at the Sherborn Inn, March 5, 2013
videos by Eric Devine (Cinedevine)
Dave Whitney trumpet, John Clark alto sax, Craig Ball clarinet/soprano sax,
Al Bernard tuba, Bill Reynolds drums, Robin Verdier ringleader/piano
It was the ending of a relentless, maddening New England winter, (with March throwing in an extra 2-4 feet of snow, just for the fun of it.)
But we were warm and cozy by the Sherborn Inn’s fireplace, transported back to the the early 20s with the Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble playing the captivating dances of that fascinating era.
They opened with a 1925 tune by Gus Kahn & Ted Fiorito, Alone At Last, and Down Where The Sun Goes Down,1928, by great American composers, Isham Jones and Verne Buck. Dave Whitney substituted for Bob MaInnis, Monte Carlo’s regular cornetist.
Dave Whitney –
Well known in New England for his work with the Yankee Rhythm Kings, White Heat Swing Orchestra, and Chris Powers Orchestra, Dave was influenced by Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Bobby Hackett and many other great trumpeters of the pre-bop era.
Dave has been called “Premiere early style trumpeter” of this area and “Dean of swing trumpet”.
They played several high spirited Lu Watters tunes, including Shake It and Break It that he recorded just before Petrillo called a strike and shut all the bands down in the 40’s.
A new version of an old tune, How Am I to Know, was a nice fox trot by Jack King and NY Socialite Dorothy Parker. Stan Kenton used the chords for his Eager Beaver.
An All-Star front line, each is a leader in his own right, skilled at navigating the intricacies of these arrangements. Dave Whitney heads the Dave Whitney Big Band as well as several small groups; John Clark leads The Wolverine Jazz Band, a popular traditional jazz band; Craig Ball leads the famous White Heat Swing Orchestra. Together they play glorious ensemble that rarely leaves the 1920’s.
Albie Bernard controls this monstrous tuba — a 1960 Conn 24J Tuba that was a favorite of dance bands of 20’s and 30’s – with an American sound, and heavy brass.
The tuba was the sound of the train engine intro to My Cutie’s Due at Two to Two
Johnny Dodds, a premiere New Orleans clarinetist recorded this fun tune.
When Erastus Plays His Old Kazoo
Leader, arranger, pianist, Robin Verdier reigns. We can always count on Robin to present superior, intricately arranged, memorable jazz. He spends hours preparing, and there is usually a rehearsal so the musicians will be familiar with the arrangement.
Robin:
” I add a few arrangements to our book every year, and in making a setlist, I first pick some of the newest. Then I add requests from fans and musicians, and then tunes that we haven’t done for more than a year, and I mix them together so that the tempo and key change for each tune. The most important thing about our book is that I really like every tune– so picking some is always disappointing because we have to leave out the rest!”
He has a complete setlist of tunes, but there wasn’t time to get to all of them!
He explained how Lu Watters named his band Yerba Buena and started what we call ‘West Coast Jazz”. Lu Watters tired of the music he was playing and looked back at the 1920’s, when the music had bite and structure. He started a band with two cornets, like King Oliver. He named his band after Yerba Buena – an island in San Francisco Bay between Oakland and San Francisco. It means “nice peppermint” (mint plants were grown there at one time).
Watters wrote tunes associated with San Francisco, such as Big Bear Lake, where the Yerba Buena Band sometimes played. Big Bear Stomp – West coast folks of a certain age will get up and stomp!
Master time-keeper, Bill Reynolds uses rim-taps, choke cymbal.
His technique uses less-is-more, judicious dependable drumming.
My Honey’s Loving Arms
Lost
Yerba Buena Stomp
Sidney Bechet, a Creole from New Orleans, was the undisputed king of the soprano saxophone. He moved to France where he was accepted. He wrote many tunes, including Southern Sunset.
Craig Ball handled the Bechet tune effortlessly, playing elegant soprano sax.
That’s a tweed flat cap popular in the 20’s
In 1938 Joe Davis was Fats Waller’s manager. He has the credit for writing I’ll Dance at Your Wedding. but it is questionable. It has a very cynical beginning. Next was Happy Feet, a 1929 pop tune that was done by Bing Crosby with the King of Jazz, Paul Whitman.
They closed with a 1940 tune by Lu Watters, Emperor Norton’s Hunch. Norton was ridiculed because he had a hunch that someday there would be a bridge between San Francisco and Oakland. He died in San Francisco of apoplexy January 8, 1886.
His wish was fulfilled when the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge opened on November 12, 1936.
Our only wish is for an end to this New England March Madness!