October 2014 Volume 39, Number 08. Oregon s BLACK SWAN CLASSIC JAZZ BAND Is Featured In Our October Concert

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1 October 2014 Volume 39, Number 08 Oregon s BLACK SWAN CLASSIC JAZZ BAND Is Featured In Our October Concert By Rod Belcher - with a re-write by Anita LaFranchi The third Sunday of the month is always a day to look forward to. This month Black Swan Classic Jazz Band comes back to entertain us on October 19th. They have always been popular in past seasons and we are most excited to sponsor them once again. Black Swan s lineup of veteran players is: Kit Johnson (leader/tuba) Rick Holzgrafe (cornet) Steve Matthes (clarinet) Andy Hall (trombone) John Bennett (piano) Ron Leach (drums) Alan Phillips (banjo). Black Swan along with Marilyn Keller (vocals) have been regulars at West Coast jazz festivals, cruises, and recording sessions, building a strong following wherever they re heard. Their book of both familiar and semi-obscure material shows off their high degree of professionalism and dedication to the jazz idiom. Black Swan enjoys entertaining and educating audiences with the authentic material of many famous jazz musicians. WHERE: Ballard Elks Lodge, 6411 Seaview Ave. NW, Seattle. WHEN: 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sunday, October 19 ADMISSION: $12 PSTJS members; $15 non-members. Pay only at door. FURTHER INFO: Carol Rippey Or - website: Plenty of free parking; great view & dance floor, snacks, coffee, and other beverages available. Notes From the Prez The Schulz weekend was spectacular, in every way. Bob and his band were as awesome as I ve ever heard them. The new venue The Royal Room was perfect. The staff was wonderful, as were the delicious food and beverages. We re hoping to have the Schulz band back again next September and we ll certainly book them in the Royal Room again, no doubt about it. Speaking of the Royal Room, there ll be another local our dear friend and lover of Jazz, group playing there in the next few months. Bob Graf passed away on Friday, 9/19, at the age of 96. Ray Skjelbred and his First Thursday Band will be playing a Tribute to Bob Graf. (Please check out the ad on page 4.) He had requested no service for friends and family to have to plan and attend. So, two of our members, Bob West and John Ochs are planning an afternoon of music and memories to honor Bob, one of our Charter Members. The date is Saturday October 25th from 3 to 6 pm. Bob had a large and loving family and they will be there and we d love for those of you who also remember and loved Bob to be there too. The Royal Room was designed as a place for musicians to display their talent. It is open for all musicians to showcase their talents by just getting in touch with the Manager, Tristan, and working out a date. There is no cover, however there are envelopes on the tables for audience members to donate to the band. It s an exceptional one-of-a-kind venue and I highly recommend you support the groups playing there, including Ray and his First Thursday Band this month. The room has a great website, check it out at www. theroyalroomseattle.com. Hope to see many of you there when we meet to honor our dear friend and lifelong supporter of OKOM, Bob Graf. Cheers, Judy

2 Jazz Soundings Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society Ocean Avenue Edmonds, WA UPCOMING EVENTS Elks Lodge, Ballard, 6411 Seaview Ave N.W., Seattle October 2014 Gigs for Local Bands BELLINGHAM TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY 1st Saturday, 2-5 pm VFW Hall 625 N. State St Oct 4 Bob Aitken s Clamdiggers Nov 1 Uptown Lowdown Dec 6 Gerry Green s Crescent City Shakers Page 2 Oct 19 Nov 16 Dec 21 Black Swan Evergreen Classic Ray Skjelbred s First Thursday Band PRESIDENT Judy Levy jazzdancer2@msn.com VICE PRESIDENT Jack Temp SECRETARY Cilla Trush paultrush@yahoo.com TREASURER Gloria Kristovich gkristo@live.