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Let Me Call You Sweetheart started with exciting rhythmic energy and tight ensemble. The men have an innate, instinctive feel for this music, and can turn any tune into hot, foot stomping, New Orleans Traditional Jazz Jazz is improvisation, the musicians don’t really know what’s going to happen next - they listen, and play off each other. Everyone knows Everybody Loves My Baby, it's an old war horse. They were confidently whipping through it when Jeff suddenly let out stunning high shrieks on his 1946 Olds Recording Cornet that caught everyone by surprise! Then he finished with a smooth solo, backed only by Fred's soft tuba beat. Jeff has a great deal of passion for this music, you never know what he'll do next! Running Wild exploded in a cacophony of sound, with Jimmy's primitive and wailing vocals driven by Jeff's cornet, stirring up the rest of the band. It's time for a slow one! Hoagie's New Orleans, smooth drum intro was followed by Tom's drawn-out Miff Mole mute and plunger trombone. Fabulous! Fred's tuba took the first chorus on a fiery I Can't Give You Anything But Love, with Jimmy on vocal. Pressed by leader Kingsbury's flailing fists in the air, the band went wild! What an incredible, versatile Trad Jazz Band!
That Da Da Strain had more real Old New Orleans ensemble polyphony, segueing into a Charleston Beat then back to Trad Jazz, John Halsey's fingers flying across the keyboard. Halsey is a PhD, music teacher and experienced professional musician who played regularly in New York with all the great Jazz Masters at Eddy Condon’s and Jimmy Ryan’s.
I'll Be Your Friend With Pleasure, another Jimmy Vocal, followed by cornet and trombone --- a combustible combination! The cornet led with sharp phrases, trombone responding, repeating the cornet's notes with quick, lively dexterity. Jeff and Tom continued the duel with Dr. Jazz, igniting the rest of the band. Sparks were flying! The dance floor was full, but nobody was dancing - all were standing and listening to the band. Found a New Baby was requested by one of the boat captains. It was a rambunctious finale, with trombone trading fours with drums, Tom's trombone almost crying. Cornet solo with drum backup, clarinet in the stratosphere, Mazzy's frenzied scatting, Fred sneaking in "Blue Skies" and "That's-a-Plenty" on tuba! It was WILD! That concluded this evening's Traditional Jazz at the Opening of the Bay. A Blues/Rock Band called Connected the Band took over at 8:30pm for dancing under the stars. The Williams Reunion Jazz Band continued the following day - Family Day, for an hour, before heading for the Amherst College Reunion to continue playing the music they have cherished: Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, Bix Beiderbecke and Hoagie Carmichael. The music of Classic American Jazz! Because of this Opening of the Bay fund-raiser, the Duxbury Bay Maritime School remains debt-free. Some Students shucked all-you-can-eat Island Creek Oysters at the raw bar, and others passed out heavy hors d’oeuvres. Also There was a Silent Auction and cash bar.
Scrumptious hors d'oeuvres were by The Silent Chef: wild mushrooms tartlets, chicken & shrimp dumplings, lobster empegnata, steak and ratatouille tappas, caramelized onions, veggies, and more. Delicious! There will be another Opening of the Bay Fundraiser next year, and the Williams Reunion Jazz Band will be back - Keep your May calendar open!! Check it out.... WRJB 2011 2009 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ © New England Traditional Jazz Plus ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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