They Called it Jazz FrankChace FreeS iritof theClarinet (This is the 69th in a series of Cusack,clarinet; Johnny Frigo, violin; biographies of great traditional jazz Grosz (guitar, banjo and arranger); musicians. Continued from the Mav- Truck Parham,bass; and Wayne Jones, June Jazz Rambler.r) drums. Fellow reedman Kim Cusack By Hal Smith calledChace's playing on "You're Not President, AFCDJS the Only Oyster in the Stew" "one of the Another highlight for the clarinetist sublime momentsin jazz." The clarinet in 1957 was the opportunity to meet choruses on "Memphis Blues" and Lester Young when both were "There'll Be SomeChanges Made" are performing in Indianapolis. One night, two more outstandingexamples ofFrank after their club date, drummer Buddy Chaceat his best. Smith offered to take Chaceto the hotel Recently, Ihe GHB label releaseda where Young was staying. The other two-CD set of Chace playing with a musicians gatheredaround "The Prez," specially-assembledband in 1967 at but Chace hesitated. Young finally the Emporium of Jazz in Mendota, asked the shy clarinetist to join the Minnesota. The group included Bill throng, addressing him as "Long- Price (cornet), Jimmy Archey photo Distance Man." Compare Lester by Don Hoos (trombone), Don Ewell (piano), Bill Young's introspectiveclarinet playing "l Can't Believe that You're in Love Evans(bass) and Sammy Price (drums). on "I Want a Linle Girl" (with the Kansas With Me" rankswith "Sorry" as one of A cursory glance at the personnel and City Six) with Chace's on "For No his greatestperformances. their stylistic differencesmight cause '60s, Reason at All in C" from the "Hooray Duringthe early and mid except concern. However, the musicians, For Bix" session. In Lester Young's for a brief stint with Muggsy Spanier, particularly Chace and Ewell, sound own words,"see ifyou hearsomething." Chaceworked with the Salty Dogs and wonderful together. In 1959, Chace was reunited with alsoled his own bands.One suchgroup About Chace, musician/author Don Ewell and John Dengler when includedveterans Johnny Mendel, Floyd Richard Hadlock explains,"Most jazz Grosz assembleda recordingband for O'Brien, Tut Soperand Jim Laniganas players learn to adjust, at least the Audio Fidelity label. The band, well asyounger musicians, Bob Skiver, somewhat, to shallow audiences, with Max Kaminsky, Cutty Cutshall, Grosz and Wayne Jones. When this wrongheadedentrepreneurs, pandering Gene Schroeder(alternating sessions groupplayed for theChicago Historical bandleadersandjaded or ineptsidemen. with Ewell) andDon Maclean,recorded Societyin 1964,they werejoined by a "Not clarinetist Frank Chace, enough material for two LPs - very specialguest, Gene Krupa! however. Over the 30-someyears I've "Roaring Twentiesat theGaslight" and A late-'60s Chicago recording beenobserving his largely hidden talent, "Banjo at the GaslightClub." As good sessionby guitarist/vocalistJim I have heard story after story to do with as theserecordings are, Chaceis even Kweskin resultedin threemore classic Frank's losingout becausehe wouldn't 'pretty' 'straight' 'traditional' betteron someprivate tapes made during Chace solos. The album, "Jurnp For play or or thesame period. Oneof these,a session Joy," released in 196l , pairedKweskin or some other term that meant going at Bill Priestley'shome in the summer with cornetist Ted Butterman's Neo- outsidehisown way ofmaking rnusic.... of I 959, featuresthe clarinetistin a trio Passe Jazz Band. In addition to "There have been occasionswhen with Ewell and Grosz. Musicians and Butterman,the personnelconsisted of Frank simply would not take a paying jazzfans agreethat Chace's playing on Chace (clarinet and bass sax); Kim continued on page 9

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PAGE 12 JULY-AUGUST2OO8 JAZZ RAMBLER priceless,especially for the humor. In worldly. It was an indescribable high. FrankChace oneexchange, he obviouslyremembered He continued to play with unlimited continuedfrom backpage the salutation on my first letter ("Dear creativity for nearly 20 more years. In but dumbjob. At othertimes he hasn't Mr. Chace"). At the end of a very funny 2001, Drummer Wayne Jonesplayed been hired or was let go because letter, which ran to several pages, he with Chace at a gig sponsored by someonewanted to hear,say, "Stardust" signed off as Your Friend, Mr. Chace. Delmark's Bob Koester. He reported and didn't recognizeFrank's version of In 1986,he was flown to New York, that "Frank sounded not the least it. The result is that Frank Chace has to perform at the JVC Jazz Festival's dimmed by the passingyears." kept one of the lowest profiles among "Chicago Jazz Summit." An LP was Frank Chacedied on 28Dec..2007. outstandingj azz players." subsequentlyissued, featuring several He never gave up that fight to keep a During the 1970s, Chace also instrumentalcombinations recorded live wild. free heart. at the festival. Unbelievably, Chace is listened closely to the music of John Following is a list of recent CD only heard on one track. However, it is Coltrane and other modernjazzmen. In issuesthat feature Frank Chace: a rip-roaring version of "At the Jazz the right setting, his solos often went . SaltyDogs 1955(Windin' Ball CD-105) farther "out" than ever before! Band Ball," played by Yank Lawson, . Marty Grosz& the Honoris Catsa lazz This writer's first encounter with George Masso, Eddie Miller, Truck Band: Hooray for Bix (Good Time Jazz Frank Chace was on April 28, 1985. Parham,Ikey Robinson,Barrett Deems r 0065-2) Pianist Butch Thompson assembleda and festival producer George Wein. . Marty Grosz& the CellarBoys 1951/ band to play a concert for the Good Though we can wish that Chace was Honoris Calsa JazzBand alternatetakes T ime J azzClub in Libertyville, Illinois. heard on more tracks, it is safe to say 1957(J&M CD-004) . Butch invited Frank to play clarinet, in that his two idiosyncratic chorusesare Jim Kweskinwith Ted Butterman& the Neo-Pass6Jazz Band: Jump for Joy a group that included Charlie Devore, easily worth the price of the record! (UniverseUV005 1) My final gig with "Mr. Chace" was cornet; John Otto, alto sax; Jack . Jimmy Archey & Don Ewell at the Meilahn, guitar; Bill Evans,bass; and in 1987,another concert for the Good Emporiumof Jazz 1967(GHB BCD-4611 myself on drums. It was an unbelievable Time JazzClub. On thatoccasion. I led 462\ thrill to hear that intense, wailing, the "Chicago Loopers" which also . ChicagoJazz Summit (Atlantic 81844-2) clarinet coming from directly in front of included Tom Pletcher, cornet; Tom Thesesessions are currently being the drums! The concert flew by much Bartlett,trombone; Joe Johnson, piano; prepared for release on Jazzology: too fast, and my only contactwith Frank andDan Shapera,bass. Frank's playing . JabboSmith - l96l Chacefor the next year would be written that day passionate,rasping, . ButchThompson and his Boysin correspondence. The letters are keening, whispered was other- Chicaeo- 1985 1\oBILrr% Studios Presents Dixieland Ja-- As PerformedLive in theFrench Quarter of oldNew Orleans OriginalRecordings Now Restoredand on CD!!!

A Night at.q; Srcet lntrE thr Bcll Gal':: " Dixieland ffiffi visit www.nob i I itystud ios. com to see all of the manyavailable titles

JAZZ RAMBLER JULY-AUGUST2OO8 PAGE 9