December 6, 2015

Mission Gold Jazz Band

Mission Gold Jazz Band
With a name inspired by the golden hills above Fremont’s Mission San Jose, Mission Gold is an eight piece, two cornet band consisting of a variety of multi-talented musicians from all over the Bay Area. MGJB was formed in 1980 and has a long tradition of performing the music of Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Lu Watters and Turk Murphy. The band plays standards and more common tunes in the swing genre. The main goal is to please the dancers, strutters, and jazz listeners.

We offer a variety of Dixieland styles, including Marches, Blues, Ragtime and Stomps. We encourage audience participation during tunes reminiscent of the cakewalk, parasol strutting and to raise their voices to sing along with the band.

Band Personnel:
Dick Williams – Cornet/Vocals
Rich Newcomb – Cornets/Vocals
Ray Buhler – Reeds
Roz Temple – Piano
Jack Wiecks – Banjo
Marc Messier – Drums
Bob Sterling – Tuba
John Soulis – Trombone, Leader and Vocals

• John Soulis
I’ve had an interest in Trad/New Orleans Jazz ever since I started to listen to my brother’s records when I was 10 years old. This music played by Turk Murphy and Lu Watters was inherent in my own development as a traditional trombone player. Out of this interest in Trad Jazz, I along with others formed the Mission Gold Jazz Band in 1980. Twenty five years later, members of the Mission Gold Band have mentored the youth band “Jazzinators” into a group which is presently keeping Traditional Jazz alive and well. Mission Golds Jazz Band is in its’ 35th year of existence. I am the leader, trombone/euphonium player and have been known to sing a tune or two.

• Bob Sterling
Bob is the band director at Kennedy High School in Fremont. He was introduced to dixieland jazz by then fellow teacher John Soulis who needed a tuba player for Mission Gold. He has been with the band since the early 1990’s.

• Roz Temple
Roz helped us out immensely in late 2004 and early 2005, alternating with Rod on piano and bringing her own infectious stride style and ragtime solos to our repertoire. Now we’re delighted to have her full time!

• Jack Wiecks
Jack started a long-time interest in traditional jazz in high school. After growing up in Western Oregon (where jazz bands are as rare as giraffes) he finally saw a real live Dixieland band at the University of Oregon. He traded in his ukulele for a banjo, but after a few years of college jam sessions, the necessities of making a living and raising a family set in. Recent years have allowed more time for Dixieland and Jack has played with Professor Plum, Churchill Street, Mission Gold, Silicon Gulch, 52nd Street Revival and the Magnolia Jazz Band. Jack has been a member of Mission Gold since 1996.

• Dick Williams
Dick is a well-known and respected Bay Area cornetist. Dick was a co-founder of “Jazzin Babies”, and played with the “Desert City Six” when living in Southern California. Dick moved to Montana and led the “Good Tyme JB”, and since coming back to California he was a member of “Alcatraz Angels,” “Tuleburg,” and “Creole Jazz Kings” before joining Mission Gold. He is associated with JazzSea Cruises/Jammers and often organizes jam sets at major jazz festivals.

• Ray Buhler
Inspired by Sidney Bechet’s European concerts, Ray, at the age of 18, co-founded a band called “The Oldtimers”. The group ended up performing at the 1961 Jazz Festival in Zurich. Sidetracked by education and a career in R&D that eventually brought him to the US , he began playing again in 1998. In the following year he organized the South Bay Stompers, which started playing at the “Cats” in Los Gatos and later at Britannia Arms in Cupertino for many years. Most recently, Ray has become a regular with the Toot Sweet and the Mission Gold Jazz Bands.

 

Mission Gold Jazz Band: Mission Gold Jazz Band Facebook page
Upon request, for smaller venues and events, the band can be reduced to as few as 5 instruments. The leader can assemble the best sound for your event.

 

November 1, 2015

Natural Gas Jazz Band

Now in its 45th year, Natural Gas Jazz Band loves its audiences and the audiences love its versions of traditional blues, stomps, rags, marches and spirituals. This mainstay from San Francisco can claim to have maintained a stable lineup of competent musicians for over four decades with two of the original members still in the lineup.

They have performed, recorded or rehearsed on 2,200 different days; toured in 23 foreign countries, been invited to a total of 104 jazz festivals (including 15 overseas) and six cruises. They have played in such unlikely areas as Tasmania and Hong Kong and were recognized as the first American jazz band to play in Siberia.

