The New Black Eagle Jazz Band
Tony Pringle cornet /leader, Billy Novick alto sax/clarinet, Stan Vincent trombone, Peter Bullis banjo, Ross Petot piano, John Turner string bass, (from Roomful of Blues ) and their original drummer 43 years ago – Pam Pameijer.
Pam Pameijer
The powerhouse group had just returned from traveling 700 miles at several concerts, and was in rare form. Old Home Week, that’s what it felt like, at the Sherborn Inn. It brought back memories of the band when Don Kenny was on string bass, and Pam on drums. Pameijer’s magical drumming motivates the whole band. Traditional Jazz at its best!
Supple, sweet When I Grow Too Old To Dream, barn burning Weary Blues. Tony learned the next tune when he was with the Special Delivery Band from Scotland – Ross Petot was featured on Jubilee. No charts, full 32-bar solos, gave him a chance to show off his spontaneous creativity.
John Turner backs Ross Petot on Jubilee
Peter’s banjo and red sox haven’t changed in 43 years.
Luis Russell wrote Give Me Your Telephone Number back in the 20’s or 30’s. Back to back blues – Slow Blues and Steal Away, the plink, plink, plink of Peter’s banjo maintained that beat behind Billy’s clarinet.
He gets one solo on banjo, usually towards the end of the evening- dynamic Shake It And Break It.
It’s All Right With Me, Turner’s string bass hit every note. Then they turned to a march, Blue Bell’s Goodbye, from the Al Jolson Story.
Stan Vincent fine trombone
Tomorrow Night is a New Orleans tune, circa WWII, that became popular in the 50’s, Tony took the vocal.
Marvelous trombone by Stan Vincent, also an original from the band.
Billy was featured on glorious alto sax on Dreaming Away. The band bolstered him on fabulous on Chelsea Bridge. Pleading The Blues.
They’ve just returned from their 39th consecutive appearance at the Mount Gretna Playhouse, followed by a Jazz Service where they played a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley, I’ll Fly Away.
They played many of their old tunes, familiar sounds to those of us who were there in the early Wicket days. But they will be playing some new tunes – Tony says they will keep digging, “There’s some nice stuff out there.”
They closed as they did at the Sticky Wicket, with a melodic, mellow Brahms Lullaby.
The New Black Eagle Jazz Band has found a home at the Sherborn Inn, 33 North Main St. Sherborn Massachusetts 01752 on the 2nd Thursday of every month. (800) 552-9742 Stop in and rekindle your happy memories too!
NOTE:
Their old home, The Sticky Wicket was built by a Business Teacher from Marlboro, and featured English Beer – which is why Tony Pringle settled the New Black Eagle Jazz Band there in 1971; English beer on tap. We had nineteen years of great music there. We were saddened to learn that we lost Foster Yeadon on June 8th.
