November 2016 Volume 41, Number 09 EVERGREEN CLASSIC JAZZ BAND HERALDS THANKSGIVING WEEK! by George Swinford On November 20th, Tom Jacobus and band’s arrangements. Tom credits long-time his Evergreen Classic Jazz Band will provide PSTJS members John Ochs and the late Bob a musical lead-in to our Thanksgiving week. Graf with supplying original recordings that WHERE: This will be the band’s eighth consecutive were “an invaluable source of inspiration” Ballard Elks Lodge pre-Thanksgiving appearance on our stage. for many of his arrangements. In particular, 6411 Seaview Ave. NW, Seattle Since the band’s inception, they have he mentions recordings of groups fronted WHEN: specialized in hot music from lesser-known by Clarence Williams. In addition to some 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. November 20 bands of the 1920s. Tom says “When I of the Williams material, expect to hear started the band in 1985; I was determined selections drawn from recordings of Jimmie ADMISSION: to avoid tunes that were being played over Noone, Tiny Parham and Junie Cobb, as $12 PSTJS members and over by what seemed like most other well as others who were prominent in hot $15 non-members. Pay only at door. bands. There was a wealth of wonderful music circles of the prohibition years. FURTHER INFO: material being overlooked that I wanted The band’s membership has remained Carol Rippey 425-776-5072. to resurrect, and I think I achieved that much the same from year to year. Along Or - website: www.pstjs.org. Plenty of goal.” Inevitably, some of the better “over with leader Tom Jacobus, Dave Loomis, free parking; great view & dance floor, and over” tunes have crept into the band’s Steve Wright and Mike Daugherty have been snacks, coffee, and other beverages book, but in its performances the band aboard for each of the past seven PSTJS available. limits those. performances. This year’s roster duplicates Tom, Dave Loomis and Steve Wright that of 2015, plus one welcome new member. are responsible for the majority of the Evergreen Classic - continued on page 4 Notes from the Prez We hold our annual Election four of the members are up for Please email me at jazzdancer2@ for Board Members each December. election each year. The four up msn.com, or call me at 425-890-6605 I’m writing this now so those of for re-election this December are even if you just have questions. New you who are thinking about running Keith Baker, George Peterson, ideas are always welcome so don’t for a position on the Board have Joanne Hargrave and John Heinz. be shy. This is an Open Invitation to a chance to get your name on the We often have members asking each of you who love Jazz and would ballot. Here’s how it works: The how to be on the board, to be enjoy being more involved. I need to Executive members: President, Vice one of the decision makers of know this month so we can print the President, Secretary, & Treasurer the Society. Now is your chance. ballots for December. It’s not a huge are up for re-election each year. The We meet quarterly each year, and commitment but a great chance to Board members term is two years, more often if needed. have a voice on what our future will and their terms are staggered, so be. Cheers – Judy. Jazz Soundings November 2016 Page 2 Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society Gigs for Local Bands 19031 Ocean Avenue BELLINGHAM TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY Edmonds, WA 98020-2344 425-776-5072 www.pstjs.org 1st Saturday, 2-5 pm VFW Hall 625 N. State St., Bellingham, WA Nov. 5 Market Street Jass Band & Silent Auction UPCOMING EVENTS Dec. 3 Crescent City Shakers /AGM & Jewelry Party Elks Lodge, Ballard, 6411 Seaview Ave N.W., Seattle BOURBON STREET ALL STARS Nov. 20 Evergreen Classic Jazz Band Dec. 18 Ray Skjelbred & the Yeti Chasers 1st Tuesday, 5-9pm at McCloud’s Grillhouse 2901 Perry Ave, Jan. 15 Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band Bremerton, WA 98310 Res: 360-373-3093 Feb. 19 Jacob Zimmerman and His Pals Mar. 19 Gerry Green’s Crescent City Shakers DAVE HOLO TRIO Salty’s on Alki 1936 Harbor Avenue. SW Seattle, WA 98126 PRESIDENT Judy Levy [email protected] 425-890-6605 206-937-1600 http://saltys.com/seattle VICE PRESIDENT Jack Temp 425-242-0683 Nov. 4 5-8pm SECRETARY Cilla Trush [email protected] Nov. 18 5-8pm 206-363-9174 TREASURER Gloria Kristovich [email protected] GRAND DOMINION JAZZ BAND 425-776-7816 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nov. 24-28 “San Diego Jazz Fest” - San Diego, CA Keith Baker [email protected] www.sdjazzfest.org Verna Eriks [email protected] 206-363-6171 GREATER OLYMPIA DIXIELAND JAZZ SOCIETY Joanne Hargrave [email protected] 206-550-4664 John Heinz [email protected] 425-412-0590 2nd Sundays 1-4:30pm Elks Lodge. 