a frisco jazz journey - Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society

September 2014
Volume 39, Number 07
A FRISCO JAZZ JOURNEY
By Ray Skjelbred
Above: Bob Schulz
When I played with Turk Murphy’s
band, most of the time we were at the
Fairmont Hotel. The others in the regular
group were Bill Carroll, tuba; Lynn Zimmer,
clarinet; John Gill, banjo, soprano sax
and drums and Bob Schulz, trumpet. In
late 1986, when I decided to leave the
band to return to teaching, Jim Maihack
took
my place. More changes happened
soon afterward. Bill Armstrong took John
Gill’s place and Ron Deeter took over for
Lynn Zimmer. Then Turk’s health started
to deteriorate. He wasn’t up to playing
trombone any more, but he still came
to work, played washboard for a couple
of hours, then went home to rest up. Jim
Maihack took his place and I returned to
help out on piano as many nights as I could,
even though I was teaching school.
When Turk died, the group stayed
on and kept playing the Murphy music
with Bob Schulz leading it, until the hotel
management decided to change musical
directions. So the Bob Schulz band was
literally an outgrowth of the Turk Murphy
band. When the Schulz band began to work
regularly, much of it came through old
Turk Murphy connections like the See’s
Candy sponsorship of Chuck Huggins
and other traditional Murphy gigs. From
the beginning, Schulz used some different
personnel from the Fairmont band and the
group usually included me on piano, Bill
Carroll, tuba; Scott Anthony, banjo; Bill
Maginnis, drums and, at various times in
the earliest years, Bill Napier, Phil Howe,
Jim Rothermel or Kim Cusack on clarinet
and Bob Mielke, Mike Starr or Tom Bartlett
on trombone. And then the band started
shifting its direction. Although much of the
Murphy arrangements were second nature
to the band, Schulz started heading more
toward the sound and repertoire of Bob
Scobey. When Bill Carroll died, the tuba
chair went to either Mike Walbridge or Jim
Maihack. Along the way Bob Ringwald and
Ray Templin have also played piano in the
band; Hal Smith, Jeff Hamilton, Chris Tyle,
Mike Daugherty, Ray Templin and Wayne
Jones have all been notable drummers.
Eventually Kim Cusack became the fulltime clarinetist and Doug Finke the regular
trombone player.
The Bob Schulz Frisco Jazz Band is
noted for its relaxed swing, knowledge of
jazz and a lot of laughing. The personal
comfort zone in a band is important and
all of us have enjoyed playing with Bob,
who tends to trust the musicians he works
with and generally has his faith rewarded
by good playing and an easy working
relationship. The group has been going for
over 25 years now and it has performed at
many festivals, cruises, concerts and jazz
club meetings. One of the steadiest gigs
for years has been the Puget Sound Jazz
Society meeting in September each year
and the band always looks forward to it.
The band has many good recordings and I
am particularly fond of the duet that Bob
and I did a couple of years ago.
WHERE: Ballard Elks Lodge, 6411 Seaview Ave.
NW, Seattle.
WHEN:
1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Sunday, September 21
ADMISSION: $12 PSTJS members; $15 nonmembers. Pay only at door.
FURTHER INFO: Carol Rippey 425-776-5072. Or - website: www.pstjs.org. Plenty of free
parking; great view & dance floor, snacks,
coffee, and other beverages available.
