A unique mix of swing, jazz & fun music from the 20's thru today.

Avenue A Concerts & Events 2009

[Diane (keys), Phil (sax) and Dick (trumpet)]

Schedule is subject to change due to weather and other events we can't control. Please check back to confirm dates and appearances.
And as always, the band is available for private functions!

In 2009, Avenue A celebrates 25 years of playing swing, jazz, standards and popular music from the 1920's through today at parties and special events throughout southern New England. Whether you need music for your wedding or your fiftieth anniversary, a gala event or your fiftieth birthday party, Avenue A can provide the classic sound you're looking for without breaking the budget. Contact us about booking your next event: aamusic[at]mac[dot]com or 401-334-3143.

Concerts 2009

July 9 (Thursday): William Hall Library, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
1825 Broad Street, Cranston, RI
Look for us on the steps of the William Hall Library, one of Rhode Island's classic libraries.
Sponsor: Cranston Parks and Recreation, 780-6150
Rain Site: ??
July 11 (Saturday): Sayles Memorial Church, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
185 Chapel Street, Lincoln, RI
A new site for us, this historic church was built in 1873.
Sponsor: Sayles Memorial Church, (401)723-1255. $10, $3 children under 12
Rain Site: Inside the church
July 17 (Friday): Narragansett Gazebo, 6:00 pm
Route 1A, Narragansett, RI
Located directly across from Narragansett Beach, this is a great place to spend a summer evening.
Sponsor: Narragansett Parks and Recreation, (401)782-0658
Rain Site: Concert will be rescheduled
July 22 (Wednesday): Goddard State Park Carousel, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
1095 Ives Road, Warwick, RI
The Carousel hall (no, there isn't a carousel here anymore, just the building that housed it) is right by the beach overlooking Greenwich Cove.
Sponsor: City of Warwick Parks and Recreation, (401)468-4105
Rain Site: The carousel is enclosed, we play rain or shine
July 29 (Wednesday): Glocester Summer Concerts, 6:30 p.m.
Route 44, Chepachet Village
A classic New England setting on the front lawn of the Chepachet Union Church in Chepachet Village.
Glocester Parks & Recreation, (401)568-6209
Rain Site: Inside the church
August 2 (Sunday): No. Smithfield Concerts on the Common, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Corner of School and Green Streets, Slatersville, RI
The Slatersville Common in No. Smithfield is quintessential New England. Concert is in front of the Slatersville Congregational Church. Discover one of RI's hidden villages!
Sponsor: No. Smithfield Prevention Task Force
Rain Site: In the event of rain, the concert will move inside the church.
August 16 (Sunday): Peace Dale Village Green, 6:00 p.m.
325 Columbia Street, Peace Dale, RI
Go to one of South Kingstown's beautiful beaches, then wrap up the weekend with an Avenue A concert!
Sponsor: Town of South Kingstown Parks and Recreation, (401)789-9301
Rain Site: Performance will be held in the Neighborhood Guild Hall at the same location
August 18 (Tuesday): Villa at Saint Antoine, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
400 Mendon Road, No. Smithfield, RI
It's back to the northern part of the state to the Villa, an assisted living facility with a beautiful campus.
Sponsor: Villa at St. Antoine, (401)767-2574
Rain Site: Inside the Villa
August 26 (Wednesday): Village at Waterman Lake, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
715 Putnam Pike (Rt. 44), Greenville, RI
This concert was rescheduled from June 24.
Overlooking Waterman Lake, this is one of Rhode Island's premier retirement/assisted living facilities. We perform in front of the Chalet building on the top of the hill. It's always a lovely evening at the Village!
Sponsor: Village at Waterman Lake, (401)949-1333
Rain Site: Inside the Lodge building
September 6 (Sunday): Last Night, Bristol RI, 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Independence Park, Thames Street
Bristol knows how to throw a party, so come celebrate Labor Day and the end of summer here. Avenue A opens the evening festivities and the RI Philharmonic Summer Pops follows at 7, with fireworks over Bristol Harbor around 9:30. Get there early and bring a hearty picnic, a jacket and a blanket for an unforgettable evening as Bristol says goodbye to summer.
Sponsor: Town of Bristol, (401)253-7000
Rain Date: September 7
September 22 (Tuesday): Eastern States Exposition
West Springfield, MA
Celebrate Rhode Island Day at the Big "E" with us.
Performances at 11, 1 and 2:30 in front of the Rhode Island Building. A parade, featuring some of RI's best high school bands, follows our last performance. A fun-filled day for the whole family (it's Senior Citizens Day, too) - take the day off and come to the Big E!
RI Tourism Council, (401)273-9100.

News

In 2009, Avenue A celebrates twenty five years of playing for parties, weddings and other special events. And we're still going strong! We'd like to thank everyone for their support over the years. And we look forward to many more great parties and events and the opportunity to make music for you!

