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MAY 17, 2009— Vol. 28 No. 2 Traditional Jazz at Gallo Center for the Arts

1000 I St. • Modesto

MISSION STATEMENT The purpose of the

MODESTO TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY

To preserve & promote our unique American National music treasure for future generations, To give jazz musicians opportunities to share their talent with appreciative audiences, To encourage youth to learn & to continue the original American art form of playing jazz.

2009 Board Members

President Jan Leer 985-2223

Vice-President Mary Menz (Ex-Officio)

Publicity Director Jeannie Wemken

(Publicity) 524-3517

Music Director

Margaret Squires (Music Director)

988-2334

Membership Director Rozetta McNulty

(Membership) 869-2024

Secretary

Jerry Cox 529-3194

Treasurer

Mac McCarter

Members @ Large Ernie Bucio

985-5712 David Livingston

606-2056 Forrest Jackson

Elinor Purdy

Yep, TGIF….Thank Goodness It's Festival! What a grand day we have in store for our May meeting. A terrific band, Devil Mountain, one of our favorites. And the Gallo Center! AND that's not all! Wait till you see the jam sets we have set up! Come early, the first set starts at 10:00! Music at two locations…inside the theater and in the lobby. Stay late….the Legends of Jazz Concert will begin at 3:00. What a great concert that will be. You can get all of that for only $25! Such a deal. When you really think about it, it's a GREAT deal. So come on down! But that's not all! Come early, as in a day early, and enjoy the traditional jazz and big band swing music Saturday at the venues on 11th Street. Think about it…..a two day festival for $40??? The Fat Cat has a great dance floor…we've scheduled the big bands in that venue. Come dance! Have fun! Eat food at the Barkin' Dog and Tressetti's! Meet new people. Twist their arms until they join our Jazz Society! Remember, the proceeds from this festival will go to the Jazz Society! We need your support to make this a success. A huge THANK YOU goes to volunteers from the Jazz Society. Even bigger thanks goes to Bob Sakoi who has set up all of the jam sets. This festival would not have happened without all of you!

— Margaret Squires, Music Director

Next Board Meeting Mar. 24th

Jan Leer’s house 1049 Dakota Ave,

Modesto

Sacramento Jubilee Tickets For Sale All Events: $81 (discounted from $95) • Daily Tickets: $40 (discounted from $45)

Contact Margaret at 988-2334 or margeaux10@yahoo.com

REMEMBER! This month’s club meeting is at the GALLO CENTER for the ARTS

Doors open at 9:30am and Sets start at 10am!

Full Festival Band Schedule on Page 4

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"Where words fail, music speaks" — Hans Christian Anderson

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS!!!

May is here, and there's music in the air. It's time for the 11th Street Jazz Festival! There is no other place right now that you could possibly get more live music for your dollar.

In January, Ernie Bucio presented a proposition to our club: the joint sponsorship of an 11th Street Jazz Festival that would be held May 16th in Downtown Modesto. We would be join-ing Gottschalk Music Center, The Barkin' Dog Grill, and other downtown establishments to present some great entertainment for those who love live music, especially traditional jazz and big band swing. The event would headline saxophonist, Plas Johnson and trombon-ist, Bill Watrous. Both these musicians would join several of our favorite jazz groups to provide terrific music and dancing at several venues. The proceeds of ticket sales would benefit The Modesto Traditional Jazz Society.

That was then. The months since, have been filled with activity and planning for this venture. The Festival has |expanded to a full two-day event, culminating with a Legends of Jazz Concert at the Gallo Center for the Arts with four headliners: Plas Johnson, Bill Watrous, Bobby Shew and Mic Gillette.

Now, you just might ask yourself, "What could I do to be a part of this terrific idea?" Well, for that question, I have a terrific answer! You still have time to buy your tickets. If every MTJS member could generate four tickets we could have a successful event. You still have time to volunteer. We need help at all the venues. You still have time to make some kind of a donation. Buy an ad in the program to help defray expenses. There will also be also a raffle on Sunday if you have something special to donate for that. All you have to do is call me or any other Board Member. This is your last chance to help! You can contact me at (209) 985-2223. Or, to help with the "Hospitality Room" for the musicians call Elinor Purdy (209) 524-3443.