Jazz Soundings
September 2014
Puget Sound
Traditional Jazz Society
19031 Ocean Avenue
Edmonds, WA 98020-2344
425-776-5072 www.pstjs.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
Elks Lodge, Ballard, 6411 Seaview Ave N.W., Seattle
Sept 21
Oct 19
Nov 16
Dec 21 Bob Schulz’s Frisco Jazz Band
Black Swan
Evergreen Classic
Ray Skjelbred’s First Thursday Band
PRESIDENT
Judy Levy
[email protected]
425-890-6605
VICE PRESIDENT Jack Temp
425-242-0683
SECRETARY
Cilla Trush
[email protected]
206-363-9174
TREASURER
Gloria Kristovich
[email protected]
425-776-7816
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Joanne Hargrave [email protected]
Leroy Johnson [email protected]
Jan Lemmon [email protected]
Edmunde Lewin Gary Lydum [email protected] George Oelrich [email protected]
Carol Rippey [email protected] George Swinford [email protected]
206-550-4664
206-772-4378
425-776-9763
360-297-6633
206-719-3955
360-793-0836
425-776-5072
425-869-2780
MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR
Carol Rippey [email protected] 425-776-5072
EDITOR
Anita LaFranchi [email protected] WEBMASTER
George Peterson [email protected]
206-522-7691
425-453-5218
JAZZ SOUNDINGS
Gigs for Local Bands
BELLINGHAM TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY
1st Saturday, 2 - 5 pm VFW Hall 625 N. State St
Sept 6Bob Storms Dixieland All-Stars
Oct 4Bob Aitken’s Clamdiggers
Nov 1Uptown Lowdown
Dec 6 Gerry Green’s Crescent City Shakers
DAVE HOLO’S BAND
Sep 55-8pm Salty’s in West Seattle, For more information visit:
http://saltys.com/seattle
Sep 195-8pm Salty’s in West Seattle, For more information visit:
http://saltys.com/seattle
GRAND DOMINION JAZZ BAND
Sep 5,7 Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival - Penticton, BC, Canada
www.pentasticjazz.com
Sep 26,28 Vancouver Dixieland Society - Jazz Band Ball- Pacific Inn, White Rock, BC, Canada www.vcn.bc.ca
PEARL DJANGO
Sep 5, 6 7-10 pm Tagaris Winery 844 Tulip Lane, Richland, WA 99352; Reservations: 509.628.0020
Sep 13 7pm Under the Red Umbrella Call first - this may sell out! 1502 Rucker Avenue | Everett, WA 98201 | 425.252.9193
Sep 17,21 Djangofest Northwest
RAY SKJELBRED’S FIRST THURSDAY BAND
Sep 26,28Simon Stribling and First Thursday Band The Jazz Band Ball (South Surrey, BC) For more info visit:
http://www.vcn.bc.ca/vdjs/jbb.html
UPTOWN LOWDOWN JAZZ BAND
Sep 6 11-1pm Kent Farmers Market Double Barrs
Sep 13 10-1pm Poulsbo Farmers Market Double Barrs
Sep 21 11-1pm Third Place Commons Farmers Market Double Barrs
Sep 27,28 Vancouver, B.C. Dixieland Jazz Festival
Published monthly except July and August by the
Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society.
Anita LaFranchi, Editor, [email protected]
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Page 2
Saturday
7 - 12 pm Sunday
3 -6 pm
On Your Dial........
Swing Years and Beyond KUOW 94.9 FM
Art of Jazz, Ken Wiley, KPLU 88.5 FM
Jazz Soundings
September 2014
Page 3
A BIG THANK YOU!
Special thanks to these P.S.T.J.S. members for sponsoring the Bob Schulz Jazz Band.
KEITH & CAROLYN BAKER
ROD BELCHER
THERESE BERG
DENNIS & BARBARA BREWER
WILLIAM & ANNABELLE CABLE
LARRY CANNON
BEN & IRMGARD CASTLEBERRY
PETER & CHLOE COMANOR
JOSEPH DWYER
TED & SHIRLEY ELDER
MARY JANE ERICKSON
JERRY & EVA FADER
ROD & BEV GROSSO
JOHN HEINZ
The Frisco Jazz
Band Performers
descriptions taken from
www.bobschulzjazz.com
BOB SCHULZ: Leader, Cornet and Vocals
Bob was born in Wonewoc, WI. He was a band
director for 17 years before joining the legendary
Turk Murphy Jazz Band of San Francisco in 1979.
His eight years with Turk included 300 taped radio
shows, many LPs, tours of US and Europe and the
Carnegie Hall tribute to Turk. Bob still leads the
Turk Murphy band for special engagements. He is
the foremost exponent of the Bob Scobey trumpet
style and is an outstanding vocalist in the tradition
of Clancy Hayes.
