[Dixielandjazz] Sacramento

[Bruce Stangeland]

Bob,

My wife and I enjoyed the Sacramento Jazz Festival last weekend. The
attendance seemed smaller than last year. She likes zydeco and got to hear
her favorites (Zydeco Flames - full house).

Memorable moments for me were:
-----------------------------------------

1. Watching the Mighty Aphrodite bassist break a string and keep playing. I
think she then broke another string and asked for a loaner. (I heard that
the one she was playing was also a loaner). Another bass appeared in a few
minutes and she started playing again as the full house roared its
encouragement. The energy, enthusiasm, and musical ability of this young
group were great.

2. Listening to the Royal Garden Trio from Detroit. I lead a trio so I
wanted to see them. Their unusual instrumentation was: guitar, cello, and
tenor guitar/clarinet. Jim Cullum was in the audience, and he agreed to join
them for a tune. He looked like he enjoyed the experience. Sitting in the
back of the room was Jean Kittrell of the Jazz Incredibles. She was having
lunch while waiting to perform the next set. She thought the group was
amazing.

3. Listening to the Jazz Incredibles. We have enjoyed Jean and Red Lehr for
many years, and were sorry to hear that John Becker, their fabulous former
banjoist, isn't playing much these day.

4. Listening to several of the youth bands. Supporting the youth programs
seems like a great way to keep our music alive, played, and listened to. The
Au family from Sacramento had two of their members in these bands. I heard
the "New Traditionalists"  play some unfamiliar tunes, including "Blizzard
Head Blues" and New Orleans Masquerade". These both appear in Messiner's
jazz ensemble arrangements "Dixieland Beat". I wonder if that's a standard
source for young bands.

5. Running into Tom Belmessieri and Rich Owens in the Fat City Cafe and
later hearing Rich blow away the audience with a piano solo during the
Natural Gas JB set. I told Rich afterwards that it took me almost 2 minutes
to identify his solo as "Georgia". Phil Crumley was standing nearby, and
said it had taken him awhile to identify the tune also.

I got a chance to play two church services in Sacramento with the Joyful
Noise Jazz Band. One of the members of the congregation asked our leader if
he was playing in the festival. He said "No, we'd need an invitation to
play. He suggested that it helps to know the right people in order to get an
invitation.
(I have heard similar comments from the leader of another band I play with,
which was a frequent performer in the early days of the festival).

My wife and I hope there is a Festival to attend again next year.

Cheers,
Bruce Stangeland
Berkeley banjoist