It all began back in 2010 when the Jazz Legacy Dixieland Band was organized at Brigham Young University. Trumpeter Austie Robinson, trombonist Brian Woodbury, and clarinetist Jory Woodis formed the frontline, won some awards, and found that they enjoyed playing together. Along with pianist Kurt Reeder, bassist-singer Zoe Jorgenson and drummer Brennan Tolman, they eventually became an independent band.
Originally known as the Salt City Six, they recorded their debut CD Sunnyside Avenue in 2015. By the time they made their second recording, The Salt Lake City 7, they had changed their name to reflect the full name of the city of the band’s birth, and the expansion of the group with the addition of acoustic guitarist and banjoist Parker Speirs. While each of the individual musicians has experience playing more modern styles of jazz, they stick to 1950s-style Dixieland throughout these two recordings, sounding comfortable performing trad jazz.
Sunnyside Avenue begins in exciting fashion with a version of “That Da Da Strain” that is taken at a racehorse tempo. Somehow each of the soloists manages to sound relaxed at the rapid pace. The title cut, “Sunnyside Avenue,” is an original by trombonist Woodbury which not too surprisingly uses the chord changes of “On The Sunny Side Of The Street.” Otherwise the set is filled with Dixieland standards and a few offbeat choices.