RAY SKJELBRED: Piano
Ray moved to the Bay Area in 1969 where he immediately became part of the local music scene
and played with all the most noted musicians and
bands, among them Dick Oxtot, Bob Helm, Ev
Farey, Turk Murphy, Bill Napier, Bob Mielke,
Richard Hadlock, Bob Short and many others. He
also has led his own groups – Berkeley Rhythm,
The Yeti Chasers, The Monogram Boys and the
Ray Skjelbred Quartet, and has worked as chosen
accompanist for singers such as Victoria Spivey,
Barbara Lashley, Barbara Dane, Pat Yankee, Carol
Leigh and Claire Austin. Ray is the composer of
many musical compositions and has also published
three books of poetry in addition to his recordings.
San Francisco Examiner jazz critic Phil Elwood
called Ray “The best jazz pianist in the Bay Area”.
BOB & SYLVIA HUBBERT
JAN JAMES
LEROY JOHNSON
RAY KING
WAYNE & MARY LOU
KLOPFENSTEIN
PETER KOK
BUSSO & JANETTE LEMME
JUDY LEVY
EDMUNDE LEWIN
EVERIL LOYD
RON & MARION MacQUEEN
DICK & TIP MARTIN
J.P. (PAT) MARTIN
ALICE MCKAY
JOHN OCHS
DOUG PARKER
JANET PERRINS
GEORGE & ARLENE PETERSON
VERN & LAUREL REDECKER
CAROL RIPPEY
BOB ROGERS
TERRY ROGERS
MARILYN STAUTER
GEORGE & PAT SWINFORD
JACK TEMP
JIM WALKER
BOB WEST
KIM CUSACK: Clarinet
Probably best known for his long association with
James Dapogny’s Chicago Jazz Band, and his
more than thirty-five year tenure with the Salty
Dogs Jazz Band, Kim has also played and recorded
with Gene Mayl’s Dixieland Rhythm Kings, Ernie
Carson, Turk Murphy, Georg Brunis, Wild Bill
Davison, the Happy Bottom Riding Academy Jazz
Band of Dan Williams, and the Jan Garber Orchestra, with whom he was featured tenor saxophonist.
Kim lives in the Chicago area, and can be heard
regularly at Andy’s Jazz Club with Russ Phillips’
Windy City All-Stars, and often at the Village Tavern in Long Grove.
Black Eagle Jazz Band, South Frisco Jazz Band, Climax Jazz Band, Grand Dominion Jazz Band, Bobby
Gordon, Rebecca Kilgore, Marty Grosz and his own
groups, including the Down Home Jazz Band, Frisco Syncopators and the Roadrunners.
TOM BARTLETT: Trombone
Tom Bartlett led his own dixieland pep band in
high school in Geneseo, Illinois. He joined the
Salty Dogs at Purdue University in 1959, and except for several years in the 60’s when he was in the
Peace Corps in Chile and the Army in Panama, has
been their principal trombonist. He has also performed and recorded with the Yerba Buena Stompers, Red Rose JB, Down Home JB, West End JB,
Ernie Carson, and the Frisco JB. He often gigged
with Bob Schulz during the years when Bob was
based in the Midwest.
HAL SMITH: Drums
He became interested in jazz after hearing the Firehouse Five Plus Two at Disneyland in the early ‘60s.
He took up drums in 1963, and was greatly influenced by live performances by Ben Pollack, Nick
Fatool, Fred Higuera, Smokey Stover, Wayne Jones
and others. He is self-taught except for study with
Jake Hanna in 1983. He has been a full-time musician since 1978. His resume includes work with the
Dukes of Dixieland, Jim Cullum’s Jazz Band, New
SCOTT ANTHONY: Banjo, Guitar and Vocals
Scott and his wife Susan moved to San Francisco
in 1974 with no money, no job, and a 140 lb. Newfoundland Dog. They were very lucky getting fairly good jobs soon after arrival. Scott worked for almost 2 years playing a solo banjo, pedal-bass, drum
machine and vocal stint 5 nights a week at a fairly
up-scale restaurant chain. After this he accidentally
heard of an opening for the intermission spot at
Turk Murphy’s club, Earthquake McGoon’s and
held that job for 8 years until McGoon’s closed.
