TAILGATE RAMBLINGS TAILGATE RAMBLINGS April, 1979 Volume No
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TAILGATE RAMBLINGS TAILGATE RAMBLINGS April, 1979 Volume No. 4 The President’s Corner (Continued) EDITOR: Ken Kramer NATIONAL CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Another piece of encouraging news is George Kay Floyd Levin that we have some hope of a site for CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: our regular Sunday night sessions. Mary Doyle Fred Starr These would be for local bands Joe Godfrey Dick Baker exclusively and w'e have been searching Ted Chandler Harold Gray for a good spot for months. It is too early to predict what our present, very POTOMAC RIVER JAZZ CLUB preliminary negotiations will bring President Ray West 370-5605 about, but about all that can be said Vice Pres. Mary Doyle 280-2373 now is that the spot will not be the PRJC Hot Line 703-573-TRAD same as before. So you see, traditional jazz is very TAILGATE RAMBLINGS IS PUBLISHED much alive and well in PRJC land! MONTHLY BY THE POTOMAC RIVER JAZZ CLUB. I would like to mention the quickly- THE CLUB IS FOR THE PURPOSE OF assembled function on February 25 in PRESERVING, ENCOURAGING AND ADVANCING honor of Royal Stokes for his great TRADITIONAL JAZZ. support of PRJC and jazz in general. A plaque was presented by yours truly in The President's Corner the name of the PRJC. A good crowd was there, in spite of the shortness of Here we are once more and with all advance notice and I apologize to all sorts of good tidings. The year who did not get the word in time. And started off in a most encouraging to Royal, our very sincere gratitude way for the club. Our first two for your support. specials, the Carol Leigh/Buck Creek I was very pleased to see so many of JB, and the Bix Birthday Bash were you at the New Black Eagles, and I am very well attended. And as we go to looking forward to seeing all of you press, the New Black Eagles special and more at the evening with the great on March 24 was a sell-out, and more, Climax Jazz Band on April 21. as we had to turn some latecomers away. Thanks, Jazz Lovers. You are Good listening and happy sounds, making it possible for the PRJC to continue to bring you more of the Ray West same. Keep letting us know how you think PRJC is serving jazz and you. Our local band performance project is nearing reality. It has now been COMING EVENTS : MARK 'EM DOWN determined that it has the support of the majority of local bands. The THE JAZZ RIVER BOAT RIDE - rescheduled essence of the project is that local to JULY 14, with the fine ORIGINAL bands will share in the monthly CRABTOWNE STOMPERS. New place: specials. At present, for next year, ANNAPOLIS AND THE BAY. 60% of the events will be outside bands, and 40% bands from the area. JUNE 23, a CONCERT featuring ONE OF OUR We have some firm commitments for out FINE LOCAL BANDS at the MARRIOTT TWIN of town bands and once these1 are filled, we will be on schedule. It and THE PICNIC! set for SATURDAY, is our hope to have an outstanding SEPTEMBER 23 at BLOBS PARK --- local band at our July special. **** JUNE 23, JULY 14, SEPTEMBER 23 The improved appearance of Tailgate this month is due to our new Production Do not plan anything else for these Editor, Vivienne Brownfield. We need dates, gates. all the help we can get, and thanks to Vivienne for coming aboard. AND THE CLIMAX ON APRIL 21, NATCH. CLIMAX JAZZ BAND AREA DEBUT — APRIL 21 Like many New Orleans revival bands, Drummer Max Littlejohns, also an the Climax Jazz Band doesn't use a Englishman, was a founding member, but piano. This gives a very crisp, clear, was away from the group for several tight sound, which requires great years, returning in 1978. concentration by, and understanding The most recent addition to the band between, the members of the rhythm is their "token Yank", Jim Buchmann from section. The Climax band has been Portland, Ore. Buchmann plays clarinet likened to the early Ken Collyer and and all the small saxophones, including Chris Barber bands, and has a lot in the hybrid saxello. Easily the most common with the Max Collie Rhythm Aces, virtuosic soloist in the band, the the group with similar instrumentation inventiveness and technique of his and musical philosophy which was such improvisational flights of fancy often a hit in this area a few years ago. leave audiences dumbfounded. The Climax band has a distinctly Some press comments on this band are: European trad sound, but its repertoire "A swelling rolling beat that recalls of about 300 tunes is far from being the glory of Jelly Roll Morton and straight New Orleans. As well as Bunk Johnson .... a group that in six marches, rags, blues and spirituals, the years has acquired a following so large Climax band has several Duke Ellington and devoted that the fans will brave tunes in its book, as well as tunes line-ups in the cold to tap toes to played by King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Climax's beat" — Jack Batten, Weekend Fats Waller, Sidney Bechet and others. Magazine, Globe & Mail, Toronto Formed in Toronto in 1971, the band (March 6, 1976) first came to the attention of American jazz lovers at the 1975 Indianapolis "That gig showed that this Toronto World Championship of Jazz. The follow band is one of the best at the Jubilee" ing year it was invited to the huge Sacramento Union Sacramento Jazz Festival, and has since become a fixture there. They played "An intense band, which shows its at the Central City (Colorado) festival experience of four years together, it in 1978 and will be at St. Louis this specialises in that crisp sound June. perfected by early Chris Barber band, Surprisingly, not a single member of with bright, tight swing ..." the band is a native Canadian. The co Ray Coleman, Melody Maker, London, Eng. founders of the band are bassist Chris ****** Daniels and trombonist Geoff Holmes, both from England. Holmes has lived FOR SALE: RARE FILM COLLECTOR'S ITEM $16.50 in Canada 19 years; the band was formed on Daniels' arrival in 1971. Three l6mm Black and V/hite Movie Shorts (3 min. Cornetist Bob Erwig, also with the each) Combined into 1 10 minute film featur band since 1971, serves as its musical ing SPIKE JONES AND HIS BAND. Excellent con director. Born in Bussum, the dition- tunes are Drink,Drink,Drink: The Netherlands, Bob played in Dutch bands Blacksnith Song, and The Sheik of Araby. before emigrating to Canada. Contact: Hal Farmer 11806 Georgia av. Banjoist Jack Vincken joined the Wheaton, Md. 20902- Ph. (301) 946-4408 group in 1974. Born in Indonesia, he ******** was raised in Bussum, where he met Bob PIANO TUNING AND REPAIRS Erwig--they1ve been playing together CALL JIM DeROCHER , 280-4398. SPECIAL since they were teenagers. PRICES FOR PRJC MEMBERS. ALSO NEW AND USED PIANOS AT REASONABLE PRICES. SINGLES HAVE MORE FUN A unit within the PRJC- The Singles- Call Jim 582 - 7235: Evelyn 946-5325: Joe 829—4664 for current social events OUR LOCAL BANDS (reek Band Jim Ritter told us that one of the major turning points in the band was their selection by PRJC for the 1979 January Spec ial Event. As the first local band selected for a special they knew they would need to be The Buck Creek Jazz Band is young, at their best. They rehearsed hard for the gig, less than two years old. It has already polishing up their tunes and steadily showing set some precedents , and it is a band improvement toward thair musical goals. Those on the rise. who were there know well how they conquered. Brought together for the 1977 PRJC Buck Creek came of age that night. picnic on the initiative of Fred Wahler, Playing the seldom heard tunes such as the bands initial personnel was drawn Fat Louis Wake, Floyd Levin's Conti Street Parade and Potomac River Blues, individual band from good area musicians not then active in a local band. There has been some set- members continually subordinate solo flights to the bands overall ensemble sound. Upon listen ling down and the present personnel is: ing close!v you will hear unusual instrumen Co-leaders Jim Ritter, cornet and Frank tal patterns, with front line lead roles shift M essick, trombone; John Skilman, clar inet; Gil Brown, drums; John Wood, tuba; ing from some dated standard styles. No Buck Jerry Addicott, banjo, and Rick Cordrey, Creek gig is without new signs of the deepening piano. (Bill Stroges had been on piano of the band's texture, its cohesiveness, and but he recently moved to Florida. Rick above all its' great sense of excitement. has other band commitments and the band PRJC members will be following this band. is looking about for a permanent piano We knew it as a lusty adolescent. Now in its young maturity we all will be listening for player). The band plays in the general New continued growth. Keep punching! Orleans-Turk Murphy West Coast style. This is to say that their emphasis is on balanced, driving ensemble playing. The rhythm section works tightly to gether as a unit, integrating with the front line in a way that belies the short existence of the band. This happens be cause they rehearse, hard and seriously. A strong rapport exists within this band, something all good bands have. The com- patability of the musicians extends to the wives and kids, all members of an extended family based on the music.