By Marce, Videos by Brian Towne

Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Bates ‘62; Tom Boates trombone, U. Mass ‘73; John Bucher cornet, Amherst ‘52 …and Williams classmates: John Halsey ‘59, piano (pro in NYC); Bob Kingsbury ‘58, clarinet and Fred Clifford tuba ‘58.

The Williams Reunion Jazz Band played another fantastic Jazz Brunch at The Winsor House Inn, 390 Washington St. Duxbury MA on Sunday, May 27^th 2018.  They were here this weekend for the Duxbury Bay Maritime School’s Opening of the Bay.   http://dbms.org/

The Williams Reunion Jazz Band was born on New England College campuses in 1954 when Dixieland was alive and well and “runnin’ wild”.  Three of them from Williams College were here, with John Bucher Amherst ’52, and two of their permanent guest stars,  playing the music they have cherished – the music of Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Bix Beiderbecke and Hoagie Carmichael.  The music of Classical Jazz.

 

 

 

The Band started with a wild Just a While to Stay Here, Jazz Me Blues (Bix tune from 20’s).  It’s so good to hear John Bucher’s Bix type stylings again.

 

 

 

Keeping in the Bucher family, a tune he played with the Woody Allen Band at Michael’s Pub, Keeping Out of Mischief Now, Jimmy vocal.  These two are the heart and soul of the band, Bucher the heart, Jimmy the soul.  They played a duet, cornet and banjo, on As Long As I Live.

 

 

Tom Boates, Director of  Music at Guilford High School in Guilford, CT, kept the band jumping. with John Halsey behind him on keyboard.  There was an on again off again problem with the keyboard, so it was difficult to hear  John’s fingers flying across the keyboard! He’s still playing creatively at Arthur’s Tavern in NY.

 

 

 

At The Jazz Band Ball, is an ODJB original.  They closed the first set with a medley of two hot ones: China Boy and China Town. WOW!

 

 

 

 

They returned with the 1902 Bill Baily. Rose Room – mellow, rich clarinet by Kingsbury.  Then a grand ol’ tune they never played before, C.C.Ryder, Jim vocal, fabulous muted trombone by Boates.

 

 

 

 

 

Fred Clifford’s tuba makes up for the lack of drum, with his turbo-charged oompah beat. Next came one of Fred’s favorites, Running Wild, with Jim on vocal, backed by Fred’s tuba.  He also backed his banjo on the 1926 Deed I Do.  Amazing duo!

 

 

 

 

Carrie Mazzy, their ‘Den Mother’, came up for a duet with Jimmy, with a nice tune by Jabbo Smith, Love.

 

 

 

Jimmy Mazzy is featured playing banjo and singing many of the tunes.  He played the intro to a tune from the Rhythm Kings, From Monday On. Banjo and Trombone teamed up again for I’m Confessing That I Love You.

 

 

 

Ice Cream:

The crowd was feeding off the band, and the band was feeding off the crowds energy!!  Bob Kingsbury thanked the attentive audience – a full house – saying “You brought out the best in these guys!”

The Williams Reunion Jazz Band ended as wild as they started, with their theme song, Swing That Music.

Jim Mazzy and Fred Clifford join The Dukes of Winsor’s who play a monthly Sunday jazz brunch at The Winsor House Inn from September thru June that includes Jeff Hughes on cornet, Stan Vincent on trombone, Pete Collins on clarinet, Herb Gardner on piano and Mark Endresen on guitar.

We’ll see the Williams Reunion Jazz Band again next year; they are here annually for the Duxbury Opening of the Bay on Memorial Day Weekend.  If you can’t wait, get their CDs – check out http://www.siterrific.com/WRJB/