Since 1984, he has led and played in the Golden
Gate Rhythm Machine, as well as Bob Schulz’s
Frisco Jazz Band, and others.
MIKE WALBRIDGE: Tuba
He has been influenced by brass bassists of the ‘20s
and ‘30s-such as Bill Oldham, Country Washburne,
Lawson Buford, Bert Cobb and Quinn Wilson, as
well as the San Francisco pioneers. Walbridge joined
the Original Salty Dogs in the ‘60s and immediately
gained a reputation as a world-class brass bassist. He
had two stints with Turk Murphy’s Jazz Band (once
on cornet), but for the most part he has remained in
Chicago, working with many different traditional
groups there, leading the Chicago Footwarmers
and occasionally leaving town for a tour, festival
or recording session. Walbridge’s many recordings
with the Salty Dogs illustrate a variety of influences,
but his recordings with the Down Home Jazz Band
demonstrate a full, mellow tone, a dancing beat, impeccable choice of notes and inventive solos.
Jazz Soundings
September 2014
Page 4
~ Letters of Thanks to PSTJS ~
Dear PSTJS,
I’ve had a wonderful time at Camp
Heebie Jeebies these past years, and I
am extremely thankful to the members
of the Puget Sound Traditional Jazz
Society for letting me continually have
this experience. As usual, my favorite
part of the entire week was the small
Trad Band practices. I could tell that my
skills as an improviser on clarinet were
greatly improving through the focused
instruction that the small groups provide.
In the small groups we could play faster,
more advanced songs, and learn them in
a shorter time than we thought we could
have in larger groups. Lake Crescent as
always was incredibly scenic and made
the entire experience even better. It is
an amazing experience to play music in
that encouraging environment with the
dedicated and enthusiastic faculty that I
look forward to working with every year.
I am extremely grateful to play this music
that my generation doesn’t always get the
chance to enjoy. This style of music is my
favorite to listen to and play all year long
and I’m glad I can help to preserve it. I
always enjoy the time I spend there, and
I hope to return this coming year.
Thank you very much,
Adam Gill
Dear Puget Sound Traditional Jazz
Society,
My name is Jacob Campbell and I
want to say thank you so much for helping me go to Camp Heebie Jeebies for
my first time this month! I had so much
fun and learned so much, I can’t believe I
was nervous to go at first.
I am going into 8th grade this year and
I play the trombone, which I love a lot. I
have been playing it for 3 years, mostly
in band at school but also in jazz band
that practices before school, after school
or at lunch time. I also just got to start
taking some private lessons one time per
week in Tacoma. When my mom told me about Camp
Heebie Jeebies I was nervous because I
didn’t know anyone but when my mom
came to pick me up at the end of the week
I told her I wanted to go again next year.
I met and made friends pretty quickly and
even exchanged phone numbers with some
people. Hopefully I get to see them and play
music again with them next year. I even
tried new kinds of food I wouldn’t eat at
home and I even did dishes, that was fun
because then you might get leftover desserts. My mom didn’t believe I did dishes.
I was also nervous because I didn’t
feel like I was that good at jazz music but
with all of the instructors and help I feel
like I learned the music quickly. My favorite thing was the theory classes, I learned
plenty of things in those classes so I can
compose music much better than before.
We don’t really get time or help with theory
in school. I also learned a lot more about
different types of trombones and what different ones are made of and how much they
cost. I’m thinking about playing the bass
trombone now.
So, thank you again for your help so
I could go to camp. I’m looking forward
to going next year and to hopefully seeing
the friends I made this year and probably
getting to know some new ones.
