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Doctor John Clark's Wolverine Jazz Band (WJB), from Norwood, Mass., was featured May 2 to 4 at the Chattanooga Traditional Jazz Festival, Chattanooga, Tenn. On May 18, WJB played in concert for the Cape Cod Jazz Society at the Tilden Arts Center, Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable, Mass.

The Wolverine Jazz Band was at the Sherborn Inn June 10. Noel Kaletsky, playing clarinet and soprano and alto saxes, substituted for trombonist Tom Boates, who was leading his school orchestra in concert in Connecticut. The other WJB musicians were John Clark on clarinet and baritone sax, Jeff Hughes, Ross Petot, Jimmy Mazzy on banjo and vocals, tubaist Rick MacWilliams, and drummer Dave Didriksen. One of the highlights of the evening was the wonderful performance of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," featuring an exceptional clarinet duet and a Mazzy vocal, and Mazzy's vocal of "Sweet Jenny Lee from Tennessee" was also exceptional. There were fine solos from Petot, Clark on clarinet and Kaletsky on alto sax on "Caravan." Hughes' rendition of "Star Dust" was special, and each band member took a solo. Kaletsky's clarinet rendition, with rhythm backup, of "Running Wild" brought the house down. What an outstanding evening of music it was! It is understandable why WJB is getting a lot of festival work.

On June 5, Stan McDonald's Blue Horizon Five was featured at Ma Glockner's Restaurant, Bellingham, Mass. With McDonald were Jeff Hughes, guitarist Eric Baldwin, bassist Al Ehrenfried, and drummer Richard Malcolm. The quintet plays at Ma Glockner's from 7-10 p.m., the first Thursday of the month. Call (508) 966-1085 for reservations.

On May 10, the Brookline (Mass.) Chorus, directed by Lisa Graham, performed at the Duke Ellington Sacred Concert at the First Baptist Church, Newton Centre, Mass., and featured the White Heat Swing Orchestra, led by trumpeter Phil Person, and featured soprano Rochelle Ellis and tap dancer Aaron Tolson. The Back Bay Rhythm Makers Septet, composed of members of WHSO and featuring Jimmy Mazzy, performed during the evening of May 16 at the St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Cambridge, Mass.

The Guy Van Duser & Billy Novick acoustic guitar and clarinet duo appeared May 10 at the Amazing Things Arts Center, Framingham, Mass. Van Duser and Novick have performed together for more than 25 years in concerts, clubs and festivals in North America and Europe.

On May 16, jazz vocalist Steve Marvin worked with Don Pendleton and the Hal McIntyre Band at the Amazing Things Arts Center. Pendleton played drums with the Glenn Miller and Guy Lombardo Orchestras and also worked with Skitch Henderson and Ella Fitzgerald. Marvin on May 17 sang in a concert in a swinging tribute to Tony Bennett, with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, Plymouth, Mass. Radio personality Ron Della Chiesa was guest host. Marvin appeared May 22 with vocalist Rebecca Parris and her trio (pianist Brad Hatfield, bassist Peter Kontrimas and drummer Jim Latinni) at the Company Theater, Norwell, Mass., to benefit the Children's Cancer Society. On May 24, Marvin was accompanied by pianist Russ Hoffman, bassist John Pierce and drummer John Hazilla at the All Seasons Table, Malden, Mass.

Banjoist Lorrie Carmichael's Squirrel Hill Olde Tyme Band, based in Wayland, Mass., on June 2 ended its dinner and dance gig at the Dolphin Restaurant, Natick, Mass. On July 7, the band was scheduled to play by the Atkinson Pool, Sudbury, Mass.

From May 16 to 18, Connecticut cornetist Fred Vigorito played at four jazz clubs in Denmark, with clarinetist Kjeld Brandt and JP Alessi's French Preservation New Orleans Jazz Band, to SRO crowds, and, Vigorito said, upon his return from Copenhagen, "Denmark is beautiful, the people are beautiful, and they absolutely love New Orleans jazz. It was a wonderful tour, and they want us back for another tour in September 2009. Prices, on the other hand, are something else....Regular gas is $8.67 per gallon. In Holland, it's $12 per gallon. The funny thing is they don't talk about it. Instead, they buy smaller cars, motor scooters, and bicycles, bicycles, and more bicycles!"

Trombonist Jim Fryer played with the Bearcats Jazz Band at the Silvermine Tavern, Norwalk, Conn., on May 22, and he was featured there May 23 with the Usual Suspects: new pianist Janice Friedman, bassist Genevieve Rose and drummer Jesse Hameen II. Fryer appeared June 6 at Bill's Seafood, Westbrook, Conn., with the house All Stars. Fryer played there weekly during his 13 years in Connecticut.

Also in Connecticut, Fred Vigorito's Galvanized Jazz Band, with guest Tom Boates, performed June 1 at a jazz service at the First Congregational Church of Stonington. The Heartbeat Jazz Band, with guest trombonist Skip Hughes, performed June 5 at Oliver's in Essex.

If you have news of traditional jazz, swing or ragtime in New England, please e-mail me at algeob@aol.com or call me at (781) 762-9344. I'd like to learn more about what is happening in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont.

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