Natural Gas Jazz Band website

 

 

October 4, 2015

“Dr. Bach and the Jazz Practitioners”

 

DR. BACH and the JAZZ PRACTITIONERS are a fun group of talented and experienced musicians who enjoy playing Dixieland, Swing, Dance, Blues, and Gospel tunes. The band features a Tuba – Banjo sound for Trad tunes, and a String Bass – Guitar sound for Swing.

We have performed at the Jazz Clubs in Monterey, Sacramento, Redding, Stockton, Modesto, Santa Rosa, Pismo Beach, Three Rivers and Fresno. We also have played at the Auburn Fair, The Placer County Fair, the Nevada County Fair, and the California State Fair.

We played in the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee for twelve years, and have been in the Festivals in Modesto, Graeagle, and San Jose. We play Gospel Church Services for several churches from Auburn to the Bay Area.

We definitely are tuned into playing FOR the audience, which means a lot of dance tunes on October 4.

-Charlie Gehlbach (Dr. Bach)
Click here to email Charlie

 

September 6, 2015

“Jam-a-Roo Jammers” (all day)

 

Jammers’ month, or “Jam-a-Roo Jammers” (as coined by Bill Sharp), is a day of “Jammer” fun. Players come in from all over – including Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton, etc. to play.

Here are some photos of one of our past Jam-a-Room Jammers Day – which was fun for all!

Join us!

 

 

 

Come out and Dance and Sway to “Our Kind of Music”!

 

 

 

August 2, 2015

“Cell Block Seven Jazz Band”

Best watch out, the “boys” have escaped again…disguised as musicians and armed with a weird collection of antique musical instruments, our favorite cons are breaking into the San Joaquin Dixieland Jazz Club once more to pull off another caper.

Cell Block 7, with its two trumpet front line, has been ganged up since 1981 and is devoted to the West Coast Revival Style of Lu Watters, Turk Murphy, and the Bay City Jazz Band. Other known musical aliases of this talented bunch feature forays into great low brass harmony with a trio of three double bell euphoniums, as well as spirited renditions of classic and novelty tunes, wondrous banjo solos, and romping ragtime piano solos!

While our “musical delinquents” continue to evade the authorities, we hope you’ll be captured by their unique brand of hot jazz and general disregard of acceptable behavior. Until they’re once again behind bars, keep your doors locked and your shades drawn.

Note: Pete Main will not be with us for this August performance, but Otis Mourning will be on clarinet! As you know, he is fantastic!!

 

July 5, 2015

“Jay Paulus’ Society Band”

The Jay Paulus’ Society Band prides ourselves on bringing together some of the finest musicians. We mix things up by switching out or adding in talented people we have swung with during other venues.

Band Personnel:
Jim Maihack – on Piano for us today could most assuredly play every instrument in our band and do it all himself and well! His singing voice is velvet soft.
Charlie Gehlback (Dr. Bach) – abounds with energy and distinctive style whether it is Dixie, Swing or even Gospel and makes that Puget sing!
David Rees – our Bass player has a veracious appetite for all musical genres. From Bach to Zydeco, David performs with bands and orchestras that fulfill his musicality.
Charlie Hull – on Reeds, an institution unto himself through Country Western, Dance & Swing and always sharing his euphoria of the music he wants us all to know and love. His vocals are sometimes surprisingly impish.
Ray Rector – on Drums, new to us today but has opened for many talented headliners with RATZ, acting as the warm-up band. With his wife, Becky, they are co-leaders for Z.O.O.M., Zydeco On Our Minds.
Jim Fusaro – “Boy Singer” we know you’ll recognize as the consummate entertainer he remains. You never have to ask twice for him to warble a tune!
Kate Rees – Vocalist Extraordinaire, performing everything from Jazz to Show Tunes and beyond, all with pizzazz! Her background spells PRO all the way.
Barbara, Co-Leader and Vocalist – has a background in drama and musical theater, as well as voice-over work, and was lead vocalist in a 17-piece band.
Jay’s Trombone playing brings the sentimentality and sound of a bygone era. You can close your eyes and reminisce to the melodic beats of the Dorseys, Miller, Goodman, Basie, all in one afternoon. Audiences have a love affair with his sound.

Come out and Dance and Sway to “Our Kind of Music”!

 

 

June 7, 2015

“Midnight Rose Jazz Band”

The town of Wallace, California, is the home of the Midnight Rose Jazz Band. The band members are no strangers to San Joaquin Dixieland Jazz Society; all but one are ‘Gold Card Musician’ members, and Dannie and Reuben have both served as club officers in the past. All have often graced our stage as jammers.

