See you this MONDAY, August 3 from 7:00 TO 8:30. Don't miss Tuxedo Junction: The Sounds of Swing rehearsing for upcoming jobs. Watch, listen, and/or dance! The Guilford VFW is on the Mill Pond (the driveway is behind the TILE SHOP on Cherry Street). Take advantage of this opportunity to sit back and enjoy great music coming from the sounds of four trumpets, four trombones, five saxes, bass, drum, piano and guitar playing your favorite listening and dance music reminiscent of the Big Band Era. OR, maybe you'll be tempted to DANCE!!! We are serious about keeping the American Songbook alive and well.

Valerie Rogers will be singing your favorites this Monday.

When you download our website (Tuxedojunction.band), you'll find photos of the musicians along with videos that include pictures and sounds from our Monday evening 'rehearsals'. No need to be a member of the Guilford VFW to get in the door. The VFW is open to the public every Monday evening. Lisa tends the bar, and parking Is very easy; there are NO STAIRS! If you don't know where the Mill Pond is, set your GPS to the 'TILE SHOP'. The driveway to the VFW is directly behind the Tile Shop

We are available for your wedding, your class reunion, your friend's birthday, your birthday, your neighborhood get-together, your neighborhood party or your club dance. Make up a reason to have a party and hire Tuxedo Junction:The Sounds of Swing. Bring your friends - bring your family! Have a party with us at the VFW!

Updates from our band members:

THE JAZZ ALL STARS FEATURING TROMBONIST TOM BOATES will be playing at Bill's Seafood Restaurant on Friday, August 7 and Friday, August 21. It's the BEST DIXIELAND MUSIC IN THE STATE! 7:00 to 9:00 on Route 1 in Westbrook.

Pianist William (Bill) Groth will also be playing at Rocks 21 on Friday August 7 from 6:00 to 9:00 with Jeff Fuller on bass and Che Cartafalso on drums. Bill's quartet will be accompanying vocalist Christine Cooney. Rocks 21 is at 3 Williams Avenue in Mystic. As Jeff says, "Jazz by the Sea"

Gary Grippo's Quartet entertains at Quattros Restaurant in Guilford on Sunday, August 2 and August 16 from noon to 3:00. Guest artist on the 2nd will be Alan Bates on Vibes, and on the 16th Paul Evoscovich on Saxophone. This is great jazz. Don't miss it.

Pianist Bill Groth has released his latest CD with the perfect title "Playing Favorites". Download it on Spotify and Youtube and hear Bill's wonderful piano selections from Broadway musicals, standards from the 20's, 30's and 40's, and a few contemporary tunes.

Fuller Jeff has sent his update for the month of August:

The month of August starts off busy, and then becomes a bit lazy at the end, like all of us... Hope you can make it to one of these summertime jazz gigs!

I’ll be playing with Pat Todd’s Tuxedo Junction ~ a big band with a swingin’ and fine ~ at the Essex Lions Club Lobster Bake on Saturday, August 1, from 3 – 6 pm. It’s on the Town Green under the Gazebo. Also playing on Mondays, August 3, 10 and 17. from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Guilford VFW Hall, 104 Mill Road, Guilford, CT. Free and open to the public — great ambiance, great bar, great dancing. Check out their website.

On Sundays, August 2 and 16 from 12 – 3 pm, I’ll be playing with Dr. G’s Jazz Brunch at Quattro’s Italian Restaurant & Bar (14 Water Street, Guilford, CT). Host Gary Grippo on guitar leads the show, joining me on bass and Barry Ries on drums and trumpet.Guest artist on the 2nd will be the wonderful Alan Bates on vibes (maybe he’ll bring his steel pan!); and on the 16th we’ll be joined by the very lyrical saxophonist Paul Evoscovitch.

On Thursday, August 6, 5 – 7 pm, WSHU Public Radio celebrates “Beer-thoven” – a thank you event for SHU staff and faculty. The great Joe Carter leads his Samba Rio Trio, with myself and Graciliano Zambonim on drums. Tickets available here.

