Vibist Jack Fanning moves to the the keyboard as he creates a MIDI arrangement in his home studio in Warm Mineral Springs, Fla. His innovative "Shadows" show has proven to be very popular.

Vibist Jack Fanning Casts
Big Musical Shadow

Text and Photos by Bob Byler

Music by Jack Fanning and Shadows, featuring Fanning on vibes and vocals with a MIDI system "orchestra," draws Florida Suncoast fans to restaurants, parties and wherever he performs. He developed this specialty 15 years ago and creates shows from an 800-tune computerized repertoire.

Fanning also has led combos for Sarasota and Venice Jazz At Two concerts, senior center dances and other events. He toured in Germany four times with reedman Peter Buhr's quartet and played with it at weekly park concerts in Venice and other venues. He will soon embark on a second German tour with pianist Johnny Varro and was in Varro's bands at two Venice jazzfests.

Jack Fanning was on vibes at the first Venice (Fla.) Jazz Festival, Sept.29, 2007. He was in pianist Johnny Varro's quintet with clarinetist Bud Leeds, guitarist Dave Trefethen and bassist Richard Drexler.

The shadow Fanning has cast also stretches to California. He was founding president of the Monterey Jazz Society and among advisers who helped start Sacramento Jubilees in 1974. He played in and led bands and organized some to play in jubilees.

No wonder then that Fanning has legions of fans. Besides swinging jazz, his musical range also spans dance, popular, big band, concert and Latin music. He plays in weekly jazz jams at Venice's Harmony House and gladly hauls his vibes to many musical outings.

When Fanning plays "Sweet Georgia Brown," "Avalon" or "Flying Home," influences of Benny Goodman and Lionel Hampton are evident. German fans also gave him ovations for his vocal on "Shine." Some tunes on his Shadows CD are "The Shadow of Your Smile," "Route 66" and "Wonderland By Night." "Willow Weep for Me" is another favorite. His sister, Kay, sang with him for a decade, and their duets included "Georgia on My Mind" and "Lida Rose."

"I like many kinds of music, but favor the traditional and wasn't into modern jazz where soloists play a lot of notes and little melody," he says.

Beginnings in Baltimore

Jack Fanning was born in Baltimore, Md., in 1929, lived in several states and went from 6th grade through high school in The Bronx, N.Y. "I played drums in the marching band, piano and even a valve bugle and fife," he recalls. "Our favorites were Glenn Miller and the big swing bands. In New York City I heard shows by Vaughn Monroe's orchestra and Nat Cole's trio at intermissions."

He had piano lessons from his mother at age five. She was a fan of Lena Horne and others, but his father thought jazz and swing was just "noise." Then he was hooked after hearing Louis Armstrong's Hot Five on records at a schoolmate's home and also discovered big band swing.

Jack Fanning and clarinetist Peter Buhr are shown in a 2005 concert at Centennial Park where they played for two seasons.  Other regulars were drummer Al Pierce, bassist Mike Fiore and pianist Ron Barber.

October 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

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