[Dixielandjazz] Jim Cullum's Band and The Landing

[vaxtrpts at aol.com]

 I am in San Antonio for the Texas Music Educator's Associaton Clinic and Convention.  It is the largest state music educator's conference in the country.  There were about 22,000 people here for it this year.
Lots of good performances and clinics, and the biggest music industry exhibit floor next to the NAMM show. (National Association of Music Merchants - 80,000 people)  I was here to work in the Getzen Musical Instruments Booth.  
Of course, when in San Antonio, one MUST go the the Hyatt Hotel and go downstaris to The Landing, where the Jim Cullum band holds forth six nights a week.
Jim's band is one of my favorite bands in ANY idiom.  Their time is wonderful, their repertoire has to be one of the largest of any band in the history of jazz music, and their ability to change styles just has to be heard to be believed.  Each person is a great soloist and their ensemble work is just what you should expect for a band that plays together as much as they do -- in short -- as good as it gets.
I had the distinct pleasure to sit in with them three nights this week. They always make me feel right at home, and I really have a great time playing "fours" and "twos" with Jim.  His easy, relaxed style just flows out.  One of the things that I love about his playing, is that he can play the time just like Louis Armstrong.  He has that great feeling of syncoption and putting rhythms and notes in "just" the right place.
If you are ever in Texas, be sure to make it a point to get to San Antonio (a beautiful city, besides) and visit The Landing.  Even the radio shows don't give you the full enjoyment of seeing this band live!
Mike Vax