The Arizona Classic Jazz Society held its final Festival the first weekend in November—it was a bittersweet weekend with lots of music, friends and shared memories.
The Festival started Thursday night with four-hand piano masters, Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi followed by Boston-based Wolverine Jazz Band, local talent Cheryl’s Vintage Jazz and the Holland-Coots Quintet, minus Brian Holland. Chris Dawson subbed for Brian in both the Quintet and Groovus. Since it was Halloween, there were many costumes on the dance floor and lots of silly hats provided an air of conviviality.
Cheryl’s group brought in musicians from coast-to-coast with Marc Caparone (cnt), Katie Cavera (bj/gtr), Danny Coots (dr), Evan Dain (bs), Dan Levinson (reeds) and Howard Miyata (tb).
Friday started the day at 10:30 am with four venues packed with bands and attendees. The St. Louis Stompers arrived from Missouri and led the Parade in the late afternoon stopping at each venue and continuing the frivolity to the business strip outside the hotel. The Tucson band—Wildcat Jazz Band—had several sets and in keeping with the theme “Something Unexpected” started off with a Polka set—although a somewhat jazzy one!
(photo by Shelly Gallichio)
Other special sets included Cheryl’s band with two Western Swing sets complete with hats, fringe and boots. Additional special sets had a Banjo Blast featuring Rob Wright (Wildcat), Howard Alden and Bob Barta (Wolverines). A Swinging Christmas featured the Holland–Coots Quintet with the fun-to-watch Steve Pikal and the local Sun City Stompers paid tribute to Hoagy Carmichael emphasizing his many original and now standard tunes of the era. Another local group—Sentimental Breeze—provided the Latin jazz beat with appropriate rhythms. Stephanie & Paolo also had a special set with Nicole Pesce (We 3 + 1) and now featuring SIX hands on those two pianos!
Saturday had the St. Louis Stompers with an Eclectic Lite Jazz set and Tom Rigney & Flambeau with dueling violins courtesy of Suzanne Lansford (We 3 + 1).
The Clarinet Trio set featured John Clark (Wolverines), Dan Levinson (Cheryl’s Vintage) and John Otto (Holland-Coots), This has always been one of my favorite sets. One can never feature too many clarinets on a stage!
We 3 + 1 took us to France with banjo/guitar master Howard Alden and their special set “Vie en Rose”—they are such a talented group with lots of flair and charisma!
The Wolverines followed that with an Untrad Variety set complete with a variety of non-traditional tunes but on everyone’s radar in the genre.
The Wholly Cats Swing Club from Tucson were new to the festival this year. They were well received and certainly “swung” to the audience’s delight.
Sunday morning always begins with a Gospel set and the St. Louis Stompers’ leader, Steve Lilley (cnt) gave the back story to many traditional and well-known hymns. The composers and arrangers often had experienced a traumatic event before turning their tragedy into a tune. It was a very informative set and gave the lyrics that we all know some special meanings, understanding how the song was created and how it is now revered by many.
The Grand Finale is always something a bit different and this year it took us back to the California “dreaming” days with a tribute to the Beach Boys. The dozens of attendees from California were really in their groove as soon as the music started. Featuring three vocalists, two guitarists, a double keyboard and a large electronic drum set, the Southwest Surfers had the crowded dance floor giving off “good vibrations” with their iconic moves and slide stepping. Everyone instantly looked about 50 years younger and danced like they were too!!
The Sunday evening Afterglow provides a nice dinner and a chance for the musicians to unwind after a full weekend. Cheryl’s Vintage Jazz provided the entertainment and several musicians joined in before having to return home in the morning. I am always amazed at how any one of them can just “fit in” with an existing band and sound like they had rehearsed with them for dozens of days. They know when to put in all the right notes in all the right places—a phenomenon I truly enjoy watching. Several people expressed their gratitude to both Helen and Bill Daley for the 30+ years they have been involved with the Society and Festival while also on the Board of Directors for over 20 years.
A month later, the Arizona Classic Jazz Society held it final Sunday meeting on December 1st with entertainment provided by several members of the local groups: Cheryl’s Vintage Jazz, the Sun City Stompers, Sentimental Breeze and the Wildcat Jazz Band. Now it really was time to say goodbye to many friends made throughout the years and to wish both Helen and Bill Daley a grateful farewell. As it turns out we will probably see them at a few other California festivals over the next few years where they will be dancing and enjoying themselves without the responsibilities of managing a festival.
Our Arizona hills and mountains were alive with the Sound of Music and a good time was had by all.
