Continued: Jazz Warriors

Vickers proved his mettle at crisis management. He remembers, "At the appropriate time, I stated that since there wasn't a 21-sax salute available, I'd like to do a '48 reed salute.' He pulled out his chromatic harmonica and played a Charlie Parker tune. (Hampton subsequently produced a 21-sax salute some years later, when a large statue of Parker was unveiled in the 18th and Vine District of Kansas City.)

Other board members of AFJS remember Vickers as an effective president, and jazz clubs valued his advice and continued interest in their welfare.

Doctors Afield

One day, Vickers got an e-mail alert that a book entitled Doctors Afield was to be published, and the authors were looking for persons who had become outstanding in areas other than medicine.

"I nominated Jim Cerda, professor of gastroenterology at the U of Florida," says Vickers. "He was a classical and jazz pianist who became an admiral in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He was also a dynamic teacher. When he would be in our area, I'd invite him to dinner with a group of musicians. Then we'd have a jam session, and I'd invite various friends in to listen and for coffee and dessert. Jim played for several jazz society events, including an appearance at our Pensacola Jazz Fest. We just got the regular group of musicians together for that event.

"I didn't play with them. My job was mostly as a 'fixer' to make things happen. On a couple of occasions some of the Jazz Fest performers would invite me up for a guest spot on the chromatic harmonica, and I sometimes participate in jam sessions with the jazz society. We have a regular monthly jazz society program (third Monday of the month) as well as a regular jazz jam session (first Monday).

"I also nominated Eli Newberger, pediatrician at Harvard and professor at Boston Childrens Hospital. Eli is an excellent tuba player and pianist. He was a regular with Boston's New Black Eagle Jazz Band. They would perform weekly at a restaurant/bar and would tour. Eli made several recordings. One was a trio of banjoist/vocalist Jimmy Mazzy, Newberger on tuba, and clarinetist Joe Muranyi. Using their last names, they called it the M'N'M Trio".

Doctors Afield was published by Yale University. Dr. F. Norman Vickers is profiled in Chapter 9.

Vickers continues, "We had the M'N'M trio down for a Sunday jazz event for the Jazz Society of Pensacola. I arranged that Newberger would stay over and give 'grand rounds' for the physicians, especially pediatricians, at our local children's hospital on Monday. Eli put his tuba behind the podium and after it was over, we did a tuba-harmonica duet for 'marching-out' music!"

Jazz Society Goals

The Jazz Society of Pensacola (JSOP) is an organization of business and professional people, musicians, teachers, students and listeners working together for the purpose of advancing jazz music in Pensacola. Originating in 1983, JSOP is incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is affiliated with the Arts Council of Northwest Florida, and is a founding member of the American Federation of Jazz Societies (AFJS). For dates of concerts and festivals, go to www.jazzpensacola.com

The club's home page sets the following goals for the organization:

• Organize, underwrite and promote jazz in Pensacola
• Produce annual Pensacola Jazz Fest and semi-annual Jazz Fest
• Produce regular third-Monday Jazz Gumbos at Seville Quarter featuring regional jazz musicians
• Sponsor jazz jam sessions and concerts
• Conduct joint jazz ventures with local colleges and civic organizations
• Supply jazz books, videos and CDs in joint project with the West Florida Public Library
• Hold monthly meetings of JSOP Sparkplugs where members help make jazz happen
• Charter buses to attend festivals in New Orleans and other regional locations
• Sponsor jazz education in the schools and music scholarships to outstanding music students and support public access TV jazz shows promoting the art of jazz

This comprehensive list could serve as a model for other jazz societies. To see JSOP in action, consider attending the Pensacola Jazz Festival next year. After all, it's in the balmy spring month of April. How good can it get? You'd be able to enjoy the weather and the music and also shake hands with Dr. F. Norman Vickers, the man who has helped make jazz in Pensacola possible. We salute his cheerful and effective work. He's a true Jazz Warrior.

July 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

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