A special treat this evening was Nuages, sung in French by fine
chanteuse, Molly Malone, in reverence to Billie Holiday. This was the
first time we've ever heard lyrics to this Django's tune, never mind in French!
She followed that with Sophie Tucker's Some Of These Days.
Molly will return to the Sherborn Inn on June 23rd with the Gypsy Jazz
Band, Sinti Rhythm.
The evening continued with barn burner Running Wild, and Wild
Man Blues; and for the dancers, Stan's soprano sax solo on a sensual Love For Sale.
Robin's supple fingers, harmonically exploring, bouncing and striding, and
Dave Bragdon's austere Traditional Jazz drumming lent superb finishing touches
and stimulating ensembles.
Approaching the end of the evening, Stout's inventive trumpet work was featured on
Louis's Sleepy Time Down South, with a dynamic solo on acoustic bass by
Al Ehrenfreid.
McDonald understands the spirit of Sidney Bechet, and presented it with reverence and
affection on Si Tu Vois Ma Mère, (aka) Remember Me, (the title of
a Blue Horizon CD.) while Jeff's trumpet responded, solemnly beseeching, from the far end of the room. Absolutely
stunning!
They closed with an energetic, upbeat, Lover Come Back to Me. The old
Stan was back - in rare form. The Blue Horizon Jazz Band will return
to the Sherborn Inn on May 19th with more fine Traditional Jazz.
Stan McDonald's
Blue Horizon Jazz Band
plays the third Tuesday of every
month at the Sherborn Inn at the intersections of Routes 16 & 27 in
Sherborn, MA.
Boston born
and bred Stan McDonald began a long career playing alto sax in traditional jazz
with the Log Cabin Band in Dedham Massachusetts in 1952 when he was 17.
Harvard PhD, Walt Miller was on trumpet, Tommy Benford on drums. Tommy told Stan that
his style reminded him of his old friend Sidney Bechet. Entering U-Mass Amherst, Stan met
Tony Pappas, a cornetist, and soon dropped the alto for a soprano sax and began learning clarinet.
Gil Roberts, an old-time banjo man, was a maintenance man at an Amherst fraternity.
They formed
the he New Orleans Jazz Doctors, featuring Roberts's irrepressible banjo,
vocals, and showmanship, playing at college parties and concerts through New England and New
York State.
This band persisted through 1962, with support from drummers Eddy Marshall,
Jimmy Parker,
trombonists Gil Poyton, Cliff Carr, Stan Vincent, pianists Paul Waldron, Bob
Pilsbury and Robin
Verdier.
Graduating
in 1958, Stan headed to Paris for the summer to study French. He carried
with him a note to Sidney Bechet from Tommy Benford, urging Bechet to "treat him
right", but Bechet was
on tour. Stan met
two of Sidney's cohorts, Mezz Mezzrow and Albert Nicholas, but Bechet, the
greatest influence on Stan's playing,
died
the following spring.
Stan came home and began a two-year stint in the Army, taking clarinet lessons at the U.S. Navy
School of Music in Washington D.C., where he managed to play with the likes of
Slide Harris, Stuff Smith, and guitarist Danny Barker. For the next 1 1/2
years, he played solo clarinet in the 25th Infantry division Band in Hawaii, and kept in
shape sitting in at piano bars in Waikiki. He returned
to the Historic Jazz Band in Boston, playing Morton, Oliver and Ellington compositions,
plus original rags by pianist Robin Verdier. On trumpet was Stan's old pal
Walt Miller. From 1969-1971, playing music was sporadic. Then he met Tony Pringle, of the Black
Eagle Jazz Band, whose
founder and reed man Tommy Sancton had left for a Rhodes' Scholarship.
Pringle took the New Black Eagle Jazz Band to the Sticky Wicket Pub, in Hopkinton Massachusetts on
Halloween of 1971 with Stan McDonald on reeds. The band played countless clubs, concerts, TV,
radio and festivals throughout
the US and Europe, and many nights at the Sticky Wicket Pub, gaining world-wide
recognition and acclaim.
(Above Notes excerpted from liner notes of the LP "Dawn of the Blue Horizon Jazz
Band", Stan McDonald at Sandy's Jazz Revival, written by Alan C. Webber,
Silver Spring MD in January 1983.)
In 1981 Stan left the Eagles and with the help of Ellen, his wife, manager and biggest fan, started his own band,
Blue Horizon Jazz Band – named for Bechet’s clarinet solo composition Blue Horizon.
The rest is history. Led by McDonald's power, proficiency and passion for the
music, the band has played this revered style of traditional jazz all over the
country for 28 years - with many more years to go. Stop by the
Sherborn Inn on the 3rd Tuesday each month and see/hear for yourself!
www.bluehorizonjazzband.com
Ellen McDonald
