Seventy-five years ago, I was introduced to trad and big band jazz. A close friend, Don Boyer, asked me if I had any jazz records. I told him I had no records, and I knew very little about jazz. He invited me to his home and he played two 78s: Wild Bill Davison on one and a Basie tune. I was hooked!
Wild Bill and Basie have remained at the top of my list since then. Almost 40 years later, I called Wild Bill to play in the first year of the Elkhart Jazz Festival. In addition the Basie band came to town. Thanks to Don Boyer, I’ve enjoyed a close, caring experience with jazz, especially the Elkhart Jazz Festival. The EJF celebrated its 37th birthday in June.