Other Events

These are not official Avenue A events, but they do feature official Avenue A members:

July 3: Bristol County Interfaith Choir
Bristol Fourth of July, Colt School, Bristol, RI, 6:30 p.m.
Rt 114 (Hope St.) Bristol, across from Rogers Free Library
Diane and Karen back up the Bristol County Interfaith Choir on the night before the Fourth in America's most patriotic town. King's Row performs after, at 8 p.m.
Sponsor: Bristol Fourth of July Committee
July 16: Bristol County Interfaith Choir
Bristol Concerts on the Common, Bristol, RI, 7 p.m.
Bristol Town Common, between State, Church, High & Wood Streets
Diane and Karen back up the Bristol County Interfaith Choir in their annual summer pops concert on the Common.
Sponsor: Town of Bristol, (401)253-7000
Rain Site: St Mary's Church, on the Common
July 30: Michael DiMucci and Friends
Bristol Concerts on the Common, Bristol, RI, 7 p.m.
Bristol Town Common, between State, Church, High & Wood Streets
Diane, Karen and Dick back up tenor Michael DiMucci as he performs a concert of classic American songs, featuring works by Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Jimmy von Heusen and others in the style of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Michael Buble. This will be a swinging evening on the Common!
Sponsor: Town of Bristol, (401)253-7000
Rain Site: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church Auditorium, on the Common
July 24-26, July 30-August 1: Curtains (Kander & Ebb musical)
Bishop Hendricken High School, 2615 Warwick Ave, Warwick)
Karen plays for the annual Bishop Hendricken Summer Stage production, always a fun time!
Bishop Hendricken High School, (401)739-3450 x147

Ongoing

Philip Mullen with Diamond: Pancho O'Malley's, Friday nights, 5-9 pm
140 Point Judith Road, Narragansett, RI
Phil performs jazz, swing and standards with Diamond on keyboards and sax. A great place to have a bite and listen to some jazz or dance.
(401)782-2299, call to confirm as times and appearances are subject to change
Newport Playhouse and Cabaret
Karen appears as the guest drummer at the Playhouse Cabaret, after the mainstage show. You can often find her there on Saturday nights, if there's not an Avenue A gig, and on occasional Friday and Sunday nights. Email aamusic[at]mac[dot ]com if you want to check an upcoming date. But whether she's there or not, there's always great food and entertainment at the Playhouse!
Newport Playhouse and Cabaret Restaurant, (401)848-7529

Avenue A is available for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions.
Our unique selection and presentation of music will compliment your special event.

Contact us at aamusic[at]mac[dot]com.

Download the Avenue A brochure [pdf]

What We Play

Avenue A performs music from the 20's to today's adult contemporary, music that will please all ages. Concert performances feature our specialty of swing and jazz standards, along with a sampling of the many other types of music we enjoy playing, such as ragtime, boogie woogie, Latin and more. Upbeat arrangements of tunes made famous Glenn Miller, the Andrews Sisters, Duke Ellington, Nat "King" Cole, and others showcase the vocal and instrumental talents of the group.

Avenue A also performs as a function band for weddings, anniversaries, fundraisers and other special events. Our ability to play many different styles of music along with our varied instrumentation and great vocal harmonies makes us perfect for any occasion. Check out a sample of our songlist.

The band features keyboards, sax and/or trumpet, guitar, flute, harmonica, and drums. Everyone in the band sings, providing a variety of vocals and vocal harmonies. Whether you need a three, four, or five-piece group, Avenue A has the musical mix that will make your event unforgettable.

Where We've Been

[Phil on banjo] Avenue A began performing together in 1984 when vocalist Don Blais asked his college pal, pianist Diane Gualtieri, to back him up at a St. Patrick's Day party. Diane had been working with drummer Karen Mellor for a few years at that point, and suggested that she should come along, too. After playing mostly Irish music for five hours, the trio decided that they probably had a better future playing swing and jazz. Soon the group evolved into a general business band that played all types of music, performing on Bay Queen cruises for several summers and working steadily as a function band. In 1988, the trio had the good fortune of hooking up with guitar-playing saxophonist Phil Mullen, whose instrumental and vocal talents rounded out the band's sound. On top of that, he had similar culinary interests, which is a critical factor in most musical organizations.

[Diane on keyboards] Don has since retired and dedicated himself to cooking. He can be found cooking, and still singing, at Pauldon's Catering in Apponaug. Diane, Karen and Phil continue the Avenue A tradition. They are frequently joined by Dick Parent on trumpet and flugelhorn, adding a new dimension to the group and opening the opportunity for some rich horn lines. On other occasions, they may be joined by guitarist Mark Armstrong, who has played with the band since 2001; this frees Phil to play baritone and more tenor sax, along with the flute, harmonica and acoustic guitar. Saxman Dave Maher also joins the band on occasion. Depending on availability, the group now performs in configurations of three to five players. Sometimes we even coax Don out of retirement, making it an even half dozen.

Avenue A has performed for functions and concerts throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts for over twenty-five years. The band provided the music for the annual Chance to Dance performances at the Providence Performing Arts Center for fifteen years, and Diane and Karen celebrated their twenty-fifth year performing with the Bay View Players at St. Mary Academy Bay View's Manhattan at the Bay in Riverside, RI in 2008. Time flies when you're having fun!

Avenue A is . . .

Philip Mullen
Saxophone, Flute, Guitar,
Banjo, Harmonica, Vocals

Karen Mellor
Drums, Vocals

Diane Gualtieri
Keyboards, Vocals

Dick Parent
Trumpet, Trombone, Vocals

Band Manager: Karen Mellor

Avenue A. If music's not fun, why do it?
For more information, contact Avenue A at aamusic[at]mac[dot]com or 401-334-3143.