it, not change or update it. In their live shows the band captures the spirit of the powerful and soulful sound that signified Chicago-style Blues of that era. Along with cover songs, the band has a number of original songs that blend in well with traditional blues numbers."

The menu....

2007-02-20T13:30:00.000-08:00

Chef Barry DePaolo of Anthony Jack's Wood-Fired Grill has promised to again serve up some very tasty cuisine:

Hors d'oeuvres

Cajun blackened shrimp
with honey mustard

Sirloin bruschetta

Mini oyster po' boys

Cajun meatballs

Mini crabcakes

Chicken satoy with peanut dipping sauce

Mini pulled pork sandwiches

Carving Station
Roast pork loin with par gravy

Pasta Station
Shrimp Monica(rotini pasta
with shrimp and tomato cream sauce)
Penne with vodka sauce

Jambalaya Station
Rice with chicken, ham, & sausage

Dessert
Pecan pralines
Coffee/tea

Get your tickets now!....

2007-02-01T06:54:00.000-08:00

Tickets can be obtained from the following:

Anthony Jack's Wood-Fired Grill at 860.426.1487

John Ryan at 860.628.1766

John Kennedy at 860.276.8025

Any Southington Rotary Club member

The ticket price of $65/person includes selected wines and beer, food and entertainment. $28 of your ticket may be eligible as a charitable donation. Please consult your tax advisor.

Jazz 'N Ribs Fundraiser for Polio Plus at the Mountain Room..

2002-10-03T15:50:00.000-07:00

"Great Jazz, Great Food, Great Cause" was the theme of an evening to truly satisfy the soul and senses. In the jazz club setting of Mt. Southington's Mountain Room, the Southington Rotary Club hosted Jazz 'N Ribs, a fundraiser to benefit the Rotary International PolioPlus campaign to eradicate the polio virus worldwide.

Guests enjoyed succulent ribs and fixins' prepared by chef Patrick Noury, served by student volunteers fron the Southington High School Interact Club, then listened to the hot jazz of the Billy Cofrances Quartet featuring New York jazz vocalist Nicole Pasternak.

New haven-based saxophonist Cofrances, who cites Cannonball Adderly, Eric Kloss and Paul Desmond as influences, was backed by Tom Devino-drums, Steve Taylor-bass and Joe McWilliams-keyboards. The musicians seemed inspired by the tasty backdrop of oversized black and white posters of jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis and delighted the capacity audience with two sets of energized jazz standards. Pasternak, whom Chuck Berg of JAZZTIMES has described as "reminiscent of a young Ella," often traded scat-laced vocals with Cofrances' tenor and alto licks. She even playfully blended in an audience request for Michael Franks' jazz/pop hit, "Popsicle Toes."

Billy's website features some wonderful pictures from the event.
More pictures... courtesy of Trish Walden