1818 Fourth Ave E., Olympia, WA Edmunde Lewin 360-297-6633 Nov. 13 Black Swan Classic Jazz Band George Peterson [email protected] 425-453-5218 Dec. 11 Dukes of Swing Carol Rippey [email protected] 425-776-5072 George Swinford [email protected] 425-869-2780 Jan. 8 Hume Street PEARL DJANGO MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR Carol Rippey [email protected] 425-776-5072 Nov. 5 8pm Art House Designs Appearing with our friend and EDITOR Olympia guitarist, Vince Brown This is a wonderful, intimate, Anita LaFranchi [email protected] 206-522-7691 environment for live music (and art) 420 Franklin St. SE Olympia, WA 98501 360-943-3377 WEBMASTER Nov. 16 7pm November 16 Jazz at the Center - in Camano Island George Peterson [email protected] 425-453-5218 Camano Center, 606 Arrowhead Road; Camano Island, WA 98282 Phone: (360) 387-0222 Nov. 26 8pm Morso Wine Bar 9014 Peacock Hill Avenue at North JAZZ SOUNDINGS Harborview Drive at the head of the bay Gig Harbor, WA, 98332 253.530.3463 Published monthly except July and August by the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society. Gigs continue on page 5 Anita LaFranchi, Editor, [email protected] 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 On Your Dial........ Half Page $60. 7 1/2” wide by 4 1/4 “ tall Saturday Quarter Page $40. 3 5/8 Wide by 4 1/4 “ tall 7 - 12 pm Swing Years and Beyond KUOW 94.9 FM Sunday Deadline is the 10th of the month for the next month’s issue 3 -6 pm Art of Jazz, Ken Wiley, KPLU 88.5 FM Jazz Soundings November 2016 Page 3 SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION APPLIED TO THE WORLD OF JAZZ by George Swinford “Six degrees of separation” describes Roll Morton. Just four simple steps. If you Condon, Jimmy McPartland, Wild Bill the theory that every person is no more than happened to already know Ham, then just Davison, Pee Wee Russell and the immortal six steps away, by way of introduction, to three steps. Bix Biederbecke. Later, in the ‘30s, both any other person in the world. Supposedly, Then there’s the late Buddy Catlett men played with leading big bands. Joe a chain of “friend of a friend” statements who played bass with Bob and Ham at Sullivan was with Bob Crosby, providing can be made to connect any two people, in a Gaye Anderson’s New Orleans Restaurant, a link to Yank Lawson, Eddie Miller, Bob maximum of six steps. It can be fascinating in Pioneer Square. Earlier in his life Buddy Haggart and Ray Bauduc, as well as to to apply this theory to the world of jazz. had toured with both Louis Armstrong’s All Bob Crosby’s more famous brother, Bing. Using local players as examples, here’s Stars and with the Count Basie orchestra. Jess Stacy was with his compatriot of how it works. There’s your link to a couple of legends. Chicago days, Benny Goodman, linking Suppose you are acquainted with Bob With just one step beyond Louis you you to the whole host of famous Goodman Jackson, Jake Powel or Ray Skjelbred, as are connected to such giants as Fletcher sidemen. It was Jess who played those many PSTJS members are. Each of those Henderson, Earl Hines, both of the Dodds eight memorable, unrehearsed choruses of three men knew my recently deceased brothers, King Oliver, Kid Ory and Bessie “Sing, Sing, Sing” during Goodman’s 1938 friend, reed player Ham Carson. Ham was Smith, the Queen of the Blues. If you Carnegie Hall Concert. It was also Jess who a band mate with Bob and Jake in the Great fancy Kansas City swing, a step beyond was married for five turbulent years to the Excelsior Jazz Band and he had recorded Count Basie links you to Walter Page, lovely, honey-voiced Lee Wiley. That was with Ray. As a matter of fact, he blew his Lester Young, Jo Jones, Dickie Wells, a connection to be envied by adolescent very last hot choruses with Ray’s group at and singer Jimmy Rushing, “Mister Five boys of my generation, though apparently the Royal Room. Now it gets interesting: by Five” himself. soon regretted by Jess and Miss Wiley. When Ham was a scuffling young musician Here’s more: Let’s just consider two We could go on, starting with any in New York, one of his clarinet mentors of the multitude of jazzmen Ray Skjelbred musician you know, but by now you was Omer Simeon, a prominent member has known, the pianists Joe Sullivan and have the idea.