MISSION STATEMENT The purpose of the MODESTO TRADITIONAL SOCIETY

To preserve & promote our unique American National music treasure for future generations,

To give jazz musicians opportunities to share their talent with appreciative audiences,

JUNE 21, 2009— Vol. 28 No. 3 To encourage youth to learn & to continue the Traditional Jazz at Modesto Moose Lodge original American art form of playing jazz. 821 5th St. • Modesto

This month’s guest band is 2009 Board Members

President Jan Leer 985-2223

Vice-President Mary Menz (Ex-Officio) Mission Gold is an eight piece, two-cornet band, consisting of a variety of multi-talented musicians Publicity Director from all over the Bay area. MGJB was formed in Jeannie Wemken (Publicity) 1980 and has a long tradition of performing the 524-3517 music of , King Oliver, Lu Watters and Turk Murphy. MGJB plays standards Music Director and more common tunes in the swing genre. Margaret Squires (Music Director) The band members (teaming with the East Bay 988-2334 Trad Jazz Society) are mentors of the JAZZINATORS, a youth band with middle/junior Membership Director and senior high school students from local schools. Rozetta McNulty (Membership) The Jazzinators presently have a steady gig the 869-2024 Pizza Depot, the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month. Secretary Mission Gold has appeared at a variety of venues and performed at numerous private Jerry Cox functions. MGJB has been the featured band at the New Orleans Jazz Club of Northern 529-3194 California, the South Bay Traditional Jazz Society, the East Bay Traditional Jazz Society Festivals, the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society and many jazz clubs in Alameda, Napa, Treasurer Redding, Stockton and Fresno. They've also performed at several NOJCNC Showcases, Mac McCarter Fremont's Arts and Wine Festival, as well as Hot and Cool Festivals. Members @ Large Band members, listed below have various musical backgrounds that range from Traditional Ernie Bucio 985-5712 Jazz, to Ragtime and Chicago Swing. David Livingston 606-2056 Playing for your pleasure on June 21: John Soulis (leader) — Trombone, Baritone and Forrest Jackson Father’s Day Brunch Vocals; Tomas Banuelos — Trumpet, and Vocals; John Stringer Elinor Purdy — Clarinet and Vocals: Roz Temple — Piano; Jack Wiecks — The Moose Lodge is Banjo, Vocals; Bob Sterling — Tuba; Andy Parker — Drums, Next Board Meeting having a Father’s Day Vocals. Mar. 24th Brunch that will be served Jan Leer’s house from 11am-1pm. Find out more about Mission Gold on their web site, 1049 Dakota Ave, Cost is $8. www.jazzdance.org/MissionGold. Modesto 1

Musically Speaking President’s Message

I'd say it's been my biggest problem all fine Dixieland Jazz. Bob Sakoi June is election month and this is my life... it's money. It takes a lot of organized some terrific jam sets for the important election information: money to make these dreams come true. main stage and for the lobby with a — Walt Disney variety of talented musicians. Many With new By-Laws in effect, please bear enjoyed a fine brunch menu offered by with us…