Details for both Saturday and Sunday are included in this Jazzette. All Festival events on 11th Street open at 10:00AM on Saturday. Devil Mountain Jazz Band will kick things off at the Gallo Center on Sunday morning with a Gospel set. There will be non-stop music in the theatres and in the lobby. Bob Sakoi is organizing the jam sets and he promises some terrific surprises and outstanding music. You just can't miss this!

I hope you are all heading down to the Gallo Center to purchase your tickets to support our club, and live entertainment. Encourage all your friends and family to participate. We certainly hope the club will gain many new members when people hear all this outstanding music. The 11th Street Jazz Festival can be a tremendous boost for our Jazz Society. Please be a part of it!

Need music, who do you call? Chances are good if you are in or near Modesto, you call Ernie Bucio! Ernie is a tremendous addition to our Board, and he has been an integral part in the development of our festival.

Name: Ernie Bucio Pos: Member-At-Large

Ernie has been performing music in the valley for the past 35 years. He has led the Gottschalk Music Concert Band since it was formed in 1989. His big band (Ernie Bucio's Little Big Band) and his brass quintet (Central Valley Brass) have been performing for audiences since 1980. His groups have backed and opened for artists as diverse as Maynard Ferguson, Pete Escovedo, Bill Watrous, Plas Johnson, the Temptations, James Moody, Little Anthony and the Imperials, Rich Little, Myron Floren, Clark Terry, Bob Newhart, Cheech Marin, Sharon McNight, the Dallas Brass, Arturo Sandoval, the Count Basie Orchestra, Jon Faddis, Dick Contino, Mike Vax, and Mic Gillette. In addition, through the Gottschalk Studios, these artists have been made available to students of all ages for clinics, master classes, lecture-demonstrations, performances, and private lessons.

Ernie has performed on trumpet with Merced, Modesto, and Stanislaus Symphonies, the Townsend Opera Players, Modesto Performing Arts orchestras, and virtually every musical organization in the valley. He recently organized groups to perform in New Orleans for the French Quarter Festival.

He is currently with Gottschalk Music Center of Modesto in outside sales, and teaches classes for the Gottschalk Studios. Besides being a member of the American Federation of Musicians, Ernie is an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi Music Fraternity. He is a recipient of Modesto Area Music Association's "Lifetime Achievement Award" and the Stanislaus Arts Council's "Excellence in Music Award." Ernie was an original member of the Modesto Jazz Society, joining at the urging of founding members Deck Hogin, Dutch Mills, and Al Dupont, all members of the Little Big Band at the time. Dan Talbert, Joe Runnels, and Keith Baltz also joined then.

His dedication to live music and music education has manifested itself in the booking of major jazz legends in |Modesto and making these musicians available to the students of Gottschalk's Studios and area public and private schools. Many of his students have been chosen by the Jazz Society to attend the Youth Jazz Camp in Sacramento. Ernie has hand-picked students from the all star high school jazz band to back Bobby Shew at the 11th Street Jazz Festival. These current and former students of his will be getting the opportunity to perform with a world-class artist.

Over the past thirty years, Ernie's commitment to the Jazz Society has included playing for the club many times, and introducing the 11th Street Jazz Fest to the club as a fundraiser. He was able to work with Dave Pier, director of the Gallo Center for the Arts, to have the Sunday portion of the festival held there. Ernie considers Mo-desto to be an important new area for the growth of live music and jazz in particular. He believes the Modesto Traditional Jazz Society should be playing a major role in that area, and will work tirelessly to that end. Thank you, Ernie, for all that you do to keep live music alive in Modesto.

Musically Speaking President’s Message

Meet The Team ...

