From the Sacramento Hot Jazz Jubilee 2024

We attended the 9th Annual Celebration of the Sacramento Hot Jazz Jubilee over Labor Day weekend. There were eight in our group, with six of us attending for the first time. It was fantastic and we plan to go again next year! An easy flight from Tucson through Las Vegas got us to Sacramento in time for an impromptu jam session on Thursday evening that introduced us to the many musicians that arrived early. The mix of musicians was a never-to-happen-again event with Jason Wanner, Stephanie Trick, Paolo Alderighi, Brian Holland, and Todd Morgan playing what was ten hand piano while scooching each other off or on the piano bench; master clarinetist Dave Bennett enjoying a duet with teenager Nathan Tokunaga; Brian Casserly adding some trumpet magic and Yve Evans (v/p) with her trio, Larry Washington (dr) and Richard Taylor (bs), gave us a preview of what to expect this wonderful weekend.

Aside from the unscheduled Thursday night session, music began on Friday at 12:30 pm until about 10:30 pm, with each following day beginning at 9:30 am – there were four separate venues with a fifth evening venue beginning at 7:00 pm each night through to 4:00 pm Monday.

Hundreds of hours of music available in one hotel!

Additional “special guest” artists included Bill Dendle (bj), Marilyn Keller (v), Ron Jones (dr), and Shelley Denny (bs). There were a few California bands that were unfamiliar and we really enjoyed them:

Auchestra with Justin Au (tp), Brandon Au (tb) with uncle Howard Miyata (tb) and others.

The Crescent Katz did a terrific tribute to the Firehouse Five Plus Two complete with sirens, hats and special sound effects. The Walt Disney Studios band from the early ’40s was made up of animators and Imagineers who enjoyed working together and ended up forming a band which Walt endorsed. The audience was captivated! I have mentioned in previous columns that I was a Shakey’s Pizza parlor addict in Tucson and spent hundreds of hours there and at popular sing-a-long venues in Chicago and Tucson. Fun memories! One of attendees brought a vintage Harper Goff (one of the original Firehouse members) banjo for leader Greg Sabin to strum on a number. He was visibly enthralled and handled the instrument with extreme admiration.

I’m hoping that maybe next year they perform a tribute to Spike Jones!

The Brass Nickels with vocalist Jan Sutherland is greatly influenced by West Coast legends Turk Murphy and Lu Watters. With Bob Williams (tb) as leader, the band excels in the trad revival of that period.

Carl Sonny Leyland (p) has an extensive repertoire in boogie woogie, blues, ragtime and early/trad jazz and is always a welcome addition to any line-up. Groovus with Danny Coots (dr), Brian Holland (p) and Steve Pikal (bs) is an aptly named trio. What can be better than “grooving” with your pals both on and off the stage! A Groovus fan had t-shirts made stating “I’m with the Pickle”—Steve’s nickname. It was a loving tribute and caused a quite a few laughs.

High Street Band from Idaho and Oregon, command “party central” and with vocalist Emily Stanton, their “dance-ability” meter went off the charts!

Katie Cavera (bj/gtr) and The Lost Boys has multi-instrumentalist, Clint Baker as its silent leader/arranger along with a not-lost girl, Crystal Holloway, in addition to Jason Wanner or Carl Sonny Leyland (p), Nathan Tokunaga (reeds), Sam Rocha (bs) and special guest Ali Affleck (v) from Scotland. Ali arranged a recent tour of Europe with Katie and was now being featured in the US singing in the style of Bessie Smith and other female songbirds in the ‘20s and ‘30s. Ali did a spot-on rendition of “Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues”—one of my all-time favorites! She also spoke a bit on the history of Storyville, the “district” in New Orleans and mentioned that sometimes, the “blues” had a different meaning in several well-remembered songs!

San Lyon also features Katie Cavera on bass with this quartet, specializing in a mix of early 20th century Parisian Gypsy Swing and American jazz standards.

Parker Weis and the Weis Guys are a young group with Parker (cl) at the helm. Parker was in the Thursday night jam session and I was impressed with his playing right away.

Shaymus Hanlin Quartet out of Oregon emphasizes the Great American Songbook in its sets. Shaymus (v) has a voice reminiscent of that era.

Todd Morgan and the Emblems bring a new meaning to classic rock. Todd (gtr/p/dr) is also a writer, arranger and vocalist and proficient on either instrument while “rocking” the night away.

Tom Rigney and Flambeau specialize in the Cajun/New Orleans sound, blues and anything “fiddle” in the American roots genre. Bassist Sam Rocha is with several bands and is an occasional vocalist with an endearing smile.

It was very exciting to hear the powerful youth bands from the Sacramento area. The Tower Bridge Trad jazz combo and River City Swingers big band are both components of the Sacramento Youth Band (SYB) founded in 1957 by W. Russell Kline. With weekly rehearsals, the student band members form everlasting bonds and travel experience throughout California. The SYB also has two additional ensembles featuring a symphonic/parade band and a concert band.

The Syncopating Sea Monkeys of River City, formed in 1997, boasts 20 members in the 14-18 age group with their director, Felicia Weatherly, a former student with the Sacramento Jazz Education Foundation’s (SacJEF) various programs. Her direction guides the original arrangements of their creative efforts and after their recent trip to New Orleans, their combined passions.

The New Traditionalists (TNT) and their “BOOM” tagline is directed by Bob Williams (tb) and again these student musicians often perform their own arrangements of standard early jazz numbers. As part of the Sacramento Jazz Education Foundation (SacJEF) programs, the band rehearses weekly and performs at many local events throughout the year.

There were many highlights of this wonderful weekend and one of them was a set titled “Benny and Bechet” with Dave Bennett (cl), Nathan Tokunaga (cl/sx), Jason Wanner (p), Pete Siers (dr) and Shelley Denny (bs).

Nathan did an outstanding solo on “Body and Soul” while veteran clarinetist Dave Bennett gave him the well-deserved spotlight. Be sure to reference Lew Shaw’s front page article about Nathan in the October issue of The Syncopated Times.

Nicole Pesce (p) had several sets in the evening venue at RJ’s Cabaret, one with Ron Jones (drumming at his last festival performance after 70 years) and Shelley Denny (bs). Surprise guest Renee Grant Patrick treated us to her vocal expertise and is a member of Nicole’s band (We 3+1) in the Phoenix area. Renee’s father was one of the many Ink Spots and her mother was a Mo-town artist, so she definitely has a grand musical heritage. We look forward to seeing them both in Chandler next month, along with quite a few other musicians who were also at this Labor Day event.

On one set, Brandon Au played a double bell euphonium—a what?—a small tuba with two bells. Both the Au brothers are fun to watch and they also enjoy the performance aspect of their art. Under the tutelage of their uncle, former High Sierra member, Howard Miyata (tb), how could they not be?

Both Bill Dendle (bj) and Jason Wanner (p) have also had an affiliation with Disney establishments in either Florida or California. There are so many talented musicians in this coastal state that have been positively impacted by Walt Disney’s enterprises employing hundreds of performing artists throughout the years. Walt and Mickey would be proud!!