Herb Gardner - Gunshots & Sirens (2019)

After a successful 60 year career in Jazz music, Herb Gardner recently became a favorite on the Boston folk scene! He's appeared with Susan Werner, Red Molly, Wall of Grass, and Vance Gilbert on both trombone and piano. Daughter Sarah persuaded him to record some of his fans most requested songs at age 80. These 7 tracks are delighting folkies with clever lyrics and pleasing the jazz crowd with good traditional jazz music. When he isn't performing with the New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Eli's Hot Six and Sarah's trad jazz band Sass & Bones, he can be found sitting in on his off nights at Club Passim or the Regattabar. In his eighties, he was a little concerned about his vocals sounding gritty but

Soon after moving to New York in 1963, Herb Gardner began touring with Wild Bill Davison, Kenny Davern and Dick Wellstood as well as becoming a regular at the Metropole, Jimmy Ryan’s and Eddie Condon’s nightclubs. During the ‘60’s and 70’s he appeared with virtually all of the classic jazz musicians in the New York City area such as Roy Eldridge, Gene Krupa, Henry “Red” Allen, Bobby Hackett, Jimmy Rushing, Doc Cheatham, Max Kaminsky and even Wingy Manone.

For many years he served as co-leader of Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks, playing for the inauguration of George Bush, Bill Clinton’s victory party and countless other society affairs. In June, 1997 he conducted the “Big Broadcasters” in the opening concert of the New York City JVC Jazz festival. Through his association with Al “Jazzbeaux” Collins and the Smith Street Society Jazz Band, Herb has written the music and words to many specialty songs heard regularly on New York radio, including “Jazzbeaux’s Time of Night” and theme songs for many other radio personalities.