Steve Straus clarinet/soprano sax, Neil Flewelling cornet, Frank Bachelor trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo, Phil Hower piano, Pierre Lemieux tuba, Richard Malcolm drums

The Riverboat Stompers are a seven-piece ensemble specializing in Traditional and Dixieland Jazz of the 20’s to 40’s. They bring an air of authenticity, and you can easily tell this is the music they cherish and have played for many years.   Jimmy Mazzy sat in on banjo and vocals, free to sing many of his unique vocals.

The others all came from a distance, driving  through a downpour for their first performance at Primavera Ristorante.  We haven’t seen them since July at the Sherborn Inn; they were well received.

With tight ensemble they began Dark Town Strutter’s Ball, Honeysuckle Rose; heartfelt solos.  Ain’t She Sweet, Pierre’s tuba was bouncing off the back wall; Rich Malcolm stood up from the drums, just tapping two sticks together!

 

Jimmy’s soul-warming vocals are encouraged; he really gets his head around the lyrics.  Lulu’s Back in Town, All of Me.  Phil’s piano offered just the right chords behind him, as well as all the soloists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lazy River started nice and slow, Frank’s trombone playing with passion.  Then pushed by Steve’s soprano sax, the band surged upbeat.

 

 

 

 

A new horn in the band, Neil Flewelling has admirable technique with solos that move lightly from phrase to phrase.  Neil has been playing professionally for over 50 years and teaching music for over 40 years in the Haverhill school systems.  He fits right in with this band.

 

 

They played serious Dixieland Jazz, no shtick.  Steve did ask the audience to “name this tune.” Hint: A Traditional Jazz barn-burner, based on a Sousa March.  Nobody remembered Fidgety Feet. (We’re all getting old!)  Straus on clarinet, hot cornet and tuba duet.

 

South, fine tuba.  Generally the tuba plays almost exactly the same bass lines.  Pierre Lemieux’s tuba  plays some melody and counterpoint.  He is heard all over the North Shore, leads his own group “The Mill City Jazz Band” and is a regular in “Jim Kilroy’s Jambalaya Jazz Band” and “The Jailhouse Seven”.

 

 

 

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, Jim vocal, sophisticated exchange between cornet and sweet soprano sax.  Tuba solo was backed by Rich Malcolm, standing, just clapping his hands for beat.  The drummer is the heartbeat of Traditional Jazz.    Rich may teach at Berklee, but he’s a knowledgeable Dixieland Jazz drummer and keeps a sensitive beat using anything at his disposal.  Baby Face was wild, another Jimmy vocal, with Malcolm backing him by tapping on bell and rim of the bass drum.

Another New Orleans Chestnut, Bourbon St. Parade –“ Let’s fly down or drive down, to New Orleans.”  Not a bad idea.  They’re looking for volunteers for the upcoming French Quarter Festival on the 9th.

A 1922 original, Limehouse Blues, was recorded in 1922 by Red Nichols and his Five Pennies. Fancy drum solo, Rich twirling/spinning sticks in his hands, with the band playing behind him in low stop time.  My Gal Sal, soft clarinet opener, with tuba softly mirroring his notes.

Phil’s piano took the intro to a lively Putting on the Ritz. Phil Hower’s heroes are the great stride pianists of the 1920’s and ’30’s, and he does his utmost to emulate their technique and style. His strongly rhythmic left hand has enabled Phil to be continuously on the roster of trad jazz bands.

Exactly Like You, In My Honey’s Loving Arms, lyrical, hugging the melody, Jim singing.

Steve asked if we would like to hear a Gershwin tune?  Why not?   Piano took the intro to Lady Be Good, Neil’s cornet sneaked in a bit of Stumbling.   (They can make Trad Jazz out of any melody.)   The audience was paying attention, feeding off the band’s energy.

They closed with a zesty delivery of Kid Ory’s 1926 Muscat Ramble. It was excellent Dixieland Jazz from beginning to end.  We hope to hear them again, with better weather.  They do have a CD for purchase – check out their new website created by Frank Batchelor at http://www.riverboatstompers.com/.