The band was formed in 1980, and started out with 4 members of the Balser family, plus Reuben on tuba only, and the late Ken O’Brien. The band has evolved since then, and the music suits this club even better. The sound is somewhat more mellow, and the beat just pulls the dancers out on the dance floor. The “heart” of the band is still beating, and you can tell you are hearing the Midnight Rose Jazz Band.

Band personnel:
Reuben Smith – String bass & Tuba
Jan Buhlert – Banjo & Guitar
Jeff Kreis – Trombone
Carl Warmdahl – Drums
Bonnie Otto – Piano
Nancy Kreis – Clarinet
Dannie Balser Singinghawk – Leader, Trumpet & Vocals

 

 

May 3, 2015

Featured: Art Bregante & his Orchestra

Many of our members wait all year to come and listen to Art Bregante and his Orchestra play that beautiful music from the “Swing Era”. You don’t need to have heard these tunes in the ’40s and ’50s; you just need to love to dance or listen to lovely swing music.

If you enjoy dancing, mark August 3rd on your calendar. You won’t be sorry. Art’s music suits the young folks, and the very same music suits the not-so-young folks.

Did you know that Art Bregante donates his wonderful band for our pleasure? Give him your thanks when you come over to see him, and be ready to bring great music to your ears with his captivating big band ensemble and sound. When Art Bregante appears with his orchestra it is a rare and wonderful experience.

Enjoy listening and dancing to the great big band sound at our San Joaquin Dixieland Jazz Society event on May 3^rd!

Band Personnel to be featured on May 3^rd:
Emmett O’Sullivan – Tenor sax
Andy Rosenblum – Alto sax
Dick Lockwood – Baritone sax
Mike Rosenblum – Trumpet
Michael Rosenblum – Trumpet
Carl Kaiser – Trombone
Milt Bowerman – Piano
Bill Sharp – String bass
Stephen Douville – Drums
Geri Eckert – Vocalist
Art Bregante – Leader

 

April 5, 2014

Featured: “Jammeroo Jammers all Day”

 

Jammers’ month, or “Jammeroo” (as coined by our VP & Music Director), is a day of “Jammer” fun. Players came in from all over – including Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton to play.

This was a great time for all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 1, 2015

Featured: “BAND WITH POTENTIAL”
(Paying Tribute to Sidney Bechet)

Band with Potential was organized when, by a chance crossing of paths, it was realized that both Dominic Ruggieri ( Soprano sax) and Bill Sharp (Trumpet/Trombone) loved the songs written by Sidney Bechet.

A “dry run” was made when the band appeared on the main stage during a meeting of the Sacramento Jazz Society, and was met with rousing enthusiasm and many rounds of applause. There were many accolades given to members as they left the stage, indicating that this was a group that needed to appear more often, and so Bill and Dominic began expanding the Bechet book.

Because only a few of Bechet’s tunes have made their way into the traditional dixieland literature, it took a lot of digging to find transcriptions of the songs. For some, Bill undertook the laborious task of transcribing the melodies and finding the chords from recordings, then Dominic used his computer skills to create beautifully printed lead sheets in the keys needed for each instrument.

Dominic leads a trad jazz band called Black Tuesday (Sacramento), and the members of that organization were as excited about playing the Bechet tunes as were Dominic and Bill. It creates a band presenting the unique Bechet tunes which are seldom, if ever, heard by patrons attending trad jazz sessions. What the audience will hear is mostly new, fresh jazz material originally written by Sidney Bechet. Dominic will also give a short history of the life of the composer and the songs as the sets progress.

We were accepted as a band to perform at a meeting of the Fresno Jazz Society, and were met with huge success. We were told at that time that they wished that, had they known about us before they hired all the bands for their annual festival, we would have been hired. We have been asked if we are available for the 2016 festival. We have been invited to perform in the 2015 Hot Jazz Festival, Sacramento.

The uniqueness of this band is that it plays only tunes written and performed by Sidney Bechet, which of themselves are extremely diverse in their styles. We recommend that this band should appear where there are dance floors, because the flavor of the tunes and the drive of the band forces people to get up and dance.

All in all, you can look forward to a very fine listening, dancing, and informative afternoon spent with THE BAND WITH POTENTIAL.