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Full Band Schedule on Page 4

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11th Street Jazz Fest Schedule

Saturday, May 16

Schedule* Fat Cat Music House & Lounge

Barking Dog Grill Tresetti’s World Caffe

10:00 — 10:50 JassCity Jazz Band Creole Jazz Kings Blue and Beige

11:10 — 12:00pm Creole Jazz Kings Lammersville School Jazz Band

Natural Gas Jazz Band

12:20 — 1:10 Jazz Unlimited Big Band

Ernie Bucio Little Big Band

JassCity

1:30 — 2:20 Natural Gas Jazz Band JassCity Blue and Beige

2:40 — 3:30 JassCity Natural Gas Jazz Band Creole Jazz Kings

3:50 — 4:40 Natural Gas JB Ernie Bucio Little Big Band

Creole Jazz Kings

5:00 — 6:00 Ernie Bucio Little Big Band

Barkin’ Dog Big Band Dan Maas Sextet

6:00 — 8:00 Jam Session

Sunday, May 17

Schedule* Club Stage Lobby Legends Stage 9:30 — 10:00 Doors Open

10:00 — 10:50 Devil Mountain Gospel Hogin’s Heroes Jam

11:00 — 11:40 Hogin’s Heroes Jam Sakoi Jam

11:50 — 12:40 Devil Mountain Banjo Jam

12:50 — 1:20 Fulton Street Jam Sharp Jam

1:30 — 2:20 Devil Mountain Fulton Street Jam

3:00 — 5:00 Legends of Jazz Concert * Schedule subject to change

Gallo Center for the Arts

Saturday’s Venues Sunday’s Venue

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Special thanks to Forrest Jackson for capturing the event.

For more photos, go to our online photo gallery at

www.modestojazz.com/clubphotos/

Modesto Band of Stanislaus County “MoBand”

Concerts in the Park begin June 11, 2009 8:00 PM, Graceada Park

Rehearsals at Mancini Hall on Tuolumne Blvd

Mondays and Wednesdays 6:30-9:00 Starting June 8th

Call 209-575-6184 for more information

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MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Modesto Traditional Jazz Society

Annual Membership includes subscription and postage to the monthly newsletter, Jazzette.

FAMILY $30 SINGLE $20

NEW RENEWAL CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Date: _______________ Name: ___________________________________ Address: _________________________________ City: __________________ State: ____________ Zip: ___________ Phone: ___________________ E-Mail: __________________________________

I am enclosing an additional $_______ for the MDJS General Fund.

I am enclosing an additional $_______ for the Youth Band Scholarship Fund.

I am interested in volunteering for Club functions.

PLEASE MAIL TO: MDJS c/o Rozetta McNulty

4330 Highway 108 Riverbank, CA 95367

Thank you for your help in keeping Traditional Jazz alive!

More photos from the April

meeting.

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I'd like to thank Dan Talbert and the rest of the Creole Jazz

Kings for entertaining at the April Jazz Society Meeting. I heard that a lot of you were kept dancing.

I am sorry I had to miss it. But I had a good excuse. See, I

was in New Orleans. Those of you who know me well, know that New Orleans is just about my favorite place to be. I love the history, the music, the food, the people.

This was my second trip to New Orleans to participate in the French Quarter Festival. As we did last year, we performed two concerts in the lobby of our hotel, and marched in the opening parade for the festival. I think the best part of the trip occurred on Friday just before the parade. We gathered at the appointed place at the appointed time, hoping that the forecasted thunderstorms wouldn't arrive, and waited…..and waited…..and…well, you know. After all, this is the Big Easy….nothing starts on time. So, what do musicians do when they are waiting around for the parade to start? We played a tune. Then the band next to us played a tune. And the band on the other side of us played a tune. People were gathering around us taking pictures. Some walking through our group taking pictures. Then we all joined in for a tune or three. What a great time! I wouldn't have minded if we just stayed there and played all day! FINALLY we see some action…..they are blocking off the street….about time, parade was supposed to start 5 minutes ago….Ah, that's right….the BIG EASY….relax…play a couple more tunes. Unfortunately there wasn't a hurricane stand close by!! At last, they called to line us up. Here we are 20+ musicians ready to play Bourbon Street Parade on Bourbon Street, ready to be pelted with beads thrown by admirers from the galleries lining the street. Who do they put us behind??? A BIG truck with BIG speakers blaring so loudly we couldn't hear ourselves think let alone play. Part way through the parade, we hear "Sing, Sing, Sing" blaring away from the BIG speakers….well, if you can't out blow 'em, blow with 'em. It was in "our" key anyway.

