The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree in the musical heritage of the Giroux family of Burnt Hills.
This Sunday, Dec. 9, three generations of family members, including grandpa George Giroux on piano, dad Pete Giroux on trumpet and flugelhorn, and grandson Nate Giroux on tenor sax and clarinet will perform a concert.
Aptly named Three Generations, the trio will play at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Grace Church, 73 Midline Road, Ballston Lake.
The men play jazz, and if that’s not enough in common, George Giroux is a retired band teacher, Pete teaches music and is band leader at the Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake high school, and Nate plans to study music education next year in college.
Originally from Plattsburgh, George lived and raised his family of four just outside Rochester. By day, he taught music, and by night, he performed at clubs and special events for about 50 years.
`I played with lots of the big name celebrities that no one remembers now, back in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s,` said George, now 73. `But I’ll tell you, there’s nothing better than playing with my son and grandson. There are a lot of father-son groups across the country, but this is really unique; you just don’t see three generations playing together.`
Each of the Giroux children was musically inclined, but George’s youngest son Pete showed special talent.
`All my children were naturals, but Peter as a young player was great,` said George, his voice rich with sentiment. `We went out together during his growing-up years playing at school and also at night clubs. It was quite an education for him.`
George’s `little grandson,` as he affectionately refers to him, began playing piano in second grade, clarinet in fourth, and sax in fifth grade.
`I was never pushed into music, but I always loved it,` said Nate, 17 and a senior at BH-BL High School. `Of course there were times when I didn’t want to practice, but I never wanted to quit, and my parents and grandparents were overall just very encouraging.`
George moved to Scotia a couple of years ago, and the guys formed their trio and started rehearsing. They now travel to play at the Castle Street CafE in Massachusetts, and head to Albany to play jazz at Justin’s.
`I played six nights a week all my life, and when I moved here I planned to retire, but my grandson is such a tiger and he got me back into it,` George laughed.
`It’s my favorite gig to play with them,` said Nate. `I’ve worked with a lot of student groups, but it’s the greatest reward playing with my dad and grandfather because they are true professionals.`
In the summer of 2006, the trio recorded a CD with jazz classics and a few originals written by George.
`Our house is always full of music, and whenever no one is playing music, someone is listening to it,` said Nate.
Since one of the cornerstones of good jazz is improv, the Giroux men play off one another, literally.
`You play a melody, but change it around and harmonize,` said Nate. `Part of it is completely made up solos; that’s what jazz is all about. You really communicate with your group without words, and learn each other’s style.`
Nate’s younger brother, Tyler, a high school sophomore, is following right behind in the musical arena, now playing trumpet like his father Pete.
The performance will benefit the Joan Nicole Prince Community Home of Schenectady, an end-of-life residence where Nate’s grandmother volunteers.
Located on 22 Glenview Drive in Scotia, the nonprofit facility has a mission to provide a safe, comfortable and caring residence for terminally ill patients in need of a home during their final days. The home is named for a single mother with two children, age 7 and 9, who was diagnosed with a terminal illness in the local community. Unable to care for herself or her children, she was placed in a care facility 50 miles away, and her children were placed with a temporary guardian in Schenectady.
Designed to take care of two patients at a time, the home is staffed with volunteers, care aides and two part-time employees. The home collaborates with the Community Hospice, offering services from hospice that are the same as those given traditionally in a patient’s home.
Nate chose the home as the benefactor as part of a community service project in his high school economics class.
`We had to relate a real-life project to economics somehow, and I thought it was a much greater learning experience to organize a benefit concert,` said Nate, who hopes to raise about $200 from ticket sales and sales of CD’s at the concert.
For George, the reward is all in the pride he feels every time he plays with his grandson.
`Ours is a huge musical family, but Nate is in a class by himself,` said George. `When I first started playing with him, I realized this kid is a genius.`
Tickets to the benefit concert are $5 and will be sold at the door.“