Seacoast Stompers (with videographer Harold McAleer)
These musicians love making music, playing Jazz, and this audience loves listening to them. It’s a symbiotic relationship – and never gets dull. You never know what will happen next. The Seacoast Stompers do not repeat songs – Frank Stadler has kept a list of every song they’ve played at the AJC in the last five years, so the tunes are seldom repeated.
Surprise! Frank announced that this afternoon they would be doing EXACTLY the same set list as their first gig, 5 years 3 months ago at The Acton Jazz Café. Then it was at night at 452 Great Road, a six-piece band, with Frank Stadler piano, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Jeff Hughes cornet, Ben Goldstein clarinet, Steve Taddeo drums and Bob McHenry string bass (whose idea it was to getStadler on piano
Now on October 5, 2013, there was Frank leader/piano and Jimmy banjo/vocals, Scott Philbrick cornet, Dave Whitney trumpet, Craig Ball clarinet, Lee Prager trombone, Albie Bernard sousaphone, and Bobby Reardon drums at the new Acton Jazz Café, 103 Nagog Park. It doesn’t get any better than this – as demonstrated by the full house. Bob McHenry was sitting front and center, enjoying the band.
They started with their theme song, a blistering At The Jazz Band Ball, then Mama’s Gone, Goodbye – Jimmy vocal, the four-piece front line melding seamlessly.
Front line
Scott, Dave, Craig, and Lee
Scott and Dave are always a combustible combination, Trumpet and cornet duet on From Monday On. Baby Won’t You Please Come Home. Combination playing vibrato on There’ll Be Some Changes Made.
They slowed down for Memories of You, Scotty doing cornet intro, Jim on vocal with almost imperceptible tuba and trumpet backup.
Mandy Make Up Your Mind – we never get enough of Jimmy Mazzy’s singing. (For the few who are not aware, he’s like olives – an acquired taste; people all over the world love Jimmy, especially in Europe) New Orleans, Hoagie’s favorite tune, heartfelt vocal by Dave Whitney.
 Jimmy Mazzy |
 Dave Whitney |
Bobby concentrated on tom toms for Stealing Apples. He has a different drum set for every genre of music, The Dixieland set has three toms, bass, snare drum, cow bell, top hat and a couple of cymbals. He strives for simplicity, purity in his playing, and the energy and precision he lays down is undeniable.
Bobby Reardon and his Dixieland Drum Set
Keeping Out of Mischief Now, Jim on vocal. Craig Ball is in complete command of the upper register on Ain’t Gonna Give You None of My Jelly Roll.
I’m Coming Virginia.
Bobby plays Saturday nights at the Kowloon in Saugus, so he’s ready, always dressed in white shirt and black bow tie (untied) but not tonight; black shirt – no tie. He said he was in mourning because he couldn’t play his favorite tune. So they deviated from the 2008 set list – and substituted Bobby’s favorite (and mine!) Limehouse Blues.
Jim Mazzy, Al Bernard, Bobby Reardon, Rhythm Section
Al Bernard provides the drive and “punch’ behind the band, and plays solos with the dexterity, control, and articulation of the much smaller instruments. Take Your Tomorrows, and Give Me Today. Joe Darensbourg’s Louisian-I-A, dynamic clarinet backed by rhythm in stop-time. Jimmy had the vocal on a HOT Kansas City. I Would Do Most Anything For You, Whitney vocal, and sneaking in snippets of songs with his trumpet.
Look out for Jimmy’s specials – back in 2008, he substituted his own lyrics for the Banking Crisis with The Whiffenpoof’s Song (The Lambs Song). This time he did a parody of the Tea Party, that we won’t go into here because we’ve already lost too much $upport.
Craig Ball on soprano sax
Craig moved to a sweet soprano sax, authentic Bechet sound, for Singing The Blues.
Verne often gets to pick the last tune, a fine choice to end this evening of remembering 2008, with a barnstorming Swing That Music.
Seacoast Stompers will return with the same personnel playing amazing Dixieland Jazz at the Acton Jazz Café, 103 Nagog Park, Acton MA, on November 2nd, the first Saturday of the month as usual. See you there!
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Tunes on 2013-10-05 at AJC by Seacoast Stompers
set 1
At The Jazz Band Ball
Mama’s Gone Goodbye
From Monday On
Baby Won’t You Please Come Home
There’ll Be Some Changes Made
Memories Of You
Mandy Make Up Your Mind
New Orleans
Stealin Apples
set 2
Keepin Out Of Mischief Now
Jelly Roll (Ain’t Gonna Give You None)
I’m Coming Virginia (W/Verse)
Limehouse Blues
Take Your Tomorrow
Louisi-An-I-A
set 3
Kansas City request
I Would Do Anything For You
The Lamb’s Song (political diatribe) jimmy special
Singin the Blues
Swing that Music