This was the second year that Pete Fountain played for the opening set of the festival at Jackson Square. I wasn't looking at the stage, but I could hear him. I knew it was him. How distinct his sound is. One of my favorites…..I play on a "Pete Fountain" clarinet. I am fortunate to have seen him live three times now.

This was the third time I heard Charmaine Neville sing "Do You Know What It Means". I have never heard that song performed better. She talks about how her New Orleans has changed since Katrina. How she misses her paper boy….her mailman….the nice German lady whose cooking filled the air with delicious aromas and who sat on her porch and laughed with her….how she misses New Orleans as she knew it. Moves me to tears every time. Yes, the wounds from Katrina are still raw. The lack of assistance from the government opens them over and over. Some people are STILL waiting for insurance settlements.

But this trip felt different to me. This was my fourth trip to New Orleans since Katrina ravaged the city. This time I

didn't feel the heaviness and despair in the air. It seemed to me that New Orleans has absorbed the sucker punch she was dealt and is getting back on her feet. Oh, there are still closed store fronts in the Quarter, and the Ninth Ward still looks like a war zone…but I got a feeling of hope mixed with renewal.

So! I urge you to add New Orleans to your travel list. Spend money, listen to music, eat the food, support the people who are working to get their lives back. Then maybe when you get home, you'll know what it means to miss New Orleans.

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P.S. Did I mention we got to play at the Palm Court????? Yep. Sunday night. Played "Palm Court Strut" on stage at the Palm Court. Pretty cool, huh? Maybe you should go with us next time.

Mr. Q Productions Presents

Music of the great Rock, Jazz and Rhythm & Blues keyboard players

Featuring

The Jazz Unlimited Big Band

With Special Guest

DALE HIMES Oakdale’s Own Great Keyboardist

7:00 p.m. Thursday, May 21, 2009

Magnolia School Auditorium 739 Magnolia, Oakdale

Tickets

Adults — $15; Seniors — $10; Students — $5 (Under 12 Free)

Tickets are available at the door only. Call (209) 847-1807 for more information.

Sponsors

Oakdale Leader, Oakdale Advantage Magazine, Moss Rose Bakery, Modesto Traditional Jazz Society, Pak-Mail, Green Farms, Western Asset Recovery, Inc., Mr. Hans Boggs, Auto-Tech, Mr. & Mrs. Cliff Botto, Mr. & Mrs. Joe Gambini, River Oak Pharmacy, Bob & Phyllis

Bordona, Dr. Albertoni & Dr. Corso., C.K. & Roberta Gottschalk, Raley’s Market, Oakdale Cheese & Specialties, Mr. Robert Gilbert,

Gilton's Resource - Recovery Facility

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ATTENTION FRIENDS If you know of someone who is ill, celebrated a birthday or could use

some cheering up, contact Jeannie Wemken at 524-3517.

JAN LEER President P.O. Box 4442 Modesto, CA 95352-4442 (209) 985-2223

Send news items to the JAZZETTE the last week of the month to appear in the coming issue. Mail to... MODESTO TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY

P.O. Box 4442 Modesto, CA 95352-4442

Or e-mail to jazzette@modestodixieland.com

MODESTO TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY CALENDAR

• May — Devil Mountain Jazz Band • June — Mission Gold Jazz Band

Monthly Trad Jazz Schedule

1st Sunday: Stockton Jazz Society -- Elk's Lodge 2nd Sunday: Sacramento Jazz Society, Dante Club; www.sacjazz.org Fresno Jazz Society -- Venues vary; Call (559) 292-3999 3rd Sunday: Modesto Jazz Society, Modesto Moose Lodge 4th Sunday: South Bay Jazz Society, Elk's Lodge, Sunnyvale

SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2009— 10:00 TO 2:30 PM GALLO CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 1000 I ST. • MODESTO

Many thanks to all the members who donated additional money,

either by mail or at the door.

Thanks Helping Keep Jazz Alive

This month’s guest band is

REMEMBER! This month’s club meeting is at the GALLO CENTER for the ARTS

Doors open at 9:30am and Sets start at 10am!