Fund Raiser for the Duxbury Bay Maritime School

The Williams Reunion Jazz Band was born on New England college campuses in the 1950’s when Dixieland was alive and well and “runnin’ wild”.  The core four here today were Williams College Boys: Bob Kingsbury ’58 on clarinet; Fred Clifford ’58 on Tuba; Tom Hayne ’59 on Drums and John Halsey ’59 on Piano (keyboard).

They were joined by three members of the Wolverine Jazz Band. Two permanent guests are the inimitable Jimmy Mazzy Banjo/Vocals, and Tom Boates, trombone.  Joining them was Jeff Hughes cornet, subbing for John Bucher (Amherst ’52 who was attending his 60^th reunion.)

Opening of the Bay is a fund-raiser for the Duxbury Bay Maritime School.  The school serves 1800 students from age 3 to adult, through educational and recreational programs that stimulate individual growth and an enduring love and appreciation of the sea.  The Williams Reunion Jazz Band assembles every year for the event.

The Williams Reunion Jazz Band is professional, precise and articulate, with tight ensemble, but each musician retains his essential personality.  The solos are always fresh and different.  Every tune offers something different,

They began with a pulsating Shine, Hughes’ cornet leading, Kingsbury’s clarinet dancing around him, embellishing the melody, the band soaring with them.

Tom Hayne vigilantly maintained that special Traditional Jazz Beat on a very simple drum set – snare and bass drums, and a few cymbals, staying true to the music.

Bye Bye Blues, Jimmy picking single-string banjo, vocal backed by Boates’ deep, growling, tailgate trombone, with   rim-tapping on the snare drum, Fred’s  tuba pushing the beat.

Let Me Call You Sweetheart started with exciting rhythmic energy and tight ensemble.  The men have an innate, instinctive feel for this music, and can turn any tune into hot, foot stomping, New Orleans Traditional Jazz

Jazz is improvisation, the musicians don’t really know what’s going to happen next – they listen, and play off each other.  Everyone knows  Everybody Loves My Baby, it’s an old war horse.  They were confidently whipping through it when Jeff suddenly let out stunning high shrieks on his 1946 Olds Recording Cornet that caught everyone by surprise!  Then he finished with a smooth solo, backed only by Fred’s soft tuba beat.  Jeff has a great deal of passion for this music, you never know what he’ll do next!

Running Wild exploded in a cacophony of sound, with Jimmy’s primitive and wailing vocals driven by Jeff’s cornet, stirring up the rest of the band. 

It’s time for a slow one!  Hoagie’s New Orleans, smooth drum intro was followed by Tom’s drawn-out Miff Mole mute and plunger trombone.  Fabulous!

Fred’s tuba took the first chorus on a fiery I Can’t Give You Anything But Love, with Jimmy on vocal.  Pressed by leader Kingsbury’s flailing fists in the air, the band went wild!  What an incredible, versatile Trad Jazz Band! 

We never get enough of Jimmy’s unique vocals, especially ballads. When The Blue of The Night Meets the Gold of the Day, sung in his own humble style, was softly backed by Jeff’s cornet, with Fred playing very low register background on Tuba.

Jeff and Jim go way back, having played in many bands together, including Ray Smith’s Paramount Jazz Band.

That Da Da Strain had more real Old New Orleans ensemble polyphony, segueing into a Charleston Beat then back to Trad Jazz, John Halsey’s fingers flying across the keyboard. 

Halsey is a PhD, music teacher and experienced professional musician who played regularly in New York with all the great Jazz Masters at Eddy Condon’s and Jimmy Ryan’s.

Keeping Out of Mischief Now was a real barn-burner, with inspired solo work by leader/clarinet Bob Kingsbury, moving from warm and vibrant tone on his instrument’s lower register to powerful high-flying clarinet.

I’ll Be Your Friend With Pleasure, another Jimmy Vocal, followed by cornet and trombone — a combustible combination! The cornet led with sharp phrases, trombone responding, repeating the cornet’s notes with quick, lively dexterity.

Jeff and Tom continued the duel with Dr. Jazz, igniting the rest of the band.  Sparks were flying!  The dance floor was full, but nobody was dancing – all were standing and listening to the band. 

Found a New Baby was requested by one of the boat captains. It was a rambunctious finale, with  trombone trading  fours with drums, Tom’s trombone almost crying. Cornet solo with drum backup, clarinet in the stratosphere, Mazzy’s frenzied scatting, Fred sneaking in “Blue Skies” and “That’s-a-Plenty” on tuba! It was WILD! 

That concluded this evening’s Traditional Jazz at the Opening of the Bay.  A Blues/Rock Band called Connected the Band took over at 8:30pm for dancing under the stars.

The Williams Reunion Jazz Band continued the following day – Family Day, for an hour, before heading for the Amherst College Reunion to continue playing the music they have cherished: Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Bix Beiderbecke and Hoagie Carmichael.  The music of Classic American Jazz!

Because of this Opening of the Bay fund-raiser, the Duxbury Bay Maritime School remains debt-free. Some Students shucked all-you-can-eat Island Creek Oysters at the raw bar, and others passed out heavy hors d’oeuvres. Also There was a Silent Auction and cash bar.

Scrumptious hors d’oeuvres were by The Silent Chef: wild mushrooms tartlets, chicken & shrimp dumplings, lobster empegnata, steak and ratatouille tappas, caramelized onions, veggies, and more.  Delicious!

There will be another Opening of the Bay Fundraiser next year, and the Williams Reunion Jazz Band will be back – Keep your May calendar open!!

Check it out….   WRJB 2011 2009