On Friday, August 7, from 6 — 9 pm, I’ll be joining pianist Bill Groth and his quartet, with Christine Cooney on vocals and Che Cartafalsa on drums. The venue is new to me: Rocks 21, 3 Williams Ave., Mystic, CT. Looking forward to jazz-by-the-sea!

On Saturday, August 8, from 4 – 7 pm, I’ll be over at Café Nine, 250 State Street, New Haven, for the afternoon jazz jam hosted by Gary Grippo on guitar, with me on bass Barry Ries on drums and trumpet. It’s a treat to hear the parade of fabulous local musicians who will sit in with us after the first set!

On Sunday, August 9 from 4—5 pm, at The Whitney Center, 200 Leeder Hill Rd., Hamden, I’ll host the final monthly recital, featuring some hot jazz from Haneef Nelson (trumpet), Nigel Regan (sax), Ben Bilello (drums) and Darren Litzie (piano). Free and open to the public. This will be kind of a brief preview of the Yale Ellington concert on 9/18 (see below).

On a new night — Tuesday, August 11, from 7 – 9 pm — I’ll be joining Allen Lowe & The All-Stars at Best Video Film & Cultural Center, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden, for an unusual jazz session with the usual (talented) suspects ~ Gary Grippo, Barry Ries, and Mark Kaplan. $10 cover.

On Sunday - Val Rogers and Gary Grippo will be at Quatrro's Italain Restuarant in Guilford: 12-3pm for the Jazz Brunch! No cover.

Well … that’s about it for August, apart from several private gigs.

Sept. 18 my new 7-piece group opens up the ’26-’27 Ellington Jazz Series at the Yale School of Music!

Jeff Fuller & Friends inaugurate 2026

Ellington Jazz Series at Yale School of Music

Bassist and composer Jeff Fuller will be leading his jazz group — Jeff Fuller & Friends — on Friday, September 18, 2026, 7:30 pm, at the Ellington Jazz Series at Yale’s Morse Recital Hall. Fuller’s seven musicians are a distinguished blend of established and emerging artists, and they will perform a program of his originals, noted jazz compositions, and newly arranged standards from the Great American Song Book.

Fuller is just the third Yale graduate (BA ’67, MM ’69) to be individually celebrated during the 54-year run of the Series. Of the many legendary artists who have been awarded the Ellington Medal, Fuller has played with seventeen of them, including such notables as Papa Jo Jones, Dizzy Gillespie and Lou Donaldson.

Ticket are available at the following web page: https://music-tickets.yale.edu/980/27367

CONTACT INFO: Jeff Fuller jefffuller@snet.net

Jeff Fuller & Friends

Jeff Fuller, bass, composer

Darren Litzie, piano

Ben Bilello, drums

Naomi Wharry, trombone, vocals

Nigel Regan, alto & tenor saxophones

Haneef N. Nelson, trumpet

Paul Lieberman, flute, percussion

Jeff Fuller (bass, composer, Yale BA ’67, MMus ‘69) brings great joy and a wealth of experience to his musical endeavors whether performing, teaching or composing. A highly sought after jazz bassist, his career has found him working both as leader and sideman with diverse groups in all styles of jazz. Fuller has toured worldwide and recorded with saxophonists Lou Donaldson and Paquito D’Rivera, and has played with jazz masters from all eras, including such historic artists as Dizzy Gillespie, Mose Allison, “Papa” Jo Jones, Gerry Mulligan, and Clark Terry. His trio, featuring Darren Litzie on piano and Ben Bilello on drums, has released five CDs of original music and standards. In 2014, he received the Jazz Haven Award, “For all you have done in presenting and preserving the culture and music of jazz.” In 2023, Jeff’s “Afro-Cuban Suite” was premiered by the Yale Concert Band, directed by Tom Duffy. His Latin jazz arrangements, published by Three-Two Music, are frequently performed by college and professional ensembles. Fuller plays a custom Upton Concord bass, made in Mystic, CT.