No Musical Turkeys at Thanksgiving Festival
Continued

A French band, Sac a Pulses, is a five-member combo including, on tuba and as announcer, Gary Kiser, whose mother, Racy, runs the very popular jazz clothing and knickknacks stall at this and many other West Coast festivals. The soprano sax player, Christian Vaudecranne, was featured in a session which focused on Sydney Bechet.

We were really impressed at the maturing and cohesion shown by the women in the Mighty Aphrodite Jazz Band. The guitarist for these sessions was Melissa Collard. The trombonist, Emily Asher, is moving to New York City but might play in the band occasionally. As always, band co-leaders Bria Skonberg, trumpet, and Claire McKenna, reeds, were outstanding.

Gremoli mourned the loss of their clarinetist and leader, Ron Going, devoting one session as a memorial tribute to him. Playing clarinet in his place was Walter Sereth, formerly with the Golden Eagle Jazz Band. Marc Caparone played bass for them.

There was one session that featured Swing dancers, 2toGroove, at the festival.

We heard other bands which we always enjoy: The Yerba Buena Stompers, Titanic, Uptown Lowdown, Grand Dominion and Buck Creek jazz bands. A special treat was the return of the Heliotrope Ragtime Orchestra (San Diego), co-led by trumpeter Bruce Vermazen who has written a book on the history of the Brown Brothers. The band included festival director Alan Adams on trombone. This is an excellent orchestra and, we're happy to say, will be back next year.

As usual, the festival offered a Pianorama, which features many of the festival's musicians playing for 30-minute sessions. Virginia Tichenor (Eggers) organized and hosted this series of solo piano sessions. The previous weekend she had served as the musical director for the West Coast Ragtime Festival in Sacramento, which we may attend next year. One of the solo pianists, Mimi Blais, drew standing room crowds and rave reviews.

Four bands played gospel-oriented sessions on Sunday morning. The Night Blooming Jazzmen provided song booklets, so the audience could join in. The Queen City Jazz Band was enhanced by their vocalist, Wende Harston, who sang a number of well-loved hymns. The Yerba Buena Stompers and the Grand Dominion Jazz Band played traditional jazz spirituals.

There were 10 local bands, many of which included former attendees of the January Adult Jazz Camp sponsored by the AFCDJS (American's Finest City Dixieland Jazz Society). This organization is doing a wonderful job in helping to keep traditional jazz alive in the San Diego area.

It's impossible to cover every session and every band at this music-filled festival, so we have tried to highlight sessions that were unique or especially enjoyable to us. Other very popular bands appearing at the festival were Cornet Chop Suey, the Climax Jazz Band, the Meijers Quartet, the Side Street Strutters, Wally's Warehouse Waifs and High Society. Dick Williams led JazzSea jam sessions in one venue throughout the festival.

The 2008 festival will be held Nov. 26-30. As always, we recommend staying at the host hotel, the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center. It is well worth a few extra dollars to be on site and in such pleasant surroundings. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Executive director Alan Adams and co-director Hal Smith should be commended for their tireless efforts in putting on a wonderful weekend of jazz. Also to be commended are the staff of DSR Audio, led by Desmond Warren, and Alan Adams' son, Bill Adams, who oversees all the logistics of setting up and taking down venues.

February 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

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