Dixie Diehards Dixieland Jazz Band
at the Sherborn Inn, April 10, 2012
by Marce
The Dixie Diehards Jazz Band promised and delivered "a heady dose
of New Orleans traditional jazz, second line street parade music,
gospel and early jazz classics" at the Sherborn Inn.
Alan Shapiro trumpet/Music Director, Rick Foster trumpet/vocals, Dolly Fruzzetti
vocals, Bill Dube clarinet, Paul Peterson saxophone, Ron
L’Herault trombone, Chris Wadsworth banjo, Steve Shaw tuba,
Dr. Dale Ellenberg drums.
Alan
Shapiro, 1st trumpet (left) leads the Dixie Diehards.
Rick Foster 2nd trumpet on many tunes. |
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Rick Foster has
many rolls as
ebullient interlocutor,
vocalist, trumpeter, and Historian - with extensive knowledge
of the early jazz repertoire.
His vocals are
relaxed and natural; he understands the lyrics, and takes us places
with the songs.
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We took the first trip down to New Orleans, with the band
in classic jazz polyphony on Way Down Yonder in New Orleans. Nice
clarinet solo by Bill Dube, Ron on muted trombone, Peterson on tenor sax,
trumpets in fine
freewheeling ensemble!
They continued that era with the 1902 Scott Joplin's Entertainer,
and the 1919 Rag. Bourbon St. Parade began nice and easy, but
quickly turned into a barn burner!
Rick explained that much of the early jazz started out as
spiritual, but the next one had some ‘country’ in it – Lonesome Road.
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Ron L'Herault was filling in on trombone, reedman Bill Dube has
amazing command of the tenor sax as well as clarinet. |
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Classic jazz started in New Orleans, and spread all over
the world. Another early number, Yellow Dog Blues, is actually about a
railroad. West Coast Jazzers jump up and shout during the breaks, but stoic
New Englanders sit and just listen! Maybe some West Coast, or
Potomac River Jazz, Tri-State Jazz, Pennsylvania Jazz, New Jersey Jazz Society
members could come here and teach us?
Rick introduced charming and charismatic Dolly
Fruzzetti, for W. C. Handy’s St. Louis Blues.
Dolly sang All of Me for an avid fan, Lynn Sickle,
whose birthday was the next day. The
Sherborn Inn staff had a ‘cake’ of ice cream ready for her to
make a wish. (We didn’t ask her what she wished for, but
I’ll bet it was for much more Dixieland Jazz.)
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Many of
the New Orleans tunes were morose; those were tough times. St. James Infirmary Blues
refers to someone's deceased lover. Funeral marches always began
with a slow, somber beat. After the internment, the tone
changed, and the
marchers celebrated the deceased’s great life,
with the “second line” following the band back to town. Dixie
Diehards demonstrated with a lively, upbeat Didn’t He Ramble. Feet were stomping - it was difficult to sit still - we
should have brought our parasols!
Influenced
by Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich,
Dr. Dale Ellenberg maintains a heady tempo. |
Steve Shaw brings a
wealth of experience to the band with a powerful oompah tuba beat. |
Rick jumped ahead a few years with a vocal on Jambalaya
(and a crawfish pie and file' gumbo.) Soprano sax and clarinet soared with the
melody, bouncing off each other.
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Banjo player Chris Wadsworth let loose with a rapid right hand
on a lively I’m Alabamy Bound. Fantastic!
(You might remember him playing
with Jean Kelly at the Colonial Inn.)
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We moved back to 1927 with Bix Beiderbecke’s Singing The Blues
(‘til My Baby Comes Home)
Jazz has had all kind of connotations and changes over
the years. Duke Ellington transitioned to Swing in the late 1920’s.
The drums kicked off Ellington's The Mooche, Ron L’Herault on
muted trombone, Peterson driving on soprano sax, Dube on terrific trilling clarinet.
Today Wynton Marsalis is promoting the old classic jazz,
encouraging the next generation with the Essentially Ellington High School
Jazz Band Competitions. (Medfield High School is one of the 15 finalists who
will participate May 4-6 at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
The Diehards played a tune Wynton Marsalis wrote, Happy Feet
Blues, drum intro with a second line beat, Chris banjo solo; sounding just like New Orleans street music!
We were delighted to have the gracious Dolly back for a number of
tunes, Louisiana, Blue Skies, Second Hand Rose, Stranger on the Shore. She is a joy!
Dolly has a long and impressive list of credits as a piano player, singer and
entertainer.
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Rick has always maintained a strong devotion
to Louis
Armstrong. He
returned with a wistful Do You Know What It Means To
Miss New
Orleans? and I’m Gonna
Sit Right Down And Write Myself a Letter. Great ensemble by
the Diehards, with Ron
hitting lowest register on the trombone that caught everybody by
surprise.
They wrapped it up with the ubiquitous Closer Walk,
with a whistled segue to the Saints, concluding another fine
Tuesday afternoon of Dixieland Jazz at the Sherborn Inn. There’s lots more
coming – check the Schedule.
Thank you Dixie Diehards Dixieland Jazz Band, and Dolly
Fruzzetti, for taking us on a marvelous trip back in time to New Orleans!
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To see more Recent and Past Performances click here.
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