Retrospect: the Barkin' Dog Grill. Then…the day • Members must be present to vote was not over, as Ernie Bucio assembled • Members must have their Even Walt Disney worried about a Legends Concert featuring Bobby membership card with them to take money! Our club has spent most of the Shew, Bill Watrous, Plas Johnson, and part in the election. past year worrying about money. Upon Mic Gillette, all backed by his Little • Election will begin prior to the 1:00 beginning this column, my 12th as Big Band and some talented young guest band performance. Come early. president of the Modesto Traditional musicians. Everyone we talked to • Ballots will be issued only to those Jazz Society, I decided to reread my enjoyed the weekend and would like to members present during this general columns from the past year, thus see it all happen again. It was great to meeting. reviewing the progress of the club over be a part of it. • Current membership will be the year. What, if any, dreams have we verified on the official roster before fulfilled? In retrospect we haven't done Our troubles, however, are not over, as issuing paper ballots. all that bad. There have been some each month seems to present some new • A ballot box will be on the scary moments, and some really exciting challenge. We still have projects that admission table for completed adventures. When I first started have not been completed. And, this ballots. introducing you to the members of the month the Moose Lodge has determined • Voting will be closed at 3 PM board, I felt we had the team we needed to charge us another $75 to hold our • Vote by checking the box next to the to have a successful year. meetings at their facility. Apparently name of the desired officer. they feel the business we contribute one • Only those names with a check mark We've discussed our team, and their Sunday per month, does not cover their in the appropriate box will be effort to promote and preserve liability insurance. That would bring counted. America's own music - Dixieland and our expenses for the use of their facility • Single memberships have one vote, Traditional Jazz. We talked about to over $200 per month. We may need family memberships have two votes, having hope in difficult times and to begin a search again for a new one for each member in requested your help - and you've come meeting location. Like Walt Disney attendance. through. There have been some said, "It takes a lot of money to make • Ballots will be counted as soon as outstanding raffles (incidentally, one of these dreams come true." possible, with election results our best fundraisers) so we have enough announced before the close of the money in our scholarship fund to send So…with all this said, please put on session. more students to Jazz Camp. We've your dancing shoes, bring a friend or changed our name, our PO Box, our two, and come listen to Mission Gold fees, and our By-Laws. We've searched Jazz Band from the Bay Area on See the Reunited for more consistent and reliable Sunday. Help us keep this music alive! musicians for our jam sets. We've also listened and danced to some terrific bands this past year.

And…we have co-sponsored the 11th Street Jazz Festival! What an exciting adventure. Everyone knew that our 6-9 pm, Wednesdays music was alive and well on May 16th and 17th in Downtown Modesto. On at the Saturday, the Pub Crawl between Barkin’ Dog Grill Tressetti's World Caffé, the Barkin' 940 11th St, Modesto Dog Grill, and the Fat Cat Music (209) 572-2341 House got raving reviews. Those attending the club meeting on Sunday at The Gallo Center for the Arts were Listen to High-Energy Dixieland entertain by Devil Mountain Jazz Band Music with a Gospel Set and then the usual No Cover Charge

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Modesto Band of Stanislaus County “MoBand”

Concerts in the Park begin June 11, 2009 8:00 PM, Graceada Park Special thanks to Forrest Jackson for capturing the event. Rehearsals at Mancini Hall on Tuolumne Blvd Mondays and Wednesdays 6:30-9:00 Starting June 8th For more photos, go to our online photo gallery at Call 209-575-6184 for more information www.modestojazz.com/clubphotos/

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Special Acknowledgements for the 11th Street Jazz Festival

Raffle Donations

Raleys Market Save Mart Extreme Pizza William Douglas Jewelers Carol Harbert In-Shape City Tressetti's World Cafe Sue Eastman Jan Leer Norma and Dick Brewster

Program Ads

American Chevrolet Insight Solutions Michele Richardson Galletto Ristorante Mary Menz MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Darrell Staats Modesto Traditional Jazz Society

Jack Leach Annual Membership includes subscription and postage to the Jan Leer monthly newsletter, Jazzette.

‰ FAMILY $30 ‰ SINGLE $20 Venue and Other Volunteers ‰ NEW ‰ RENEWAL ‰ CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Elinor Purdy - Hospitality Room Date: ______Michael Mooney - Program Bob Sakoi - Sunday Jam Sets Name: ______Anthony Palazuelos - Tressetti's Venue Address: ______David Livingston - Website and Newsletter Margaret Squires - Musician Packets City: ______State: ______Joseph Alcala - Photography and Much More Michele Richardson - Ads and Donations Zip: ______Phone: ______Cody Burke - Set-up and Tear-down E-Mail: ______Samantha Palazuelos - Brunch Service and More

Kappa Kappa Psi Music Fraternity - Terrific Assistance ‰ I am enclosing an additional $______All the Jamming Musicians for the MDJS General Fund.

Many, Many MTJS Members ‰ I am enclosing an additional $______And also, the management and employees of all the for the Youth Band Scholarship Fund. venues that assisted us all weekend ‰ I am interested in volunteering for Club functions.

PLEASE MAIL TO: MDJS c/o Rozetta McNulty 4330 Highway 108 Riverbank, CA 95367 Thank you for your help in keeping Traditional Jazz alive!

