Wolverine Jazz Band with Dan Gabel and Herb Gardner
Jeff Hughes cornet, John Clark clarinet and bari sax, Dan Gabel trombone, Jim Mazzy banjo/vocals, Herb Gardner keyboard, Rick MacWilliams tuba, Dave Didriksen drums
Wolverines are a favorite, not only in New England, but across the country. They had a couple of substitutes this evening. Dan Gabel was on trombone, subbing for Tom Boates, whose High School Jazz Band was on stage at the Epcot Center.
Herb Gardner has been ‘pianist of choice’ here since Ross Petot teaches on Thursday evenings. John Clark spent about 30 seconds explaining arrangements to the two substitutes, and then they all fell in together and soared.
It was the day after tax day, so they began with an upbeat We’re In The Money, from their 1st CD. They took When My Dreamboat Comes Home from The Paramount Jazz Band, who took it from the Jim Cullum Jazz Band, with Jimmy doing the vocals as he did with Paramount. From the 1920’s, Dardanella, fine tuned duet between cornet and clarinet, tuba pushing the beat, Jimmy took it out on banjo..
Jimmy is always Jimmy, remarkable!
Jimmy Mazzy was featured on a Muddy Water’s tune, playing himself, incredible as usual, with a little bit of support from cornet and clarinet.
Some Rogers and Hart was on the docket. Bless That Mountain Greenery was recorded by Jabbo Smith. It will be on the Wolves’ upcoming CD, #13. (They don’t really count No 1 because there was no trombone.)
Rick took a tuba solo on a dreamy, bluesy Michigander Blues, with the three on the front line slipping into a deep glissando slide. They finished with smiles on all their faces; it must have been signaled at the last minute and played on the fly!
Jim Mazzy and Jeff Hughes play Sleepy Lagoon.
Jimmy Blythe’s Oriental Man is Chicago jazz, with Clark playing hot Johnny Dodds clarinet. I Want to Linger was done by Rosy McHargue and his Dixieland Band as well as the Andrew Sisters. John Clark did the vocal with Hughes playing soulful vibrato on his Olds Recording cornet, vintage 1953. It looks like new with offset ergonomic valves and trigger slide, it plays excellent and has a wonderful sound. But then any instrument in Hughes’ hands has an excellent sound.
Jeff and Jimmy played a song for the late Jim Enright – his favorite, Sleepy Lagoon. Thank you both for remembering Jim!
Jimmy Mazzy’s choice – he has a million of them in that genius head of his, but this was a relatively new one. The front line followed with inventive solos. The You and Me That Used to Be was voted Best Record of the Year in 1972, and Jimmy Rushing voted Best Male Singer in the Down Beat music poll.
Jeff’s favorite, After You’ve Gone, recorded by Johnny Dodds’ Black Bottom Stompers, realased in 1927, was a nice danceable tune, melodic and lyrical clarinet with trombone playing harmony, and Jimmy singing,
Dip Your Brush In The Sunshine, Ted Lewis 1931, Uplifting and warm with Jim vocal and Jeff responding.
Rick MacWilliams pushes the band on tuba
Rick MacWilliams let go on a fine tuba solo on Johnny St. Cyr’s Oriental Strut. He provides a cushion of solid beat with the right chords supporting the band every note of the way.
Stomping at The Savoy swings from beginning to end; you never heard anything like it! Pity no one was recording. They haven’t played Blues in My Heart in a long time, Sweet.
Band played a unique Stomping at the SavoyA
Jerry Wadness requested Herb play trombone. Herb joined Dan in a hot fiery duet backed by the buoyant rhythm section on Harry Warren’s Lulu’s Back in Town, with Herb also singing it. They are a combustible combination!
Rose of The Rio Grande, high spirited playing with Dave Didriksen tapping on wood block and hi hat, then he let go with excited commentaries; crashes and rolls. Jeff followed on cornet with John on clarinet for an exciting duet, with Dan responding with short bursts on trombone.
Dave Didriksen keeps a fine beat
Lawrence Brown wrote another Jim Enright favorite, Memories of You, played by piano and clarinet. Superb. Jimmy singing with Jeff support, as they used to do with the Paramount Jazz Band. This will be on their 13th CD.
Time for one more. What, already??
He’s dangerous on that baritone sax.
They closed with a special version of Dinah with a soft 16 bar intro on cornet. John Clark’s full-throated lower register on baritone sax caught us right in the solar plexus!
Dan Gabel’s exuberant trombone followed, Herb’s fingers flying over the keyboard, Jimmy was carried away with his infamous holler. Dave’s drum cymbal rolled into the final ensemble chorus, with a closing cymbal crash for a WILD finale!. We were left breathless!
Where do we go from here??
Herb Gardner keeps busy
Herb Gardmer keeps busy. The following week, after the usual Wednesday night at Swing 46 in Manhattan NY, Friday the 24th he’s playing with the Black Eagle Jazz Band at Amazing Things Arts Center in Framingham. Saturday he’s on trombone for a Benny Goodman ’38 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert tribute at Merrimac College in North Andover. Then Sunday down to Piermont, NY for two shows with Red Molly at The Turning Point. He says “Who has as much fun as us jazz musicians?”
Dan Gabel is always phenomenal. He teaches at Holy Cross College in Worcester, barely makes it here on time and always arrives hungry. He wolfs down a fine Italian dinner during the first ten-minute break.
Extending the slide to its maximum length, he’s constantly improvising, sometimes being forced to, as when playing trombone to a saxophone chart (not with the Wolves). Here he was given the chart to the wrong tune, but still performed with such passion that we never knew. His High Society Orchestra will be here at Primavera April 24th, 7pm.
As for the Wolverine Jazz Band, mark your calendars. They will be at Ken’s Steak House, Framingham MA on May 3rd, 4-7pm FLYER and the Sheraton Needham May 19th, 7pm, a new venue at 100 Cabot St, Needham, MA. Come hear the Wolves in a beautiful new setting – great menu, easy parking. On June 18th they’ll be back at Primavera, 7pm. John Clark keeps their site update! www.wolverinejazzband.com.