Tag Archives: Jeff Franzel

Books never go out of style.

Neither do vinyl records.

The Westport Library has plenty of both. And right now, viny is on display on the main floor, near the reference desk.

The collection ranges from classics like Bob Dylan’s “Blonde on Blonde” and Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon,” to newer releases like Hozier’s “Unreal Unearth” and and Beyonce’s “Renaissance.”

There are over 100 records across 9 genres: rock, pop, R&B, hip hop, jazz, folk, blue:s, country, and local artists (including the Library’s home-grown “Verso Records: Volume 1.”

Patrons can check out up to 3 records at a time, for up to 10 days. For more information on viny collectng, click here.

Love vinyl, but your turntable is long gone?

The Library of Things has Crosley Cruiser Turntables available to borrow.

Also in the Library of Things: 2 Nintendo Switch consoles, plus 50 games like Mario Party, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Pikmin 4, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and more.

Westport Library vinyl and video game collections.

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Speaking of music: Jeff Franzel — the Westport native and current Saugatuck Shores resident who played piano for the Hues Corporation (“Rock the Boat”), Les Brown, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Mel Torme and Bob Hope, then wrote hits for Taylor Dayne, the Temptations, NSYNC, Shawn Colvin, Josh Groban, Placido Domingo and Clay Aiken — recently received his first Grammy Award nomination.

It’s for his song “Big Mama-Latto,” in the Best Melodic Rap Song category. (The multi-talented Franzel is a rapper too.)

Earlier this fall he won the Netherlands’ Edison Award — that country’s Grammy equivalent.

Jeff and his wife Joanne went to Amsterdam for the ceremony. (Hat tip: Prill Boyle)

Jeff Franzel

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Westporters have been thrilled by Saturday’s state field hockey championship, won by the Staples High School Wreckers.

Remarkably, they’re not the only field hockey champs in town.

Yesterday, Greens Farms Academy won captured its first-ever New England prep title. The Dragons edged New Hampton 1-0, in the Class C final at the Ethel Walker School.

Almost as thrilling was the reception home. After getting off I-95, the team received an escort back to GFA by the Westport Police.

Greens Farms Academy: New England field hockey champs!

PS: Congratulations too to senior Grace Almeida. GFA’s all-time leading scorer will play field hockey next year at Brown University.

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Meanwhile, across the street from Greens Farms Aacademy: another full moon, another flood at Burying Hill Beach.

This was the scene yesterday — a couple of days after the actual full moon.

(Photo/Drew Coyne)

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As audiences laughed, applauded for and loved Staples Players’ production of “Elf,” they had one question: Where was the peppy, great-sounding pit orchestra?

Conductor Lauren Pine and her 16 musicians were nowhere to be seen.

With no room on stage, they played from the band room, down a hallway behind the stage.

Staples High School’s “Elf” pit orchestra, in the band room.

They were hardly out of sight, out of mind. Despite the distance — and thanks to a TV monitor — they did not, um, miss a beat.

The show was particularly meaningful for bassist Larry Perlstein.

Exactly 50 years ago — in 1974 — he was a Staples junior, playing in his first pit for Players’ production of “Oklahoma!”

His daughter Avery is now a junior herself. She runs lights for “Elf,” carrying on the family tradition.

There are still 4 chances to see the show that has the entire town buzzing. performances are set for this Thursday and Friday (November 21 and 22, 7 p.m.), and Saturday (Nofember 23, 2 and 7 p.m.).Click here for tickets. Though some shows may be sold out, tickets are often available at the door.

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Robert Haydon Jones, Jr. died peacefully on November 10 in Fairfield. Alice, his wife of 50 years, was at his side. He was 86.

Born in New York City and raised in Westport, he was a graduate of Staples High School, Portsmouth Priory (now Abbey) in Rhode Island.

He left Miami University in Ohio before graduation, when he married Carol Lindblom.

Moving back to Westport, Bob was hired by advertising firm Ogilvy, Benson & Mather. He spent his career on Madison Avenue agencies alongside giants in marketing, advertising, public relations and literary publishing. Malachy McCourt was a good friend, until his death earlier this year.

Bob founded his own shop, Robert Haydon Jones & Associates, in Westport in 1972. He helped create a new genre of customizable, direct-to-customer, targeted-outreach marketing tools.

He crafted “some of the greatest direct marketing strategies ever conceived,” said Denny Hatch, editor of DM News.

A fundraising letter aimed at holding President Nixon to account in 1972 started “Dear Fool.” It broke response records, and became a major fundraising package.

He was passionate about baseball. Generations of young players  around Fairfield County still talk about his coaching of their Babe Ruth, travel and Collegiate Summer League teams.

In the 1980s and ’90s he helped revive the Over-18 Westport Advertisers club, which barnstormed throughout New England.

After stepping back from coaching, Bob became a youth and school umpire. He called his last game well past his 80th birthday, finally retiring in 2020.

His family says, “One of Bob’s greatest journeys was forging and maintaining the path to sobriety, a journey for which he was often armed with vats of coffee for his regular meetings. He found great solace in his community, and was always willing to talk to and guide others navigating their own rock bottoms.”

In addition to Alice, Bob is survived by brother Christopher “Kit” of New York and Westport; sisters Jeremy of Philadelphia, Jude Anne of Norwalk, and Pam of Fairfield. He was predeceased by his youngest brother, Jeffrey.

He is also survived by sons Andrew (Francesca Gori-Montanelli), Evan (Margaret Mitchell-Jones), Charles and (Meg), and Robert H. III (Sylvia); stepdaughter Catherine (Sean Beaudoin), and stepsons James Lewis (Noel Casiano) and Tom (Kim), along with 8 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren, spread across 4 continents, along with numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

His decades-long companion and trusted aide, Henry Glasford of St. Kitts and Bridgeport, who stood by Bob’s side throughout his decline and into his final days, also survives.

A funeral service for Robert Haydon Jones Jr. will be held this Friday (November 22, 10 a.m.), at Assumption Church. 

After the service, his wife Alice will host a celebration of life gathering at her Fairfield home.

The family asks that any memorial donations inspired by Bob’s memory be directed to the study and treatment of Prader-Willi Syndrome, a cause to which he and Alice have dedicated decades to supporting themselves on behalf of their son Beau.

Bob Jones

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A dog, low tide, sunset … what could be more natural for our “Westport … Naturally” feature?!

(Photo/Richard Abramowitz)

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And finally … in honor of the Westport Library’s “new” vinyl collection:

(Put a dime in the record machine … and a couple of bucks in for “06880” too. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)