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Performing nightly at the Landing on San Antonio's riverwalk: The Jim Cullum Jazz Band (JCJB) plays jazz in the classic manner, that is, in the style of small, hot ensembles prior to WWII. The band's repertoire covers a lot of ground--from 19th-century cakewalks to the small pre-war Benny Goodman ensembles.
The core of the band's music consists of the sounds of Jelly Roll Morton, Original Dixieland Jazz Band, New Orleans Rhythm Kings, King Oliver Creole Jazz Band, Louis Armstrong, and Sidney Bechet, as well as a heavy emphasis on Bix Beiderbecke and his followers (e.g., Hoagy Carmichael).
In keeping with the band's historical point of view, period instruments and performance practices are often used. The Landing Jazz Club is designed for acoustic musical performance without the use of amplifiers. Each member of the band is a specialist in historically informed jazz styles.
Leader Jim Cullum plays a cornet (instead of the trumpet or flugelhorn used in modern jazz bands), which was the instrument preferred by early jazz masters King Oliver, Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke. Howard Elkins plays a 20's-vintage Epiphone archtop 4-string tenor guitar and a 30's Gibson tenor banjo. Don Mopsick plays an old German double bass set up with gut strings and high action in the manner of the pre-amplified era. Kevin Dorn uses drumming techniques and equipment more commonly found in the earlier drumming styles of Zutty Singleton, Ray Bauduc, Dave Tough, and Gene Krupa.
Jim Turner plays piano in the "two-handed" tradition. Clarinetist Ron Hockett acknowledges the influence in his playing of Peanuts Hucko and Bob Crosby clarinetist Irving Fazola. Trombonist Kenny Rupp's style is very reminiscent of the great Jack Teagarden.
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SF Bay Area 
Friday, 09 January 2009
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