May 2011 The Daves Holo & Loomis Join Oregon s Black Swan for our May 15th Concert By Rod Belcher Oregon-based Black Swan Classic Jazz Band has many fans who rate it as the best Trad unit ever developed in our neighboring state. Under the leadership of Kit Johnson, the tuba virtuoso from Willamette Valley, the group has always had high standards of musicianship and an extensive book of both familiar and not-sofamiliar tunes. Black Swan also has something special going for it -- the inclusion of two excellent brass players from the Puget Sound region as well as a top-flight feminine vocalist. Those horn men are cornetist Dave Holo, who leads two different groups each week at Pioneer Square s New Orleans Cafe, and Dave Loomis, whose trombone (and occasional vocal) work has graced several first-rate jazz bands based in Seattle for many years. As for the vocalist, she s Marilyn Keller, who merits a closely attentive ear every time she cozies up to the microphone. She sings a wide spectrum of songs, from early 20th Century blues, through gospel numbers, and standards from the pens of America s Broadway and Tin Pan Alley composers. Her perfect-pitch ear and voice control grace her every delivery, with great backing by Black Swan. Other sidemen in the band are Oregonians Steve Matthes, clarinet; John Bennett, piano; Ron Leach, drums and John McKinley, banjo. Black Swan Classic Jazz Band has built a solid West Coast following through appearances at festivals, on cruises, at civic and corporate events, and on recordings. A recent well-received gig was at the annual Seaside, OR, jazz festival. Well received should be the case, too, at our May 15 concert. Volume 36, Number 05 WHEN: Sunday, May 15, 12:30-4:30 p.m. WHERE: Ballard Elks Lodge, 6411 Seaview Ave. NW ADMISSION: $10, PSTJS members $13, Non-member guests (pay only at door) Beautiful view, excellent dance floor, lots of free parking. Coffee, other beverages and snacks available Free Parking. Great view, excellent dance floor. Snacks, coffee, other beverages available
Jazz Soundings May 2011 Page 2 Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society Gigs for Local Bands 19031 Ocean Avenue Edmonds, WA 98020-2344 425-776-5072 www.pstjs.org EVENTS Elks Lodge, Ballard, 6411 Seaview Ave N.W., Seattle UPCOMING EVENTS May 15 June 19 Sept 18 October 16 November 20 December 18 Black Swan Jazz Band Ain t No Heaven Seven Bob Schulz s Frisco Jazz Band Sidewalk Stompers Evergreen Classic Jazz Band Ray Skjelbred s First Thursday Band LEADERSHIP PRESIDENT: Judy Levy jazzdancer2@msn.com 425-890-6605 VICE PRESIDENT: George Swinford grs-pms@comcast.net 425-869-2780 SECRETARY: Cilla Trush paultrush@yahoo.com 206-363-9174 TREASURER: Gloria Kristovich gkristo@live.com 425-776-7816 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dave Brown: jazzstrings@comcast.net 253-752-6525 Joanne Hargrave shorejo1@comcast.net 206-550-4664 Leroy Johnson: moldyfig33@msn.com 206-772-4378 Jan Lemmon djlemmon@msn.com 425-776-9763 Edmund Lewin: 360-297-6633 Ian McKenna: i.mckenna@frontier.com 425-771-5479 George Oelrich: goelrich@comcast.net 360-793-0836 Carol Rippey: trianglejazz@comcast.net 425-776-5072 MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Carol Rippey: trianglejazz@comcast.net 425-776-5072 EDITOR Anita LaFranchi: jazzeditor@mindspring.com 206-522-7691 BELLINGHAM TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY 1st Saturdays, 2-5 pm (except Jul and Aug) VFW Hall 625 N. State St. March 5 - Combo Deluxe April 9 - Jerry Jones Quartet CASEY MacGILL s BLUE 4 TRIO Sundays, 5:30-8:30 Tutta Bella Pizzeria 4411 Stoneway N 206-633-3800 Wednesdays, 8-11. Pink