Groove Brothers hearken to Belushi-Aykroyd era

Friday, June 29, 2001 | 9:27 a.m.

John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd gave the world the Blues Brothers.

Neil Maxa and Joe Romano want to give it the Groove Brothers.

But is the world ready for another Brothers act?

It will find out tonight when the Groove Brothers, an ensemble of veteran local jazz musicians, makes its debut at the Clark County Parks and Recreation department's final free "Jazz in the Park" concert of the 2000-01 season.

Concert-goers can expect to hear some solid music, regardless of whether the sextet achieves the outlandish standards set by Aykroyd and Belushi in the 1980 film "Blues Brothers" and as a live act.

Maxa said if it isn't too hot tonight the Groove Brothers might be wearing the hats and dark glasses that were the trademark of the Blues Brothers, but he will leave any other comparison between the two acts up to the audience.

"It's not really a spoof of the Blues Brothers, but we'll let the fans decide," he said. "The act is a little bit of everything, a lot of different sounds. The only tunes that may be recognizable to most of the people may be 'Willow Weep for Me' and 'Caravan.' All the other tunes are originals.

"It's all just foot-tapping music, basically."

Maxa plays trombone, Romano is on tenor sax and Gary Hypes plays baritone sax. The rhythm section includes Savino Santo on drums, Mike Montano on keyboards and Gus Mancuso on bass.

The makeup of the group may change slightly from time to time in the future to accommodate the busy musicians.

"Joe and I came up with the idea of the Groove Brothers," Maxa said. "We tried to set it up four months ago, but it didn't work out. The concept seemed good. Grooving, that's what it's all about. We plan on doing a lot of things in the future."

He said the ensemble wanted to create a group made up of local jazz musicians, "to do local gigs instead of (have venues) importing somebody. There are a lot of great musicians in town."

Maxa described the Groove Brothers as a bunch of freelance musicians getting together and having a good time. Most have their own bands or are affiliated with others.

"I've been on the Vegas scene since '88," he said. "All of us have played every major venue in town."

Tonight's performance will include blues, jazz and bebop, he said.

"It will be grooving. We can be a little funky. I've been looking forward to it," Maxa said.

According to Maxa the Groove Brothers is making its debut at the "Jazz in the Park" concert because of Hypes, who heard about an opening in the concert series through the Las Vegas Jazz Orchestra.

"Gary got the gig, so we had to let him in on it," Maxa quipped. "Seriously, Gary, plays his butt off. He's been in Vegas 20 years.

Maxa said he, Hypes and Romano "are the front line. Santo, Montano and Mancuso are the rhythm section."

He said Romano is the centerpiece of the Groove Brothers and described him as a "legend who has had a long and distinguished jazz career."

Romano began performing professionally as a teenager in upstate New York. Later he graduated from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester. His early influences included Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Cannonball Adderly, Coleman Hawkins and Stan Getz.

Among the many musicians he performed with were Parker, Getz and Nat "King" Cole.

He has recorded with Chuck Mangione, and was part of the Woody Herman band for 10 years. He has toured with Buddy Rich, Les Brown and Louie Bellson.

Romano, who spent some time in Hollywood as a studio musician, recorded two albums of his own, "Finally Romano" and "Gone but Not Forgotten."

Maxa, a Chicago native who graduated from Western Michigan University School of Music, came to Las Vegas to study with legendary jazz trombonist Carl Fontana.

He enrolled in UNLV's Jazz Studies Program, and while playing with the award-winning UNLV Jazz Ensemble, was named "Most Outstanding College Performer" by the Downbeat Musicfest magazine in 1990.

In the past 12 years his performing credits have included "Enter the Night" "The Rat Pack is Back" and "At the Copa."

He has backed such acts as Tony Bennett, Don Rickles, Paul Anka, the Temptations and the Four Tops, and is a regular member and featured soloist with the Don Menza Big Band and the Nevada Jazz Orchestra.

Mancuso, who is well-known on the local jazz scene, is a special guest of the Groove Brothers for tonight's performance.

Mancuso, who plays piano, vibraphone, trumpet, trombone and reeds in addition to bass, recently released an album on Fantasy Records entitled "Gus Mancuso and Friends."