Seacoast Stompers at the Acton Jazz Café, on a bitter cold January 4th 2014, with Scott Philbrick cornet, Craig Ball clarinet, Lee Prager trombone, Jimmy Mazzy banjo/vocals, Al Bernard souzaphone, Bobby Reardon drums, Frank Stadler leader/piano. Videos by Harold McAleer.
In spite of the bitterly cold weather, The Acton Jazz Café had few empty seats when The Seacoast Stompers began another year of 1st Saturdays of the month. Many of us were suffering from Trad Jazz withdrawal over the holidays, with the musicians busy playing at private gigs.
Leader Frank Stadler was back with a long list of tunes, offering two at a time, and letting the musicians choose. They are almost all Band Leaders and have minds of their own; sometimes they picked one, sometimes picked totally different tunes. There is much discussion, but it’s all in great fun. Frank is to be commended for patiently managing the divergent personalities that are the Seacoast Stompers.
They started hot and heavy with the Bix version of their theme song, At The Jazz Band Ball, hot solos!
Frank took the intro with bass notes on I Would Do Most Anything For You. Bobby went wild on drums!
Frank Stadler, piano – leader
Take Your Tomorrows and Give Me Today, Swing That Music. Nice tuba solo. The rhythm boys set the dynamic background that gets toes tapping.
Jimmy Mazzy, Al Bernard, Bobby Reardon
Jimmy has his own unique style of playing banjo, and singing. We especially liked his ballad, Sugar, with ecstatic interchange between Philbrick and Prager. They challenge each other. Rose Room got dancers up, with Scott sneaking in Always Chasing Rainbows on cornet.
We all helped celebrate Jack Phelan’s 90th birthday, who was here with his family. Jack is the pianist for the New Liberty Jazz Band and formerly led the Scollay Square Stompers.
Jimmy Mazzy and Jack Phelan
Jack says “The Seacoast Stompers are a great group, and anytime Jimmy Mazzy is with a group it’s even better!”
He said “Frank Stadler is a top notch piano player, with a steady rhythm and steady beat.” “The front line, Craig, Scotty and Lee, are just great! They sound like they rehearsed for weeks, but we know they were improvising, making it up.”
Frank Stadler filled in for Jack with the New Liberty Jazz Band on their 1941 Fire Truck last November 23rd at the Methuen Parade, when it was again cold weather. Jack recommended him.
Jack Phelan has been around Jazz and Jazz Joints for a long time. He was sitting up front and center, where he could hear them discussing what they were going to play next. He said to Scotty, “Since they moved the spittoon from the corner of the saloon, you just can’t spit anymore!” That broke them up!
The band wanted to play the Birthday song for him, instead he requested Ain’t She Sweet and they were happy to oblige.
Frank asked for Fidgety Feet. All agreed, no discussion!
We especially like Jimmy’s ballads, I’ve Got The World on a String.
Bill Flynn and the Missus from New Hampshire found themselves a corner for dancing. He’s a retired Raytheon engineer who writes books for sale on Kindle as a hobby.
Lee Prager
Trombone intro I’ll Take Manhattan, Lee bends over backwards to get those perfect notes. Sweet tune, followed by something peppy – Sunday.
St. Louis Blues is one of the oldest tunes known to the cognoscenti. Tuba intro, imaginative ensemble. They listen to each other and to the music, play mesmerizing blues.
Fantastic ensemble by the front line, Craig Ball, Scott Philbrick, and Lee Prager
Bobby Reardon has two sets of drums with him, he has another job in Stoneham when he leaves the Acton Jazz Cafe. The musicians really appreciate his tasteful, shrewd, drumming.
Bobby Reardon
They closed this set with a romp roaring Sweet Georgia Brown.
Harold McAleer with his video camera.
We are all grateful that Harold McAleer is back. He is dedicated to recording this music for posterity, and spends hours videotaping and editing many videos, especially of the Seacoast Stompers. You can find hundreds of them on You Tube.
There was much more great jazz in store. (see below). We’ll be back with the usual Trad Jazz Crowd, thirsting for this kind of music, on February 1st. We hope to see Jack Phelan back too!!
Seacoast Stompers January 4, 2014 Tunes:
Set 1
1 At The Jazz Band Ball
2 Sugar
3 I Would Do Anything For You
4 Take Your Tomorrow
5 Swing That Music
6 Rose Room
7 Fidgety Feet
8 I’ve Got the World on a String
9 Sunday
10 St Louis Blues
11 Sweet Georgia Brown
Set 2
1 It Don’t Mean a Thing If it Ain’t Got That Swing
2 Tin Roof Blues
3 Ain’t She Sweet
4 Curse of an Aching Heart
5 New Orleans
6 Undecided
Set 3
1 Jelly Roll (Ain’t Gonna Give You None)
2 Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down
3 If I had You
4 Blues My Naughty Sweetie Gives To Me