Door Restaurant & Lounge 1919 Post Alley (Pike Market) 206-443-3241 CORNUCOPIA CONCERT BAND Friday, May 20, 5:30-7 pm at Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St., Seattle. Union Station Centennial observance. FIRST THURSDAY BAND 1st Thurs of each month, 7-10 p.m., New Orleans Restaurant, 114 1st Ave S., Seattle, WA GLENN CRYTZER s SYNCOPATORS 1st Sunday of the Month 9:30-12:30 Century Ballroom 915 East Pine (2nd Floor) 206-324-7263 Third Wednesday of the Month (same as above) GRAND DOMINION April 28 - May 1 Chattanooga Traditional Jazz Festival - Holiday Inn holotradband Tuesdays, 7-10 p.m., New Orleans Restaurant, 114 1st Ave S., Seattle, WA NEW ORLEANS JAZZ QUINTET Mondays 6:30-9:30 p.m. New Orleans Restaurant, 114 1st Ave S., Seattle, WA PEARL DJANGO May 8, 1-5 pm, Aberdeen Elks, Aberdeen, WA 425-644-1111 May 15, 9 pm Belltown Billards, 90 Blanchard St., Seattle, WA May 26, 7:30 pm Paschal Winery, 11122 Suncrest Road. Talent, OR 541-488-3869 - or email: info@siskiyouinstitute.com (near Ashland) May 27, Evening pm, Plaza Bistro, Sonoma,, CA May 28-30, Sacramento Jazz Festival, Sacramento, CA June 7-8, 7:30 pm, Jazz Alley, 2033 Sixty Ave., Seattle, WA 206-441-9729 JAZZ SOUNDINGS Published monthly except July and August by the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society. Anita LaFranchi, editor, jazzeditor@mindspring.com Ads must be submitted in a jpeg or PDF format Payment in advance to: Gloria Kristovich, P.O. Box 373, Edmonds, WA 98020-0373 Advertising Rates: Full page $100. 7 1/2 wide by 9 1/2 tall Half Page $60. 7 1/2 wide by 4 1/4 tall Quarter Page $40. 3 5/8 Wide by 4 1/4 tall Deadline is the 10th of the month for the next months issue UPTOWN LOWDOWN JB April 28 - May 1 Chattanooga Traditional Jazz Festival - Holiday Inn On Your Dial... Saturday 7-12 p.m. Swing Years and beyond KUOW 94.9 FM Sunday 3-6 p.m. Art of Jazz, Ken Wiley, KPLU 88.5 FM
Jazz Soundings May 2011 Page 3 THE VARIOUS STYLES OF OKOM : by: Doug Parker PSTJS member Continued from the April issue: SOUTH SIDE CHICAGO STYLE: This was a loose, skiffle style of music, played almost exclusively by black jazzmen, of whom the most prominent figure was the aforementioned clarinetist Johnny Dodds. The groups would sometimes consist of only three, four, or five instruments, usually clarinet, trumpet, piano, and washboard. Key figures besides Dodds included his drummer brother Warren, nicknamed Baby, who also played washboard, trumpeter Natty Dominique, pianist Jimmy Blythe, and washboardplayer Jimmy Bertrand. KANSAS CITY JAZZ: The riverboats on the Mississippi, carrying New Orleans jazz bands, such as that of pianist Fate Marable (including a young cornetist named Louis Armstrong; this was prior to his joining King Oliver s Creole Jazz Band) to Chicago, frequently stopped in Kansas City, Missouri, and in the process, influenced the local players in that city. The earliest Kansas City band had a sound not unlike the bands of Marable or Oliver, but used more instruments. For instance, the Moten band which recorded in 1926 and 27 consisted of two cornets, trombone, three saxophones, banjo, tuba, drums, and the leader s piano, but as time went on, added more instruments. Several of Moten s sidemen later became members of the Count Basie Orchestra, which was prominent during the swing era. And Basie s rock-solid bass player, Walter Page, led a band contemporary to that of Moten, called the Blue Devils. HOT DANCE BANDS: This term refers to the bands of the 20s, in which the arrangements used were not strictly stock, but contained blank ad lib passages, allowing soloists to take off on improvised solos. Two