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

Avenue A Concerts & Events 2011

[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.

As always, the band is available for private functions!

Avenue A performs 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 2011

July 10 (Sunday): Paine Field, Coventry, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
1277 Main Street (Rt. 117), Coventry, RI
Explore rural Rhode Island - join us in Coventry!
Sponsor: Coventry Parks and Recreation, (401)822-9107
Rain Site: Coventry Community Center, 1277 Main St. (Rte 117)
July 12 (Tuesday): Easton's (First) Beach, Newport, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Memorial Boulevard, Newport
Concert on the beach! What else is there to say?
Sponsor: Newport Recreation Department, (401)845-5800
Rain Site: Concert will be rescheduled
July 27 (Wednesday): Village at Waterman Lake, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
715 Putnam Pike (Rt. 44), Greenville, RI
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: Concert will be rescheduled
August 3 (Wednesday): Father Tirocchi Field, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Sue Street at West Pontiac, East Natick, RI
New location in Warwick, by the Pawtuxet River and Washington Secondary Bike Path.
Sponsor: City of Warwick Parks and Recreation, (401)738-2000 x6504
Rain Site: TBA
August 4 (Thursday): Academy Field, East Greenwich, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Spring, Rector and Church Streets, East Greenwich
In the heart of East Greenwich. From Division St., take a right onto Rector St., then a left onto Spring St. - get dinner before or after the concert on the waterfront or Main Street.
Sponsor: East Greenwich Parks and Recreation, (401)886-8350
Rain Site: Swift Gym
August 5 (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
August 9 (Tuesday): By the Water's Edge, Wickford, 7:00 pm
55 Brown Street, No. Kingstown, RI
Visit historic Wickford Village - concert takes place in the parking lot behind 55 Brown Street.
Sponsor: North Kingstown Parks & Recreation: North Kingstown Arts Council, (401)294-3331
Rain Site: No. Kingstown High School
August 21 (Sunday): Marina Park, 6:00 p.m.
Salt Pond Road, Wakefield, RI
Go to one of South Kingstown's beautiful beaches, then wrap up the weekend with an Avenue A concert!
(This is a different location for our annual trip to South Kingstown - the Peace Dale Village Green is undergoing renovations; Marina Park is just off Rt. 1 North, across from South County Hospital.)
Sponsor: Town of South Kingstown Parks and Recreation, (401)789-9301
Rain Site: [updated] Performance will be cancelled
August 23 (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
September 4 (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: TBA
September 11 (Sunday): Blenheim-Newport, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
303 Valley Road, Middletown
Our first visit to this fine senior living facility in Middletown as they celebrate Grandparents' Day. Stop in and check out this lovely facility.
Sponsor: Blenheim-Newport, (401)239-2509
Rain Site: Inside
September 20 (Tuesday): Eastern States Exposition
West Springfield, MA
Celebrate Rhode Island Day at the Big "E" with us.
Performances at 10:30 a.m and 1:30 p.m. 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 - take the day off and come to the Big E!
RI Tourism Council, (401)273-9100.

Other Events

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

July 3 (Sunday): Michael DiMucci and Friends
Bristol Fourth of July, Independence Park, Bristol, RI, 6:30 p.m.
Rt 114 to Thames St., Bristol, by the Bay
Our good friend Michael DiMucci performs Broadway show tunes and swing with Avenue A as America's most patriotic town gears up for the Fourth. Michael will be joined by another old friend, Ashley Hewitt of Bristol. The Bristol County Chorus opens the concert at 6:30, Michael performs at 7:45, fireworks follow for a fun-filled night.
Sponsor: Bristol Fourth of July Committee
July 21 (Thursday): Bristol County Chorus
Bristol Concerts on the Common, Bristol, RI, 7 p.m.
Bristol Town Common, between State, Church, High & Wood Streets
Diane backs up the Bristol County Chorus 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 28-31: You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
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
August 11 (Thursday): 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 van 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: St Mary's Church, on the Common

Ongoing

Philip Mullen around Town
You can also catch Phil with Reminisce and various other local bands. Yep, he's a busy guy . . .
Newport Playhouse and Cabaret
Karen appears occasionally as the guest drummer at the Playhouse Cabaret, after the mainstage show. 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 and singing classical music. Diane, Karen and Phil continue the Avenue A tradition, joined in 2000 by Dick Parent on trumpet and trombone. The addition of brass added a new dimension to the group, creating rich horn lines and an expanded repertoire and sound. From time to time, other regular substitutes may be found playing in the band including Mark Armstrong (guitar), Bill Smith (trumpet), Dennis Cook (sax) and Jack Martin (trumpet). Depending on availability and client needs, the group now performs in configurations of three to five players. Need a big band sound? Ask for Avenue A and the Dick Parent Orchestra, which features Diane, Karen and Phil on guitar with an additional five horns, a great sound for those big events!

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.