Jazz Jesters with Frank Bachelor, trombone
Jeff Hughes trumpet, John Clark clarinet/bari sax, Craig Ball clarinet/tenor sax, Ross Petot piano, Al Bernard tuba, Steve Taddeo drums.
The weather outside was 20°, but it was nice and cozy in the Sherborn Inn, with the Jazz Jesters and both fireplaces blazing. Jimmy Mazzy couldn’t make it, and he was missed. But it freed the band to play written arrangements, some of Archie Blyer, some of Dr. John Clark.
They began with their theme Lucky Day. We considered ourselves lucky that it hadn’t snowed – again. Bix is popular with this band. They featured his last recording, Deep Down South, with John on alto and Craig clarinet. These two produce all kinds of magnificent music with two clarinets, alto, tenor, and baritone sax, between them.
Violinist Stuff Smith contributed to the song It’s Wonderful (1938) often performed by Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. New England Trumpeter Bobby Hackett liked to play it. Jeff obliged, Clark playing sweet alto sax, Steve Taddeo swishing brushes on the snare drum. It was wonderful!
Ross Petot
With the “Rhythm Boys”, Ross Petot, pianist, teacher, composer, arranger, famous for his stride piano, was featured on I Hate Myself for Being so Mean to You.
Sidney Bechet’s Blame It On The Blues, clarinet and alto sax were in perfect sync, then romping alto sax solo, clarinet hitting the stratosphere, incredible trumpet, Albie’s tuba always pushing, piano adding riffs; the whole polyphonic sound had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats. Fantastic!
Most of them are band leaders. Craig Ball has the White Heat Swing Orchestra, John Clark leads the Wolverine Jazz Band, Steve Taddeo with his The Swing Senders. They love playing this repertoire of the Jazz Decades.
Jeff Hughes is an astonishing leader, subtly signaling, mainly letting them do their own thing. He plays amazing trumpet, but tonight, on a relatively new 1983 Yamaha special bell trumpet, he stayed mostly with the Bix Beiderbecke repertoire. I Need Some Petting. A lovely tune Blue River, muted trumpet intro with piano, two clarinets.
Jeff Hughes
Jeff said John Clark ‘forced’ some arrangements on them. A Jimmy favorite, Mighty River, great with two clarinets, Jeff playing open bell trumpet with clarinet riffs.
Jazz Jesters front line
Sam the Accordion Man was dedicated to Jimmy and Carrie Mazzy, who couldn’t be here.
Jeff invited Frank Batchelor up on trombone for Russian Lullaby. Tricky – they were reading arrangements, Frank was winging it, thanks to Jeff’s signals. He added fine trombone to the Jazz Jesters. Then Jeff let Taddeo loose on drums.
Frank Taddeo (Steve’s Father) and companion Gladys Aubin were here to watch.
Steve Taddeo and Family
The band continued with a quintessential 1920’s tune, You Don’t Like It (Not Much)!. Closed with Fat’s Zonky, dueling clarinets, trumpet and trombone – WILD!.
That sent us back out into the cold with warm hearts! The Jesters are heading for the recording studio at the end of this month, and hope to have something in hand in time for the Essex jazz fest, end of June.