examples of hot dance bands of this period would be the band of Ben Pollack, which featured future greats such as Benny Goodman and Jack Teagarden, and that of Jean Goldkette, with their brilliant cornetist Bix Beiderbecke, as well as driving bassist Steve Brown. The instrumentation was basically the same as that of the Bennie Moten band mentioned in the preceding paragraph, but there were some differences: Goldkette had three cornets or trumpets after Bix joined his band in 1926, as well as two trombones, and was one of the first to use a string bass rather than a tuba; Pollack had a string section (two violins and a cello) in 1928 and 29; and the California Ramblers substituted a bass saxophone for the tuba, played expertly by Adrian Rollini. In recent years (mainly due to economics) there have been very few hot dance bands of 10 or more pieces, but two fine examples would be the Bay Area-based Royal Society Jazz Orchestra and Vince Giordano s Nighthawks, from New York. Incidentally, Giordano plays all three bass instruments: string bass, tuba, and bass sax! SAN FRANCISCO JAZZ: sometimes referred to as WEST COAST JAZZ: In the middle to late 30s in the Bay Area, some of the young musicians who were then playing in swing bands grew tired of having to play the kind of music, which they felt was 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 20137 Skyline Ranch Dr., Apple Valley, CA 92308-5035 Phone/Fax: 760-247-5145 Name Address City State Phone Zip + 4 Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society restricting. They discovered, and listened to, the records made in the 20s by such bands as Jelly Roll Morton s Red Hot Peppers, Louis Armstrong s Hot Five and Hot Seven, and particularly King Oliver s Creole Jazz Band. This inspired these guys to invent a new style, based upon, but not imitating, what they had heard on these records. The prime movers and shakers in what became known as the Great Jazz Revival, were trumpeters Lu Watters and Bob Scobey, trombonist Turk Murphy, clarinetist Bob Helm, pianists Paul Lingle and Wally Rose, and banjoist-singer Clancy Hayes. A distinguishing characteristic of the new San Francisco Style was the use of ragtime syncopation and of ragtime compositions; in fact, although admittedly it may be a bit of an oversimplification, this school of jazz could be described as orchestral ragtime. Also, this new-yet-old style brought the banjo and tuba back into the rhythm sections of jazz bands, after years of non-use. Lu Watters Yerba Buena Jazz Band, when it recorded in 1941 and 1942, used an instrumental combination of two trumpets, trombone, clarinet, piano, drums, tuba, and two banjos. The standard instrumentation for most bands that followed has been similar, although generally only seven pieces are used, with the second banjo usually omitted, and the second trumpet or cornet not being a common part of the front line either. Murphy had, for most of his long career as a bandleader after leaving the Watters band, a six-man unit, consisting of his trombone, plus clarinet, cornet or trumpet, piano, tuba and banjo, as he felt the drums added nothing to the sound he wanted. The Yerba Buena band blazed the trail followed by not only Turk s band, but also the Castle Jazz Band, the Firehouse Five Plus Two, and the South Frisco Jazz Band, to give but three examples. Among the very good bands playing in this style today are the High Sierra Jazz Band, the Bob Schulz Frisco Jazz Band, Titanic Jazz Band, Black Swan Jazz Band, Hume Street Jazz Band, and the Uptown Lowdown. We in the Northwest are fortunate that the last three bands mentioned are based in our area!