Thank you, Jacob Campbell
Notes From the Prez
Welcome back to our 10 months of
awesome live Jazz. Again we’re getting
off to a great start with Bob Schulz and
his Frisco Jazz Band. And here’s the great
news ... they will be playing on Saturday
5-8pm at the Royal Room; beautiful
venue, Steinway grand piano on stage,
food and beverages available, large dance
floor. NO COVER! As you all are aware,
the New Orleans Creole Restaurant has
been closed for remodeling since January
so we needed to find a new venue for the
Saturday session. Check it out on the internet, www.
theroyalroomseattle.com. The address is 5000
Rainier Avenue S., easy access from either I-5
or 405. You can get driving directions online
too. I really hope to see many of you there, bring
a friend or come alone, just be there to enjoy
the first of two sessions with the Schulz guys
Saturday, September 20. The second of course
will be at our regular Elks event in Ballard.
Be sure to read the thank you letters
from our two 2014 Jazz Camp students
Adam Gill and Jacob Campbell. Adam
has been invited to sit in with the Schulz
band for our Sunday session at the Elks. It’ll
be a wonderful weekend for both events. I
can’t wait to get back in the music groove,
except for the always fabulous experience
at camp it’s been a long summer. I also
always look forward to hangin’ with my
Jazz Family.
Cheers, Judy Jazz Soundings
September 2014
Page 5
Puget Sound Traditional Jazz Society
19031 Ocean Ave., Edmonds, WA 98020-2344
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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.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
RICHARD McNEESE
LEE AND CHRISTINE STEWART
CHERYL WALTER
SUE WEST
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
We’re looking for new
Members
YOU can help with little effort and that’s
by bringing just one of your friends or
family members into our club. If WE ALL
do that, our membership will double.
News You Can Use About Traditional Jazz and Ragtime
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B A N D S , C O N TA C T S
AIN’T NO HEAVEN SEVEN Leader: Terry Rogers
[email protected] 206-465-6601
COAL CREEK JAZZ BAND Leader: Judy Logen, 425-6411692 Bookings: [email protected]
COMBO DE LUXE Bookings: Candace Brown
www.combodeluxe.net [email protected] 253-752-6525
CORNUCOPIA CONCERT BAND Leader: Allan Rustad
www.comband.org 425-744-4575
DUKES OF DABOB Bookings: Mark Holman, 360-779-6357,
[email protected].
DUWAMISH JAZZ BAND Bookings: Carol Johnston
[email protected] 206-932-7632
EVERGREEN CLASSIC JAZZ BAND Leader: Tom Jacobus
email: [email protected] ph: 253-852-6596 or cell 253-709-3013
FIRST THURSDAY BAND Leader: Ray Skjelbred,
[email protected] 206-420-8535
FOGGY BOTTOM JAZZ BAND Leader: Bruce Cosacchi
360-638-2074
GRAND DOMINION JAZZ BAND Bookings: Bob Pelland
[email protected] 360-387-2500
holotradband Leader: Dave Holo email: [email protected]
www.holotradband.com
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
[email protected] 206-930-9998
JAZZ STRINGS Bookings: Candace Brown
[email protected] 253-752-6525
LOUISIANA JOYMAKERS! Leader: Leigh Smith
[email protected] 604-294-9464
THE MARKET STREET DIXIELAND JASS BAND
Ansgar Duemchen: 425-286-5703 Tim Sherman 206-547-1772
www.marketstreetdixielandjass.com
MIGHTY APHRODITE Co-leaders: Bria Skonberg, Claire
McKenna [email protected] 405-613-0568
NEW ORLEANS QUINTET Jake Powel 206- 725-3514
[email protected]
RAINIER JAZZ BAND Manager: Randy Keller
[email protected] 206-437-1568
RAY SKJELBRED
[email protected] 206-420-8535
RONNIE PIERCE JAZZ ENSEMBLE
[email protected], 206-467-9365
UPTOWN LOWDOWN JAZZ BAND Leader: Bert Barr
[email protected] 425-898-4288
WILD CARDS JAZZ Leader: Randy Keller
[email protected] 206-437-1568