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS Joanne Hargrave shorejo1@comcast.net Leroy Johnson moldyfig@hotmail.com Jan Lemmon djlemmon@msn.com Edmunde Lewin Gary Lydum glydumup@hotmail.com George Oelrich goelrich@comcast.net Carol Rippey trianglejazz@comcast.net George Swinford grs-pms@comcast.net MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Carol Rippey trianglejazz@comcast.net EDITOR Anita LaFranchi jazzeditor@q.com WEBMASTER George Peterson ggpeters99@gmail.com JAZZ SOUNDINGS Published monthly except July and August by the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society. Anita LaFranchi, Editor, jazzeditor@q.com Ads must be submitted in a jpeg or PDF format Payment in advance to: Gloria Kristovich, P.O. Box 373, Edmonds, WA Advertising Rates: Full page $ /2 wide by 9 1/2 tall Half Page $ /2 wide by 4 1/4 tall Quarter Page $ /8 Wide by 4 1/4 tall Deadline is the 10th of the month for the next month s issue DAVE HOLO S BAND Oct 3 5-pm Salty s in West Seattle, Oct 17 5pm Salty s in West Seattle, Oct 18 11am Salty s in West Seattle, (Salty s is located at 1936 Harbor Avenue. S.W Seattle, WA For more information visit: PEARL DJANGO Oct. 3 8:30 pm North City Bistro We love this place! Reservations recommended 1520 NE 177th St; Shoreline, WA; Oct. 4 7:30pm San Juan Community Theater 100 Second Street - Friday Harbor, WA; Phone: Oct. 10 7pm Crossroads Bellevue Shopping Center NE 8th Street, Bellevue, WA Oct. 11 7:30pm Art House Designs Appearing with Vince Brown 420 Franklin St. SE Olympia, WA Oct. 25 7pm Bellewood Acres 6140 Guide Meridian Drive, Lynden, WA 98264; Phone:(360) (5 miles from Bellingham Oct. 26 7pm Bake s Place Bellevue th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004: phone: (425) UPTOWN LOWDOWN JAZZ BAND Oct 5 1pm Traditional Jazz Society of Oregon - Springfield Elks On Your Dial... Saturday 7-12 pm Swing Years and Beyond KUOW 94.9 FM Sunday 3-6 pm Art of Jazz, Ken Wiley, KPLU 88.5 FM

3 Jazz Soundings October 2014 Page 3 24 th America s Classic Jazz Festival by Doug Parker America s Classic Jazz Festival at St. Martin s University in Lacey, WA, held on the last weekend of June 2014, was well attended and of the excellent musical quality that regular attendees of this event have come to expect over the past years. The band lineup was unbeatable, with each group s sound reflecting the nuances that make that particular band unique, but all the ones which this writer heard certainly fell under the umbrella of Our Kind of Music As your correspondent has not yet figured out a way to clone himself, there were some difficult choices to be made in terms of whom to hear at any specific time. In alphabetical order: it was good to hear the Buck Creek Jazz Band again, with their enjoyable eclectic approach. A particular highlight was their Sunday gospel set, on which the band was joined by vocalist Diana Skillman; wife of their fine clarinetist John Skillman; she lent her pure lyric soprano voice to wellloved gospel songs. Also, it was good to hear tuba and string bass man Tom Jacobus Evergreen Jazz Band, which included such talented players as Steve Wright (reeds) Ray Skjelbred (piano) and drummer Mike Daugherty, who plays with unusual good taste. Lending an international flavor to the proceedings was the great Grand Dominion Jazz Band, with their authentic New Orleans sound, produced by three-transplanted British jazzmen, who now live in British Columbia, and four Americans. A special wounded Warrior award must be given to trumpeter Clint Baker, who was confined to a wheelchair due to an ankle injury (he also played tuba with the Yerba Buena Stompers.) And the High Sierra Jazz Band, under the leadership of talented clarinetist Pieter Meijers, really has the West Coast sound originated by such jazz greats as Lu Watters and Turk Murphy, down pat, with the icing on the cake provided by the excellent vocals of bass man Earl McKee, and their very entertaining trombonist Howard Miyata. Amazingly, the rhythm section of McKee (sousaphone) Charlie Castro (drums) and the Huddleston Brothers, Bruce (piano) and Stan (banjo) have remained intact ever since the band was formed in 1976! And the Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band s Seattle spin on the Watters-Murphy sound is as fine as ever, highlighting the dual reeds of Paul Woltz and John Goodrich. The West End Jazz Band is not a Dixieland group in the usual sense, but a tight, well-integrated sextet playing the hot dance music of the 20s, highlighting the vocals by banjoist Leah LaBrea, The Windy City Songbird, reminiscent of the writers favorite vocalist of that area, Miss Vaughn de Leath, The First Lady of Radio. Another band with his excellent banjo playing and singing! The only negative was associated with the otherwise very good Yerba Buena Stompers, a two trumpet band in the Lu Watters tradition; the writer feels that their vocalist, Miss Ida Blue, was on the stage too much of the time! Too much of a good thing, maybe? And all the specials heard by your correspondent were excellent. In addition to the above mentioned gospel set by the Buck Creek Jazz Band, there were the following: the three guitars so expertly played by Jerry Krahn, Eddie Erickson, and Katie Cavera, with Jerry s colleague from the