Continued: Yankee Jazz Beat

Bradley's collection also included newspaper articles about Armstrong, a sports coat, slippers and other clothing that Armstrong wore, part of the banister of the Colored Waif's Home in New Orleans where Armstrong learned to play the cornet, and many other items. During my visit to Bradley's home, I noticed that he had hundred of records, which were stored in every room except the bathroom.

In 2005, Bradley sold his Armstrong collection for $500,000 to Queens College, Queens, New York City, for display at the Armstrong Museum, located in the house in Corona, Queens, where Armstrong resided for 30 years. Much of the material has been transferred from Bradley's Cape Cod home to the college, the latest transfer taking place in September. The collection is being cataloged and will be put on display in 2010.

Ray Smith, host of the jazz radio program, Jazz Decades, tells me that the Sticky Wicket Pub in Hopkinton, Mass., has been torn down. Only the back wall is still standing, and, Smith commented, "There goes a million memories." The Sticky Wicket was home for the New Black Eagle Jazz Band for 19 years, and among the other traditional jazz bands playing there were the late John Sheehan's Heritage Jazz Band and Stan McDonald's Blue Horizon Jazz Band.

New England jazz advocate Marce Enright reports that after several years of thinking about it, vocalist Jane Campedelli (who now resides in Jacksonville, Fla.) organized a reunion of the East Bay City Jazz Band, Steamboat Stompers and Heritage Jazz Bands on Oct. 12 in Somerville, Mass.  New England musicians and fans filled the place to capacity, said Marce, who added, "Standing room only doesn't even describe it! The manager rented chairs so most could sit, but there were still people lining the walls. Even Foster Yeadon of the Sticky Wicket showed up from New Hampshire. It was a great, fun afternoon, bringing back many memories, especially of the musicians and fans that we've lost. We hope there will be more reunions like this."

The event was held at a nightclub called The Precinct, and among the participating musicians were trumpeter/guitarist Scott Philbrick, cornetists Fred Vigorito and Gid Loring, trombonist Joe Lontino, reedmen Noel Kaletsky and Bruce Burrell, pianist Robin Verdier, banjoist/vocalist Jimmy Mazzy, tubaist Al Bernard and vocalist Campedelli.

The New Black Eagles performed in concert Sept. 22 at the Traditional Jazz Series at the Johnson Theater, Paul Creative Arts Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham; Sept. 26 to 28 at Summit Jazz 2008, Denver, Colo.; and Oct. 4 on Cape Cod at the JazzFest, held in Marina Park, alongside the harbor at Falmouth, Mass.

Stan McDonald's Blue Horizon Jazz Band was at the Sherborn Inn Sept. 16, and  Swing Times Five played there Sept. 23. The Dave Whitney Quintet performed at the Sherborn Inn Sept. 30. With trumpeter/vocalist Whitney were Ben Goldstein on tenor saxophone and clarinet, guitarist Eric Baldwin, bassist Chris Rathbun, and drummer Reid Jorgensen. The quintet played tunes associated with Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Fats Waller, Louis Prima, and Slam Stewart, as well as swing tunes and ballads. Whitney tells me that Rathbun did a great bowed solo on Slam Stewart's "Slam-Slam Blues."

John Clark's Wolverine Jazz Quintet played some of the group's favorite tunes Sept. 17 at the Malden Library, Malden, Mass. With reedman Clark were cornetist Jeff Hughes, trombonist Tom Boates, banjoist Bob Sundstrom, and tubaist Rick MacWilliams. Clark's Wolverine Jazz Band performed at the Sherborn Inn Oct. 7. There will be no jazz at the Sherborn Inn in December, except for Jeff Hughes' Lost in the Sauce, which will be there the first Tuesday of the month.

The Cape Cod Jazz Society High School Jazz Ensemble played Oct. 5 at the Sturgis Library, Barnstable. CCJS is looking for new members. Check www.capecodjazzsociety.org or call (508)394-5277 for details.

Cornetist Fred Vigorito's Galvanized Jazz Band, of Connecticut, will appear at the Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic in Clearwater, Fla., from Nov. 21 to 23. GJB's guests will be trombonist Craig Grant, banjoist Bob Price, and vocalist Jane Campedelli. Go to www.jazzclassic.net for details. GJB's latest compact disc, Ice Cream... and Other Delights, has been released. It features GJB's sessions at this year's Great Connecticut Traditional Jazz Festival in Moodus, Conn. GJB's guests were trombonist Roy Rubinstein, clarinetist Paul Boehmke, saxist JP Alessi from France, and Price. For additional information concerning the new CD, check www.galvanizedjazz.com, GJB's website.

Two GJB CDs in the works include a session featuring trombonist Art Baron and Bob Price at Music Mountain, Falls Village, Conn., and a compilation of 1980 recordings with the late Nick Carella on trombone, the late Wayne Wright on guitar, and reedman Noel Kaletsky. Wright died last year, and Carella passed away July 4.

Bill Logozzo's Heartbeat Jazz Band, with trombonist Skip Hughes, played at Oliver's, a restaurant in Essex, Conn., on Sept. 18, and with trombonist Skip Hughes and Bob Price, at Oliver's Oct. 2.

The Jim Fryer-Red Balaban Swingtet appeared Aug. 13 at the Evergreen Retirement Community, North Branford, Conn. With trombonist Fryer and banjoist Balaban were Paul Boehmke and bassist Jim Tutunjian. On Aug. 14, Fryer played with the Bearcat Jazz Band at the Silvermine Tavern, Norwalk, Conn., and on Aug. 17, he was a guest artist with John Clark's Wolverine Jazz Band on the common at Wrentham, Mass.

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.

November 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

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