Continued: Jazz in the Heartland

Down the road, Orchestra Hall will host the Preservation Hall Jazz Band Oct. 12; Branford Marsalis Oct. 25 and March 29, 2009, versatile Nicholas Payton. The latter is among the mostly modern artists on Blue Note Records' 70th Anniversary Tour Band on the 2008-09 Minnesota Orchestra`s Weekender Pops Series. On its Sommerfest series, the Minnesota-based Jack Brass Band will perform July 27 and trumpeter Terrence Blanchard will host a "Jazz at the Movies" program July 31. That should be great news for KBEM jazz station host Ed Jones, who has a jazz-in-films program himself, www.jazz88fm.com. For tickets and other info, (612) 371-5600, Minnesotaorchestra.org.

Now, if only we could convince Orchestra Hall management to establish a series of Sunday afternoon trad jazz, ragtime and concerts of other musics favored by RAG readers. Orchestra Hall management somehow fails to understand how well these would draw, given the loyalty and relative affluence of trad and ragtime fans who are starved for live performances, especially seniors (including this one) who generally seem to much prefer (Sunday) afternoons to evenings. Speaking of seniors, 92-year-old Waukesha, Wisc., native guitar pioneer/legend Les Paul just keeps on pluckin', www.aarpmagazine.org March/April.

Media Matters: It's not too early to sign up for the EarlyJas (Northeast Ohio) Fall Jazz Festival Sept. 26-28: Buffalo Ridge Jazz Band; Dave Greer's Classic Jazz Stompers; Devil Mountain Jazz Band; Paramount Jazz Band of Boston and St. Louis Stompers. Details in their newsletter, www.EarlyJas.org.

The March issue of Notes to You, newsletter of the Illiana (Illinois-Indiana) Club of Traditional Jazz previews club events with The John Burnett Swing Orchestra April 20 and The Barb City Stompers May 18, plus jazz memories of club member Jim Bock; a report on Germany's Jazz O'Maniacs and info on bands and events in the Heartland, www.illianajazz.com.

The Winter edition of Bix Notes, newsletter of the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society, announces the lineup for this year's festival July 24-27; mourns the death of club mainstay Connie Andrews; thanks retiring long-time Society treasurer Annie Peart for her good work and offers still more new features and angles to the life and times of their hero, www.bixsociety.org.

Born in Chicago, reared in Fresno, Calif, and a resident of Minnesota since 1985, reeds specialist Peter Dovidio, a veteran of several Tex Beneke bands, died in St. Paul Feb. 23 at 75, www.startribune.com March 12.

When it comes to musician jokes, you can't beat the irrepressible former Minnesota washboardist/drummer Mike Schwimmer, now residing on Cape Cod, Mass.:

A jazz musician got to a gig early and the club owner said, "You're early! What happened?" The musician quickly replied, "I underslept!"

A very intense, self-absorbed saxophone player is sitting at the bar after playing all night. A beautiful woman shyly approaches him and says, "Excuse me, I hate to intrude, but I just have to tell you that I saw you play tonight. I have never been so deeply affected by music before. It's like it woke up my mind and my heart. It also woke me up as a woman. Your music touched me so deeply that I just want to take you home with me and make mad passionate love to you all night long." The saxophone player stares at her for a moment and asks, "Did you see the first set or the second set?"

Warren Covington used to have an arrangement of "Tea for Two Cha-Cha" that had a carefully rehearsed break on the downbeat of the 15th measure, with total silence until the beginning of the 17th. One night, Doug Mettome found the opening irresistible. When the band hit the break, Doug stood up and shouted, "Pennsylvania six, five thousand!" The rest of the band did not come back in on the 17th bar, or anywhere else. They had all collapsed with laughter.

A vocalist hired a piano player to accompany her at an audition for a night-club job. After listening to a couple of songs, the owner said, "Can you sing 'When Sonny Gets Blue?' It's my favorite song. If you can sing it, you're hired." The singer whispered to the piano player, "I don't know it all the way through." The piano player said, "I know it. Go ahead and start, and I'll prompt you." Reluctantly, she began: "When Sonny Gets Blue . . ." She looked at the piano player for help. He whispered confidently, "B-flat minor ninth."

One night, a front man said to the drummer, "When the band starts to swing, I want you to play more on the ride cymbal." The drummer replied, "When the band starts to swing, will you please raise your hand?"

A female vocalist goes for an audition for a show. When it's her turn, she calls "I'll Remember April" in D- flat. "D-Flat?" the piano player exclaims. Taken aback, she replies "Yes, D-flat. Is that too fast?"

Two New York City jazz musicians get a gig in Chicago, but have to drive separate cars. When the trumpet player arrives at the gig, he's told the sax player has been killed tragically on a bridge in Indiana. He's totally confused. "Man, what are you talking about? There's no bridge in Indiana!"

It's no laughing matter; please send me your news by the fifth of the month preceding publication: Will Shapira, 5644 Morgan Av. S., Minneapolis MN 55419; wshapira@aol.com. No attachments, thanks, later.

April 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.