Titan Hot Seven, Ike Harris on string bass, and a drummer whose name we missed. The Apostles of Sax, with Uptown Lowdown ers Goodrich and Woltz joined by their colleague Andy Hall switching from the trombone to the baritone sax, High Sierra s Pieter Meijers on bass sax and clarinet (his duet with John on High Society was a highlight of this set,) and young alto saxophonist Jacob Zimmer, who is a recent graduate of Camp Heebie Jeebies; the ULIB s Tin Pan Alley set, which paid tribute to such great American composers as Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and George M. Cohan; and, probably best of all, the tribute to the late Ray Smith and his wonderful Paramount Jazz Band, played by a group consisting of four original members of that band Jeff Hughes (cornet) Steve Wright (reeds) Jimmy Mazzy (banjo and vocals) and Chuck Stewart (tuba, who also did the MC ing for this set,) joined by John Clark (clarinet) Ross Petot (piano) and Dave Didricksen (drums,) whose tasteful drumming was very reminiscent of Ray Smith s. Chuck was at the festival with Buck Creek Jazz Band, and Steve, as mentioned before, with the Evergreen, while the other five men were members of the Wolverines. Our thanks to everyone who made this great festival possible; not only the musicians, but also the listeners and dancers, the vast army of volunteers, including the St. Martin s students who did such a fine job of food and beverage service, and the officers of the Greater Olympia Dixieland Jazz Society, PARTICULARLY their 89-years young festival director, Charlotte Dickison. Congratulations, Charlotte, we ll be looking forward to the 25 h America s Classic Jazz Festival in 2015.

4 Jazz Soundings October 2014 Page 4 Jazz Travel - October 2014 OCT 10-12: MEDFORD, OR. 1st Annual Southern Oregon Music Festival (f.k.a. Medford Jazz Festival). Headquarters: Red Lion Hotel. Special Guest Artist: Bob Draga, Featured Bands: Blue Street J.B., Bob Draga Quartet, Cornet Chop Suey, Dave Bennett & The Memphis Boys, Gator Nation Band (f.k.a. Gator Beat), High Sierra J.B., High Street Band, Lena Prima Band, Midiri Brothers Sextet, New Orleans Racket Makers, Oregon Coast Lab Band, Professors Lite, Sister Swing, Titan Hot Seven, Tom Rigney and Flambeau. A.E. Badges: Early Birds $70 until 4/30/14. Daily badges available. Contact Info: Medford Jazz Festival, 221 N. Central Ave., PMB 201, Medford, OR or info@medfordjazz.org Website & Lodging: OCT 15-19: SUN VALLEY, ID. 25th Anniversary Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree. Headquarters: Sun Valley Resort. Guest Artists: Tom Hook, Bob Draga, Yve Evans, Brady McKay, Bruce Innes, Gary Ryan, Jeff Barnhart, John Cocuzzi, Chet Jaeger, Clint Baker, John Reynolds, Pieter Meijers. Featured Bands: Barnhart-Midiri Quartet, Bill Allred Classic J.B., Billy Mata & The Texas Tradition, Blue Renditions, Blue Street J. B., Boise Straight Ahead, Classical Renegades, Cornet Chop Suey, Jim Fryer & Usual Suspects, Joe Fos Trio, Gator Nation, Gonzalo Bergara Quartet, High Street, Ivory &Gold, JAS M, Jerry Krahn Quartet, Kings of Swing, Meschiya Lake & Dem Lil Big Horns, Midiri Brothers All-Star Big Band, Midiri Brothers Quintet, Myers All-Star Big Band, P.B.J., Pianorama, Sherri Colby s Racket Makers, Side Street Strutters w/meloney Collins, Sue Palmer & Her Motel Swing Orch., S.V.J.J. All-Stars, Sun Valley Marching Band, Titan Hot Seven, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Wood River Dixie Band, Yale Whiffenpoofs, Pieter Meijers Quartet w/brady McKay, Introducing the Jazz Drama Program w/eli Yamin, Special: Silent Movies w/jeff Barnhart. A.E. Badges: $128+tax until 7/31 then $143+tax until 10/7. Daily badges available. Contact Info: Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree, PO Box 2745, Sun Valley, ID Directors@SunValleyJazz.com Website: Facebook, Twitter. Lodging: Sun Valley Lodge, 10 Sun Valley Road, PO Box 10 Sun Valley ID, For all lodging choices visit BOB GRAF TRIBUTE Special invitation to all Jazz Club Members Join the friends and family of BOB GRAF in a special musical tribute to his life at the Royal Room, 5000 Rainier Avenue S., Seattle from 3:30 to 6:30 pm on Saturday, October 25, Live music by the Ray Skjelbred First Thursday Band with Skjelbred on piano, Steve Wright horns, Dave Brown bass, and Mike Daugherty drums. The doors will open at 3:30. No host food and beverages will be available. The music is being sponsored by friends of BOB GRAF, but the usual gratuities for the band and the Royal Room staff will be appreciated. The GRAF family will be there to visit and greet BIG BOB S friends.