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Wow! Was that a great first time festival or opportunity to speak with him briefly and told him what?? the story of my connection with the "Lawrence Welk Show." When I was a young child growing Oh yeah, the weather could have cooperated a up in Oakland, we would visit my grandparents in little bit more, but overall it was REALLY good. Hughson on occasion. We would eat Swanson TV And the comments? ALMOST all of them dinners (remember them??? In the aluminum positive. Oh, sure, there's the complaint about the tray??) and watch Lawrence Welk. Fast forward a weather, the price of oil and the economy…you few years (well, ok, maybe more)….I was working know, things one has NO control over. But the at the same frozen food plant in Modesto that turned consensus was that the band selection was good, out that TV dinner…AND I have the opportunity to Saturday venues so close together was great, play in the backup band for Myron Floren Sunday at Gallo Center was great, the final concert, (accordion player with Lawrence Welk) in Turlock while it was long, was great. The bands appreciated at ScandiFest. that the venues were close together and they loved the hospitality room. I also caught "Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums." Even at the Convention Center, last set on Yes, there are some things that need to be Sunday night, with very few people in the audience, changed for next year. Many suggestions have been they put on a great set. presented. Some good, some not so good. Some that will be implemented, I usually try to make one "All Star" some that cannot be implemented. set. The one I made it to had Warren But all of the suggestions were made Vache (cornet), (sax), with the best interest of the festival in John Cocuzzi (Vibes), Howard mind and all will be taken into consid- Alden (guitar), eration for next year. (piano), Vince Bartels (drums) and Brady McKay (Vocals). Sometimes I have already been contacted by two bands who all stars spend more time trying to show why they wish to be included in the 2010 festival….one band are all stars, instead of playing music as an is from Europe! Wow! I didn't realize that news of ensemble. But this was a GREAT set. No egos… our little festival would spread THAT far. just really great music. You could tell they were having fun on stage. The high point was Brady While we're on the subject of festivals, I attended singing to Warren Vache. I can't describe it…you the Sacramento Jazz Ju….whoops….Sacramento had to be there. Jazz Festival over Memorial Weekend. As usual, I had a great time there. It's always good to see Then there was my absolute favorite band, people you only see on occasion at a festival. Cornet Chop Suey. As usual, they were high People who's name escapes you….no matter how energy and highly entertaining with a good mix of much you try to bring it out of the depths of your old favorites and new songs which will be old brain! But then, there's no shame in that….they favorites next year. can't remember your name either!! So, the Modesto Band of Stanislaus County has I was happy to see Royal Society back at the begun it's 90th year of concerts in Graceada Park. festival. It was good to hear them…and I love It's a great time. Is it traditional jazz? Is it swing? "Don't Bring LuLu." No, on both counts. BUT it is live music. Many of our Jazz Society members perform with MoBand. Bob Havens was great with Fulton Street. One By the time you read this, two concerts will have of his many famous gigs throughout his career was passed. Four more are on the schedule. Go out and a stint on the "Lawrence Welk Show." I had the support LIVE MUSIC. 5

MODESTO TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY CALENDAR

• June — Mission Gold Jazz Band • July — Loren Iverson’s Jazz, Inc. • August — TBA

Monthly Trad Jazz Schedule 1st Sunday: Stockton Jazz Society — Elk's Lodge 2nd Sunday: Sacramento Jazz Society, Dante Club; www.sacjazz.org Fresno Jazz Society — Venues vary; Call (559) 292-3999 3rd Sunday: Modesto Jazz Society, Modesto Moose Lodge 4th Sunday: South Bay Jazz Society, Elk's Lodge, Sunnyvale

Thanks Helping Keep Jazz Alive ATTENTION FRIENDS Many thanks to all the members who If you know of someone who is ill, celebrated a birthday or could use donated additional money, some cheering up, contact Jeannie Wemken at 524-3517. either by mail or at the door.

Send news items to the JAZZETTE the last week of the month to appear in the coming issue. Mail to... MODESTO TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY P.O. Box 4442 Modesto, CA 95352-4442 Or e-mail to [email protected]

JAN LEER President P.O. Box 4442 Modesto, CA 95352-4442 (209) 985-2223

SUNDAY, JUNE 21, 2009— 12:00 TO 5:00 PM MODESTO MOOSE LODGE, 821 5TH ST. • MODESTO

This month’s guest band is

CLUB ELECTIONS ARE THIS MONTH!

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