SPRING DIXIE FEST

March 7 & 8 '09
This was a good weekend! Spring may have been an optimistic title given the vagueries of the weather but it was hopping inside at the Austria Vancouver Club. The Vancouver Dixieland Jazz Society, with sponsors Tilley Hats and Long & McQuade, presented youth bands for the first set. The Back Alley Strutters and the Front Porch Swingers showed great potential. Both bands are from the Chilliwack High School jazz program. Notable was a version of Big House Blues. After this it was down to business with the Phoenix Jazzers. This band was extremely popular at the Hot Jazz Club twenty years ago and their performance this day showed why. Good bouncing Trad Jazz! JimmyArmstrong(Tpt) provided a strong lead for Ron Minchell(Trb) and Gerry Green(Clt). Three sets allowed them to settle in and get the dancers dancing and feet tapping. Approximately 200 people were in attendance. The food was good and the libations flowed. After dinner Black Stick put in a major musical contribution. Evan Arntzen(Clt/Sop), his grandfather Lloyd Arntzen(Clt/Sop), Don Ogilvie and Budge Schachte(acoustic guitars), Jennifer Hodges(Bass) and Benji Bohannan(Drms) honored the music of Jimmy Noone,Sidney Bechet and other great early reedmen. They did this with expertise and affection. Wonderful. Notable were Bechet's Dans La Rue d'Antibes,Bechet's Fantasy and Rheinhart's Nuages(gtrs only) . I was sad to learn that Georgia Korba who was to have played Bass had broken bones following a snowboard accident. Get well soon we need you! Jennifer was a strong substitute. She has a trio - Company B - which does the Andrews Sisters thing. They will be featured at festivals this summer including Chilliwack(May) and Vancouver(September). That was Saturday.
Sunday the snow fell, the sun shone and the Phoenix Jazzers played at the White Rock Trad Jazz Soc hop. Even better than Saturday! They put on a lively and interesting program for the 100 or so attendees. Boy Oh Boy - leg tired from tapping!
Gerry Green is in England now and has a gig Tuesday! Great news - Chris Tyle and the Silverleaf will be in Bellingham March 21. He lives in Portland now. Heigh Ho!