5 Jazz Soundings October 2014 Page 5 Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society Ocean Ave., Edmonds, WA Please (enroll) (renew) (me) (us) as a member or members Name Address City, State Zip Code Phone Check when renewing if your address label is correct Dues for 12 months: Single $25 Couple $40 Lifetime single $200 Lifetime Couple $350 Patron $500 (One or two lifetime membership) Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization dedicated to the performance and preservation of traditional jazz. Your membership and contributions are tax-deductible. Thank you. WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! RICHARD McNEESE LEE AND CHRISTINE STEWART CHERYL WALTER SUE WEST We re looking for new Members YOU can help with little effort and that s by bringing just one of your friends or family members into our club. If WE ALL do that, our membership will double. SUBSCRIBE TODAY News You Can Use About Traditional Jazz and Ragtime U.S. One Year: $26 -:- Canadian $39 U.S. Funds* U.S. Two Years: $48 -:- Canadian $74 U.S. Funds* (*) Includes Airmail Delivery Make check payable to: The American Rag Skyline Ranch Dr., Apple Valley, CA Phone/Fax: Name Address City State Phone Zip + 4 Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society

6 Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society Ocean Ave. Edmonds, WA Address service requested Non-profit Org U..S. Postage Paid Seattle, WA Permit 1375 X on your Jazz Soundings address label means your dues are payable. XX means Good-bye BANDS, CONTACTS AIN T NO HEAVEN SEVEN Leader: Terry Rogers terryrrogers@comcast.net COAL CREEK JAZZ BAND Leader: Judy Logen, Bookings: judy@coalcreekjazzband.com COMBO DE LUXE Bookings: Candace Brown jazzstrings@comcast.net CORNUCOPIA CONCERT BAND Leader: Allan Rustad DUKES OF DABOB Bookings: Mark Holman, , seaclar7@embarqmail.com. DUWAMISH JAZZ BAND Bookings: Carol Johnston carolanjo@yahoo.com EVERGREEN CLASSIC JAZZ BAND Leader: Tom Jacobus t.jacobus@comcast.net ph: or cell FIRST THURSDAY BAND Leader: Ray Skjelbred, Rayskjelbred@gmail.com FOGGY BOTTOM JAZZ BAND Leader: Bruce Cosacchi GRAND DOMINION JAZZ BAND Bookings: Bob Pelland bobpelland@gdjb.com holotradband Leader: Dave Holo dave@daveholo.com HOT CLUB SANDWICH Contact: James Schneider HUME STREET PRESERVATION JAZZ BAND Bookings: Karla West JAZZ UNLIMITED BAND Leader: Duane Wright duane.janw@frontier.com JAZZ STRINGS Bookings: Candace Brown jazzstrings@comcast.net LOUISIANA JOYMAKERS! Leader: Leigh Smith smithtunes@shaw.ca THE MARKET STREET DIXIELAND JASS BAND Ansgar Duemchen: Tim Sherman MIGHTY APHRODITE Co-leaders: Bria Skonberg, Claire McKenna mightyaphroditejazz@hotmail.com NEW ORLEANS QUINTET Jake Powel jake_powel@comcast.net RAINIER JAZZ BAND Manager: Randy Keller randolphscottkeller@gmail.com RAY SKJELBRED Rayskjelbred@gmail.com RONNIE PIERCE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ronniepiercemusic@yahoo.com, UPTOWN LOWDOWN JAZZ BAND Leader: Bert Barr uljb@yahoo.com WILD CARDS JAZZ Leader: Randy Keller randolphscottkeller@gmail.com