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NEW COMPACT DISC
 On June 24, 2008, the FJC released its eleventh compact disc, Home, FJC 14.  Issued as a "Special Edition," the cd was given to all who attended our farewell performance at Colonel Brooks' Tavern that evening.  It was presented as gift to our faithful fans who supported us for the nearly 27 years we performed at Colonel Brooks'.  You can hear a clip from the album on the Listen To The Band page.

 Drippin' and Diggin' Dixie at the Beach - Again

The Federal Jazz Commission was invited for a third appearance at "Diggin' Dixie at the Beach,"
the 24th annual Dixieland Jazz Festival at Ocean Shores, WA.  This year (November 3-5, 2006) we
were dripping as we were digging.  Three Pacific storms, one or all labeled "Pineapple Express" because of their origin in the warmth and moisture around Hawaii, hammered the southwest coast of Washington State for the three days we were there.  Sonny McGown and Tom Gray did the driving honors this time and were confronted with horrible conditions each way, but especially as we were returning to Seattle to catch a Monday flight home...that stint included a bad accident ahead which stalled us for almost an hour.

On the brighter side, at BWI Airport on our way to Seattle, there was a young lady (Dina Blade) strumming a "Parlor Guitar," a pint-sized version of a regular six-string.  The FJC's string along person engaged Dina in conversation about guitars and such, and even played a tune; and we were joined by the irrepressible Henning and his impressive, plastic, $5.95 recorder.  He and Dina gave the waiting passengers a neat concert (she sang, too).  They did the same at Midway Airport in Chicago as we waited to change planes. Then, waiting for a plane at SeaTac Airport in Seattle for our flight back, there was another guitar player - this time it was Stephen Bennett from Williamsburg, VA, returning from a series of gigs and killing time playing quietly. The quiet part ended when Henning this time got out his clarinet (and later the recorder) to give us another neat concert.  We all hope we meet up again.

The weather did not deter a good crowd attending the festival. Many said the weather was
"normal." It was beautiful when we were there before, and they said it was "abnormal."  Once again we were in four different venues (Lions and Elks Clubs, and two spacious rooms in the brand new convention center, built since we were last there).  There was sizeable attendance at each venue; and it was surprising that the bigger room in the center was almost full for our 11 am Sunday set.  We had to interrupt our watching the Redskins game (which started at 10 out there), but were able to get back to the TV to see the exciting finale.



The festival organizers were happy to see and hear us again, and we were well received at our performances.  We were the only band from east of the Mississippi. The other jazz bands that performed swimmingly this year were: Uptown Lowdown (Bellevue, WA); Black Swan (Portland, OR); No Inhibitions (Bremerton, WA); Desperation  (Courtenay, BC); Hume Street Preservation (Aberdeen, WA); Electric Park, with DC and Southern Comfort alumnus Joe Lazzaro on trumpet (Aberdeen, WA); and the Mighty Aphrodite, an all-girl - sorry, all-female - seven piece group that swung pretty good (from the Pacific Northwest).

We look forward to returning to Ocean Shores, perhaps when it stops raining.  Last time this
writer checked, it was supposed to rain until 2007.  Maybe it will stop before the FJC goes to the
Jazz in the Olympics Festival in Port Angeles, WA, in April 2007.  See you there.

Donn Andre

25 YEARS AT COLONEL BROOKS' TAVERN

On September 5, 2006, the Federal Jazz Commission celebrated its 25th year of Tuesday night performances at Colonel Brooks' Tavern.  On hand were several former FJC members who had been with the band since September 1, 1981, including Al Webber, founder of the FJC and of the Potomac River Jazz Club.  The second set on this special Tuesday night was performed by a reunion FJC comprised of Marty Frankel, cornet; Gary Gregg, clarinet; Al Webber, trombone; Dave Littlefield, banjo; Jay Converse, tuba; Jack Martinelli, drums; and Don Heneberry, vocals. Earlier that day, the FJC was honored by congratulatory announcements on WAMU-FM radio, and wishes to thank the PRJC for them.

     

                       

RECENT NEWS COVERAGE


FJC - AT THE SUNCOAST DIXIELAND JAZZ CLASSIC

Armed with sun screen, energy pills, other stimulants, and eager anticipation, the members of the
Federal Jazz Commission flew to Tampa, FL, and then traveled to Clearwater Beach, FL, on
November 18, 2005, to appear in the 15th Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic Jazz Festival.  The sun
screen wasn't needed; when we were actually outside, the sun wasn't.  But no matter, we did
ourselves and the Potomac River Jazz Club proud by performing with alacrity, verve and a kid
violin player.

Arriving late afternoon, the entourage settled into their "suites" at the Hi-Seas motel and soon
reassembled to take the festival's shuttle to the Sheraton Sand Key Resort, primary venue and festival headquarters, and met with Festival Director Dave Fanning for badges and other instructions.  We then learned that our first set would be at 6:40 pm and were going to host a 10-year-old jazz violinist from NYC - Jonathan "Jazz" Russell.  Jonathan sat in for a couple of numbers and acquitted himself very well.  He also performed as a guest with the Galvanized JB, the Barbary Coast JB, Bearcats JB and the High Sierra JB.

Before playing the first of two sets Friday evening, we were treated to a veritable feast in the
festival's hospitality suite - a place set aside for musicians and their guests, and festival
workers/volunteers. The suite was the scene of a most unusual "small world" happening; as Marty
Frankel described it:

"When we arrived at the Suncoast Festival on Friday, we went to the musicians' hospitality suite at the Sheraton to get a bite to eat before our first performance.  The room was crowded and we sat around a coffee table with our food.  A man on the couch across from us asked where we were from.  I told him we were from the Washington, DC, area.  He said that he played in a band years ago at a place in DC called the Village Inn.  I said that I did, too.  When I asked, "What
year?", he said, "Around 1957-58."  I said, "Me, too."  After I mentioned the name of the fellow who led the band, he said that the same person was the leader of his group.  We were in the same jazz band.  He was the tuba player, and moved to Florida soon after graduating from the University of Maryland.  His name is Carleton "Woody" Weidemeyer, and he is an attorney who
has been active in the jazz society in Clearwater for many years.  After 48 years, it's no wonder
we didn't remember one another.  What are the odds of meeting up with that tuba player at that
exact moment at that exact place?"

The rest of the weekend went very well.  The jazz venues (six in all)         were in both the Sheraton Sand Key and the Marriott across the              street, ranging from small and intimate to large ballroom-sized.  The         sound crews did a great job for us.  According to Dave Fanning: "We     had terrific feedback on the quality of the Federal Jazz Commission.      Many fine comments as to their sticking to the trad program; and many who had not heard them (before) were pleased that they were at the festival." There were 22 bands or solo acts (i.e., Jonathan); too many to list here.  However, we were in good company and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

By Donn Andre

 

                                              

FJC On WAMU-FM

In 2003, the FJC and its Fed-Head followers at Colonel Brooks' Tavern were featured in a ten minute segment on WAMU's Metro Connection show. You can hear the segment at  http://www.wamu.org/programs/mc/03/01/03.php#2056


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