ITS MEMBERS:

Dominic Ruggieri, Leader/Reeds – – He has been playing reeds since the age of six, organizing his first 17 piece jazz band in high school. Played in numerous jazz groups in college, leading the University Dixieland Band. Spent 4 years in the Air Force and National Guard bands. Played with various jazz combos in the San Jose Bay Area. After retirement in 2001, he moved to Shingle Springs and stays active by leading and playing in the Black Tuesday Jazz Band.

Jan Buhlert, Plectrum guitar and banjo – – Began playing banjo in his Junior year of high school, after playing trumpet for many years in marching, concert, dance, and jazz bands. While in college, he played banjo in numerous venues. In 1962, he joined the Phabulous Dixon Phirehouse Philharmonic Jazz Band, which still performs. Toured Hawaii 5 times with PDPPJB, played on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean, and on a cruise ship to Canada. Hundreds of gigs have been played during ensuing years. Jan is a collector of over 70 pre-war banjos.

Jim Leverone, Drums/percussionist – – Self taught at the age of 12, he plays all styles of music with equal skill and grace, from rock, to blues, to dixieland. Jim plays with several Sonoma County bands, as well as with Black Tuesday JB. A band can perform at its best when it has a good rhythm foundation as provided by drummers like Jim.

Alan Shaw – – Alan Began playing piano in grade school and played mostly as a solo pianist for many years. In the 1980’s he became the leader for the “R U Sure Band” in the San Francisco Bay Area for seven years. On Retirement he moved to Bakersfield, where he performed as soloist and with various Jazz Bands on occasion. In 2003, he joined the Black Tuesday Jazz Band. Alan has written some original music.

Bill Sharp, Trumpet/trombone – – Since the age of 8 Bill has tooted whenever and wherever he can. Though he has played in rock, blues, country, bluegrass, jazz and latin bands, he loves it especially when he gets to play dixieland, which he has played continuously since 1980 in numerous bands run by others, as well as leading several of his own. Bill has played at many many jazz society meetings and appeared at Festivals in and out of California.

Alan Ginter, Upright bass – – Alan states,” Yes, I read music, but i don’t let it get in the way of my playing”. That pretty much defines a real jazz musician. Alan is definitely “the real thing”. His technical training resulted in his earning a B.A., a B.S., and an M.A. degree in music, but his real education has come from his numerous years having been in bands backing many major performers, and playing in countless small groups. It’s hard to name someone he hasn’t played with, both nationally and internationally. Since the 1980’s he has played every year at the Sacramento Jubilee. So he is a definite asset for any band to which he lends his talent . You’ll love the fact that at age 13 he got a special license allowing him to play where liquor was served, and has been playing continuously for well over 50 years.

 

February 1, 2015

Featured: “Jam-a-Roo Jammers”
(Jammers’ all day!)

 

Jammers’ month, or “Jam-a-Roo” (as coined by our VP & Music Director), is a day of “Jammer” fun. Players came in from all over – including Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton to play.

 

Come dance or play with us on February 1st!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 4, 2015

Featured: Fulton Street Jazz Band

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Fulton Street Jazz Band is one of the West Coast’s long-standing and most popular Classic Jazz and Swing bands. Since 1965, they have headlined at hundreds of prestigious Jazz festivals, been featured on over 25 Jazz cruises throughout the world, made many TV and radio appearances and recorded countless LPs and CDs. They are the only band to have played all 41 Sacramento Music (Jazz) Festivals. On May 30, 2011 their leader Bob Ringwald was given the great honor of being named the Emperor of Jazz by the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society for the 39th annual Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubilee, (since renamed the Sacramento Music Festival).

The FSJB is a hard-swinging band that plays in the tradition of Eddie Condon’s New York bands of the 1940s and 50s. But . . . . They don’t stop there. Their extensive and varied repertoire combines elements of the music of Chicago, San Francisco and most importantly, New Orleans.

Be sure to pick up their latest CD which features two songs by their former vocalist, actress Molly Ringwald. Not to be missed!

Personnel:
Bob Ringwald, leader piano vocal
Bob Sakoi, trumpet flugelhorn
Paul Edgerton, reeds
Bob Williams, trombone vocal
Darrell Fernandez, bass
Vince Bartels, drums

Individual musician bios may be found at: www.fultonstreetjazz.com

An extensive bio for leader Bob Ringwald may be found at: www.ringwald.com

 

 

 

Looking for more Past Events?

Past Events – 2014

Past Events – 2013

Past Events – 2012

Past Events – 2011