Ron L’Herault – MC – Vocals & Trombone
Carl Gerhard – Trumpet, Vocals – Music Director
Paul Peterson – Soprano Saxophone
Bill Kiesewetter – Keyboard
Jimmy Mazzy – Banjo/vocals
Bill Kass – Tuba
Dale Ellenberg – Drums

The Diehards opened with a rip-roaring South Bourbon St. Parade, moving to another hot one, the ODJB Royal Garden Blues.  Trumpeter Carl Gerhard effortlessly holding a long note.  Set everyone at the edge of their seats.

 

Carl Gerhard’s trumpet is resonant with feeling and warmth.  He was the Director and Bandmaster of Navy bands, retiring  after 30 years of service.  His true love is playing traditional jazz in the New Orleans style.  He took a fine vocal on the Ain’t She Sweet, the 1927 song that sold a million copies of sheet music!.

 

 

 

 

Paul Peterson played soft soprano sax on the Andy Raszof Eubie Blake tune, Memories of you.  Paul has been teaching music in the Bridgewater–Raynham School District, and executes dramatic and remarkable solos on the soprano sax.

 

 

 

 

Ron L’Herault MC’d, played tail-gait trombone, and sang many vocals; Five Foot Two, Sweet Sue, South Basin Street Blues. He sang a tune which started its life in a Yiddish Musical comedy production, “I Would If I Could.” In English it’s called “To Me You Are Beautiful,” but we all know it by its Yiddish title, Bei Mir Bis Tu Schoen.  

 

 

 

Avalon

 

 

 

Jimmy Mazzy was featured on Up a Lazy River – you could have heard a pin drop.  They give him a lot of room to play and sing, Darktown Strutter’s Ball, Give Me Your Telephone Number, Up a Lazy River,
Struttin’ With Some Barbecue

 

 

 

 

Bill KIesewetter plays excellent stride piano; he was influenced by Fats  Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Floyd Cramer and the Dukes of Dixieland.  Bill is retired from many years in the computer industry, and happy to be playing full time.

 

 

The rhythm section had “strength up the middle.”  They laid back on ballads but on a hot tune…look out!

 

 

 

Bill Kass’s tuba provided chords and a strong, steady, beat.  Check out his solo again on Struttin’ With Some Barbecue!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dale Ellenberg maintained that important Dixieland beat.  He introduced  Spencer Williams’  Everybody Loves My Baby, with Jimmy taking the vocal.

 

 

 

 

 

They closed this fantastic evening with the ubiquitous Closer Walk and The Saints:

The Diehards have a full schedule planned for this summer, most of them private.  The next public appearance is July 18, 7-9pm at The Old Stone Church
1st. Congregational Church, 785 South Main St, Raynham MA. 02767
508-822-6177