Jim Cullum made the trip from San Antonio to New Orleans to pay tribute to his longtime late friend, Pete Fountain, in mid-August. According to a newspaper report, “When Fountain’s casket was rolled out to the waiting horse-drawn hearse, sounds and sensibilities collided beautifully. Not even the priests could resist clapping their hands and stepping in time to the sweet music.”
Continuing, “The procession began as Tim Laughlin’s lovely clarinet rendition of Fountain’s joyous signature tune, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” gave way to the inevitable cacophony of the second-line assembling outside. Dozens of musicians gathered to lead a festive procession through the French Quarter to the cemetery. Cullum was one of them.”
Jim is quoted, saying, “I’d never been involved in someone’s procession that I knew and loved. I was honored.”
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More than 24,600 jazz lovers—including a sold-out Saturday audience—turned out for the 2016 Newport Jazz Festival at Fort Adams State Park overlooking Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island July 29-31. The audience included more than 3,400 students who took advantage of specially-discounted $20 tickets which the Festival has sold over the past three years to help build younger audiences.
This was the first festival under the musical direction of bassist Christian McBride, who took over for NJF founder George
