The Ramblers – Bob MacInnis, Craig Ball, Scott Philbrick, Robin Verdier, leader.
The Ramblers made their first appearance at Primavera Ristorante, and we’re hoping they will return in 2016. This rambunctious quartet doesn’t play slow tunes – they played the music that had the Tin Pan Alley kids dancing in the 20’s and 30’s. (The Charleston started a new dance craze in 1923.) This quartet played a plethora of early Jazz from 1917 to 1929; their Traditional and Dixieland Jazz connected and inspired the audience.
Craig Ball, clarinet
Craig ball was able to shine with his expertise on clarinet, standing front and center. He usually keeps to the right or left of the band, backing the soloists.
Limehouse (1922)
When My Baby Smiles at Me was played by Benny Goodman at his 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert, a tribute to the Original Dixieland Jazz Band.
Robin Verdier, leader
Leader/Arranger Robin Verdier, a Jelly Roll Morton devotee, is our own erudite Rag Time pianist, well versed in this music. He is better known for his Monte Carlo Jazz Ensemble that was here in August. He played some wild stride piano on Tiger Rag! Let Me Call You Sweetheart was definitely not a waltz!
Robin’s piano and Scott’s banjo were in sync, keeping the beat for the front line of clarinet and cornet/flugelhorn.
Scott Philbrick usually plays cornet.
This is the first time we’ve ever heard cornetist Scott Philbrick play banjo all evening, and he was fabulous singing the 1920 Broadway Rose. Who knew he could sing??
Scott will be on cornet with Jane Campedelli’s Jubilee Jazz Band at the 25th Anniversary of the Suncoast Jazz Jubilee coming up November 20 to 22 in Clearwater.
Running Wild (Miserable video – just shut your eyes and listen!)
Bob MacInnis ensures we hear the melody!
Bob MacInnis always maintains the melody on cornet. He’s been playing with bands all over New England all summer, and we’re lucky to have him for another couple of weeks before he heads to Florida for the winter.
He took out the flugelhorn for several numbers, Al Jolson’s 1921 California Here I Come, Con Conrad’s Moonlight.
San Francisco Bay Blues (first recorded in 1954) was really modern for this band!
Their music touches the heart and spirit; the audience loved every minute of it! We’re all hoping to hear more from The Ramblers next year!
(Any resemblance to a band that plays all summer at a New Hampshire amusement park is purely coincidental.)
Tunes:
Set 1
When My Baby Smiles At Me, Munro, Sterling & Lewis, 1920
The Curse Of An Aching Heart, Piantadosi & Fink, 1913
My Honey’s Lovin’ Arms, Meyer, 1922
Down Where The Sun Goes Down, I. Jones & Buck, 1928
Let Me Call You Sweetheart, Whitson, 1910
Limehouse Blues, Braham, 1922
Broadway Rose, Fried, Otis, & West, 1920
California, Here I Come, Meyer & DeSylva, 1921
Moonlight, Conrad, 1921
Set 2
Charleston, Johnson, 1923
Smiles, Roberts & Callahan, 1917
Varsity Drag, Brown, DeSylva, & Henderson, 1927
San Francisco Bay Blues, Jesse Fuller 1954
Sweet Sue, Young & Harris, 1928
My Gal Sal, Dresser, 1905
Some Of These Days, Brooks, 1910
You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me, Fain, Kahal, & Norman, 1930
Runnin’ Wild, (Bb) Gibbs, Gray, & Wood, 1922
Set 3
Tiger Rag, 19th century quadrille
When You’re Smiling, Goodwin, Fisher & Shay, 1928
