Bourbon Street Paraders on the Cape Cod Jazz Boat.  Rick MacWilliams, Michel Lavigniac, Paul Nossiter.

by Marce

September 1, 2013, Final Bourbon Street Paraders Jazz Cruise for this year

It was a cloudy day – Hy-Line’s Jazz Boat was docked at Onset Harbor waiting for the Jazz Fans.  Last week they were sold out.  This was Labor Day Weekend, there should have been more of a crowd – but the weathermen put a damper on it threatening thunder showers and lightening,

The Viking left late – 1:45pm, waiting for stragglers.   Jazz can’t begin until the boat has left the harbor – neighbors don’t appreciate our music.  Finally the Viking pulled away from the dock, and The Bourbon Street Paraders started their final cruise of the 33rd season with Bourbon Street Parade, of course.

The Trio took a joyous romp through Hello Central, Give Me Dr. Jazz.  If I Had You, tuba playing sweet melody – Rick plays the melody on the tuba on almost every song.  The sounds he gets out of that monstrous instrument, with only 4 keys, are amazing.

Michel’s 4-string Gold Star Banjo

The Flying Frenchman, Michel Lavigniac leads the Trio and keeps impeccable time on 4-string  banjo.  It was a 5-string Gold Star banjo, but he removed one of the strings.

Paul Nossiter has taken over reeds from the late Lee Childs.  Paul took the intro to My Gal Sal, upbeat, lilting clarinet, folks up front dancing.  Fats Waller’s Ain’t Misbehaving.  Passing the Military Academy they played a Fats Waller-Louis Armstrong 1929 big hit, Black & Blue, banjo playing the verse – Michel makes every note count, no hysterics up and down the strings.

Railroad Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal

Passing under the Cape Cod Canal’s Railroad bridge,  Found a New Baby, clarinet trading 4s with banjo.

Nossiter was singing Baby Won’t You Please Come Home as the boat sailed under the Bourne Bridge, and went wild on clarinet with Running Wild.

The Viking turned around at the Herring Run, with Michel featured on Avalon, and then they played a barn-burning  Indiana.  Ernie and his son Joey have been sitting in the front seat every week for 6 years.  Ernie plays piano and has a nice voice, so Paul gave him the mic for I’m Going To Sit right down and Write Myself a Letter, fabulous banjo, backed by soft tuba.

They played a medley of Blues My Sweetie Gives to Me, and Everybody Loves My Baby.   Reminiscent of New Orleans funerals they featured Closer Walk and Didn’t He Ramble, then moved to When I Grow Too Old To Dream.  (Never happen!)  At my request – Lime House Blues, complete with verse.

In honor of the last cruise of the season, Bye Bye Blues, and Bye Bye Blackbird.  Passing the Maritime Academy we could see their ship, The Kennedy, docked at pier and the tug boat Independence.

passing the Maritime Militry Adademy

Maritime Academy’s Ship, The Kennedy

Another nostalgic blues, Basin St. Blues, clarinet playing warm, melodic lines, ending  in a clarinet coda.   They took off on Pee Wee’s Blues, written by clarinetist Pee Wee Russell.  (He was called Pee Wee because he was so tall!)

Closing in on the dock, When You’re Smiling Paul in low register clarinet for first chorus, slipped in a bit of Swanee River.  Farewell Blues.  Banjo intro to When The Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day.  Only two people knew who Bing Crosby was.

They always finish with When The Saints Go Marching In, as the Viking pulls into the Harbor.  Everyone on the boat joins in.  That’s Joey’s cue to get up and dance for the last few minutes left of the Sunday Cape Cod Jazz Cruise.   A lady in the front row joined him.

No thunderstorms, no rain, great Jazz!  We’ll all be back next year, on the last week of June, 2014, for another cruise up and down the Cape Cod Canal with the Bourbon Street Paraders.  Hope to see you there!!