Jazz Soundings May 2011 Page 4 Jazz Festival Great Special FeatureS Four venues, one site two dancing, two listening Large dance floors Nearby hotels Shuttle service 21st annual Jazz Festival 23-26, June, 2011 Saint Martin s University (Marcus Pavilion Headquarters) 5300 Pacific Ave. SE, Lacey, WA www.olyjazz.com Great Jazz Bands Black SwanclaSSic JB/Marilyn keller BoB Schulz GranD DoMinion high Sierra ivory & GolD Jerry krahn quartet Set ray SkJelBreD/hiS cubs St. louis rivermen titan hot SeVen tom hook/black DoGS tom rigney FlaMeau uptown lowdown west end Parasol parades After Glow Parties Special Events Swing Set On-site RV parking Qty. Early Bird All Event before May 31, 2011... $75 All Event after May 31, 2011... $80 Pre-festival Thursday... $10 Friday only... $35 Friday nite after 7pm... $20 Saturday only... $45 Saturday nite after 7pm... $25 Sunday only... $20 Student - 14-22 w/id, All Event... $15 Patron of Jazz (Includes All Event Badge)... $125 RV parking w/hookup: days @ $25/day RV dry park parking: days @$20/day Length of RV: ft. no. of slideouts Permit issued at check in TOTAL $ INFORMATION: Charlotte Dickison - 360-943-9123 Email: charlottedickison@comcast.net RV PARkIng: Pat Herndon - 360-956-7132 Email: herndon@reachone.com Visit our website at: www.olyjazz.com name Address City State Zip Phone Email Credit Card # - - - Exp. / * Signature Postmark will determine price. Voucher will be mailed. Badges required at all festival sites. NO REFuNdS AFtER JuNE 15, 2011. PLEASE make checks PAyAbLE to GOdJS (We accept VISA/MasterCard/Discover credit cards) Mail to: greater Olympia Dixieland Jazz Society P.O. Box 924, Olympia, WA 98507 we ARE AN EquAL OPPORtuNity ORGANizAtiON
Jazz Soundings May 2011 Page 5 Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society 19031 Ocean Ave., Edmonds, WA 98020-2344 Please (enroll) (renew) (me) (us) as a member or members Name Address City, State Zip Code Phone E-Mail 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. Notes from the Prez PSTJS members are the Best! Read on and you ll know why. We made it! We have reached our goad; Thanks to the members who generously contributed to the Bob Schulz gig in September. Many of you have already sent in your contributions; I m hoping the rest of you will do the same so we can have it all wrapped up and in the bank before we take our summer break. They ll be in town on Saturday September 17th to play at the New Orleans Creole Restaurant in Pioneer Square 4-7 pm, and then Sunday the 18th they ll be back at the Ballard Elks for our annual season opener. I hope all of you can be there. It ll be a terrific weekend. You ve done a great job of supporting our Society in the financing of our September band, Bob Schulz and his Frisco Jazz Band. One of our Society members, Leroy Johnson, has generously contributed two (2) all event ticket vouchers for the Lacey Festival in June. We ll auction them off at our May Jazz Sunday so be sure to bring your checkbooks. The lineup for Lacey is great and all of you who attend will have a fabulous time. The proceeds will go into the Youth Scholarship Fun I have heard from several of our Jazz Camp Students that they ll be at camp this July. If there are any other aspiring musicians out there interested in furthering their musical experience and skills, please let me know. PSTJS pays for each student s tuition ($550) for the week of camp, room and board, all they need to do is provide their own transportation to and from camp and enjoy of one of the most wonderful musical weeks they will ever have. Applications need to be sent to me as soon as you can. Mail the app to Judy Levy 5226 236th Pl S.E. Issaquah, WA 98029. All the information about camp is on their website, www.campheebiejeebies.us. And remember, there is no age limit once the student is 12 years old. That s it for this month; see you on the 15th for Black Swan. Cheers, Judy A Little Vignette of Jazz by: Jerry Fader, PSTJS member It was late winter in 1945 when my older brother, Bill, asked me, as a 15-year-old, if I would like to go to the local Seven Cedars Dance Hall and see Louis Armstrong s jazz band. For an ignorant kid at that time it sounded like a good idea, whoever this Louis Armstrong is. The Armstrong band was on a national tour and this was a one-night stand in Mount Vernon, WA. We entered the hall where the band was already playing and Bill said, Hey, look! No one is right in front of the bandstand and we can get right up there. Well, that seemed like a great idea so Bill and I made our way across the dance floor to that spot just as another song was about to be played. Louis picked up his horn right in front of us and played while Bill and I were baptized with jazz and a little saliva as we discovered why Louis was called Satchmo. When he played he also managed to spray all around the vicinity, too. That was why no one stood directly in front of him. The music was great and I was hooked on jazz and especially Satchmo s extraordinary playing. What a great evening even being personally spit on by the great Louis Armstrong. It probably should be noted that we did manage to give the band a little space as well.
Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society 19031 Ocean Ave. Edmonds, WA 98020-2344 Address service requested Non-profit Org U..S. Postage Paid Seattle, WA Permit 1375 Your invitation You and your friends are cordially invited to hear sizzling-hot jazz as a guest of Elks Club Jazz Society member Colin Dearing. Admission is payable at the door. AIN T NO HEAVEN SEVEN Leader: Terry Rogers terryrrogers@comcast.net 206-465-6601 CASEY MacGILL s BLUE 4 TRIO Contact: Mike Daugherty bookingb4t@blue4trio.com 206-832-5372 www.blue4trio.com COAL CREEK JAZZ BAND Leader: Arny Robbins 206-499-2719 arnybr@aol.com COMBO DE LUXE Bookings: Candace Brown www.combodeluxe.net jazzstrings@comcast.net 253-752-6525 CORNUCOPIA CONCERT BAND Leader: Allan Rustad www.comband.org 425-744-4575 DR. D AND THE DIXIE DOGS Leader: Ansgar Duemchen Germanbrass@yahoo.com www.dr-d-dixiedogs.com 425-337-1740 DUKES OF DABOB Bookings: Ernie Landes 360-437-9588 DUWAMISH JAZZ BAND Bookings: Carol Johnston carolanjo@yahoo.com 206-932-7632 FIRST THURSDAY BAND Leader: Ray Skjelbred, Rayskjelbred@gmail.com 206-420-8535 FOGGY BOTTOM JAZZ BAND Leader: Bruce Cosacchi www.foggybottomjazz.com 360-638-2074 GRAND DOMINION JAZZ BAND Bookings: Bob Pelland bobpelland@gdjb.com 360-387-2500 holotradband Leader: Dave Holo www.holotradband.com 253-875-6932 BANDS, CONTACTS HOT CLUB SANDWICH Contact: James Schneider www.hotclubsandwich.com 206-561-1137 HUME STREET PRESERVATION JAZZ BAND Bookings: Karla West 406-862-3814 JAZZ UNLIMITED BAND Leader: Duane Wright duane.janw@verizon.net 866-337-2111 JAZZ STRINGS Bookings: Candace Brown jazzstrings@comcast.net 253-752-6525 LOUISIANA JOYMAKERS! Leader: Leigh Smith smithtunes@shaw.ca 604-294-9464 MIGHTY APHRODITE Co-leaders: Bria Skonberg, Claire McKenna mightyaphroditejazz@hotmail.com 405-613-0568 NEW ORLEANS QUINTET Leader: Dave Holo www.neworleansquintet.com 253-875-6932 NO INHIBITIONS JAZZ BAND bfl@atjzzmsn.com 360-981-7412 www.noinhibitionsjazz.com RAINIER JAZZ BAND Manager: Randy Keller randykeller@msn.com 206-437-1568 RAY SKJELBRED Rayskjelbred@gmail.com 206-420-8535 RONNIE PIERCE JAZZ ENSEMBLE ronniepiercemusic@yahoo.com, 206-467-9365 UPTOWN LOWDOWN JAZZ BAND Leader: Bert Barr uljb@yahoo.com 425-898-4288 WILD CARDS JAZZ Leader: Randy Keller randykeller@msn.com 206-437-1568