New Black Eagle Jazz Band

with Bob Sundstrom at the Sherborn Inn

They opened in real Traditional Jazz with 1919 March, written in 1913. There are still some Mouldy Figs from the Sticky Wicket here to appreciate that. There’s a whole new crowd at the Sherborn Inn. They like the band and the music, but haven’t learned (yet) to be quiet when the music is playing. Doesn’t faze the Eagles. Beginning their 42nd year, the band is driven by Jesse Williams string bass and Bill Reynolds drums, and still sounds great. (Jesse was about 2 when they started.)

There’s no mistaking this band when you hear
 the first sound of Tony’s distinctive cornet.      

They rolled out one of Louis Armstrong’s tunes, just to see how it would work. Papa De Da Da, Jesse adding his own lick at the end. He’s an educator as well as a marvelous bassist. A New Orleans classic recorded by Sam Morgan, Short Dress Gal, had feet tapping.

 Bob was featured on Lady Who Swings The Band, a reference to Mary Lou Williams. She helped to build the spirit and success of Andy Kirk’s orchestra not as a singer, but as an instrumentalist, arranger and composer.    

 One 1920’s Chicago tune that is picked by many bands – and they all play it differently – a WILD Shimmy She Wobble. They keep adding new numbers to their repertoire; must be over 1000 by now. Travellin’ All Alone, one of Billie Holiday’s. Sweet clarinet by our own Billy.

Whip Me With Plenty of Love is not meant to be taken literally – it’s with LOVE!) Brilliant conversation between Billy on alto sax and Tony Pringle on cornet, followed by complex sax solo. Billy is complex.

Bob Sundstrom was geared up in the Traditional Jazz Beat. We haven’t seen him for a long time – he’s been playing before and after the Celtics games at North Station in Boston. He always has fabulous musicians in his trio, and if you’re in the vicinity, you may go listen in the corridor at the top of the escalator – 1 ¼ hours before the game and 45 minutes afterwards. Free!

Also, he’s reviving his band, This Side of Dixie at the Warwick RI library on December 2nd. I’ll be there for sure!

Moose March was resurrected before they moved into serious new stuff. They all checked Jesse’s chart. Billy took one look at it, memorized it in a minute, and passed it back. There’s a House in Harlem for Sale, from Buster Bailey and Roy Eldredge. (You can get the original on Amazon for 99₵.) Another favorite that started in Ragtime but became a jazz standard, Climax Rag.

Just the three of them – Billy, Jesse, and Bill, doing Jerome Kern’s Yesterdays, sweet ballad. (We couldn't get a decent picture of Bill Reynolds without window flash-back.)      

 Louis did this when he was 2nd trumpet to Joe Oliver - New Orleans Stomp – Jesse’s bass responding as well as  driving.

Snag It was a request, with Pilsbury playing softly on piano.

Fine trombone by Stan Vincent.         Nice!

The last tune brought reminiscences of Joe Rogers, sitting up front at the Sticky Wicket, as close as he could get to the band, cupping his ears to hear the high notes – a tumultuous Panama.

Bob Sundstrum's solo gave him a chance to show his stuff.  Bill Reynolds drum solo probably reached Joe Rogers down below.  He started with the snare drum, wood blocks, and bell, before moving to full-fledged powerful drumming on all of them, ending in his impressive drum rolls going on and on - marvelous. 

They closed  with one of their originals,  Sweet Rose of Cairo.

It was wonderful evening, full of great old tunes  and introducing us to to some new ones too.
We sincerely wish Peter Bullis a quick and complete recovery!