Continued: Jazz in the Heartland

The Madison,Wis. Jazz Society will mark its 25th anniversary in 2009 and has announced  education grants to a number of Wisconsin institutions. Pres. Linda Marty Schmitz says survivors of Cliff Reynolds, former director of the Central Illinois Jazz Festival who died Sept. 2, have given MJS his collection of records and tapes. Those interested in obtaining some may contact Schmitz at marsch@chorus.net; www.madisonjazz.com, or (608) 850-5400.

Are you in the mood to help the Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum get up and running? If so, contact them at the Glenn Miller Birthplace Society, 107 E. Main St., PO Box 61, Clarinda, Iowa 51632 or  (712) 542-2461 (gmbs@heartland.net or www.glennmiller.org). Calls will NOT be accepted at PEnnsylvania 6-5000.

An all-star group of mostly modern jazz musicians dubbed The Blue Note 7 (but including versatile trumpeter Nicholas Payton) will tour the U.S. in 09 to celebrate the label's 70th anniversary. Blue Note began as a trad jazz label but moved towards modern over the years.  Heartland stops include Kansas City Feb. 20; Omaha Feb. 21;  St. Louis Feb. 22; Detroit March 13; Chicago March 16 and March 20;  Columbia, Mo. March 19; Appleton, Wisc.  March 21; Sheboygan, Wisc. March 23; Sioux Falls, S.D. March 25; Lincoln, Neb. March 26; Ames, Iowa March 27; Milwaukee March 28 and Minneapolis March 29. FFI don@jazzpublicity.com

Bruce Allard, an important figure for decades in Twin Cities music, both classical and jazz, has died at age 63. No details were available by press time, but Allard had been battling pancreatic cancer since it was diagnosed in February. He lived with his son, Brady Allard,  in Seattle, Wash., for his final months. Allard was a violinist with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Golden Strings hotel ensemble as well as a trumpet player with the Levee Loungers and Barbary Coast Banjo Brass in the 1960s, and on trumpet and jazz violin with the Upper Mississippi Jazz Band, his own Blue Salad Jazz Band and the Mouldy Figs in recent years. His last appearance in the Twin Cities was at a Mouldy Figs tribute to him April 20 at the Mainstreet Bar & Grill in Hopkins, a Minneapolis suburb. Although weakened by his illness, Allard played a set on flugelhorn. Plans for a memorial are pending. Thanks to Dick Parker, Roseville, Minn. banjoist and journalist, for this report.  

Media Matters: The September newsletter of the Catfish Jazz Society (Iowa-Illinois) previewed its Oct. 11 Mississippi River cruise and mourned the death of reeds player Matt Craighead III; catfish jazz@yahoo.com

The September issue of Northeast Ohio's Earlyjas Rag profiled lyricist Dorothy Fields and offered record reviews and area gigs listings, www.EARLYJAS.org.

Those interested in vintage recording techniques will want to read "Wax in My Ears: An Online Journey"in the Sept. 10 Wall Street Journal. The Sept. 8 Wall Street Journal profiled veteran record publicist-producer Orrin Keepnews'  journey from jazz classics to modern and back to classics.

Now I've heard everything: how about a jazzy alphornist from Switzerland? That was in the Sept. 23 Wall Street Journal.

Please send me your news by the fifth of the month preceding publication: Will Shapira, 5644 Morgan Av. S., Minneapolis MN 55419 or wshapira@aol.com, no attachments. Thanks. Later.

October 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

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