Blue Street Jazz Band
at The 22nd Annual Great Connecticut Traditional Jazz
Festival
July 25-27, 2008
| Dave Ruffner,
leader, trombone, arranger, composer; Forrest Helmick trumpet, Jason
Jurcak string bass, tuba; Rick Canfield drums, Sherri Colby vocals,
Nate Ketner reeds, Matt Bottel banjo, guitar; ?? on piano. Blue
Street plays festivals all over the US from the entire northwest,
California, Midwest, Florida, Canada, Mexico and Europe and this
weekend in New England. Celebrating their 25th anniversary, this powerful band from Fresno,
California is known a the 'bad
boys' of Dixieland because they play everything from Dixie to Mardi
Gras, Cajun, Swing, hot 20's, latin, waltzes, marches, West Coast
Revival stuff.
Members of the band make their living teaching music. Three of them are educators. Dave Ruffner is a high
school band director and serious jazz history buff. Forest
Helmick is the founder of the band (1983), and also an educator, Rick
Canfield is a music teacher who builds instruments as a hobby.
This band grabs you by the ears and won't let go. They started with a very danceable
Dardanella, then When I grow to Old to Dream, completely in 3/4 waltz time.
Sherri took us back into the 20's with a megaphone vocal on I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter.
I Hate To See the Sun Go Down, unique intro into a Latin
tempo. The majestic front line softened considerably for St. Louis
Blues, then moved to a jumping boogie woogie, Bobby's Boogie, with
young pianist ?? showing his stuff, including some ragtime and
stride that is on their 25th anniversary album.
Keeping to the 'same old stuff' on Basin St., the whole
band in a ferocious ensemble, Helmich triple tonguing the trumpet.
Same furor for Glen Miller's signature tune, In The Mood,
Nate wild on tenor sax. Whew! Not for the faint of heart. |
Forest Helmick |
Dave Ruffner |
|
They moved to a rhythmic Latin beat, On I'm Walkin', a New Orleans song by Dave
Bartholomew and Fats Domino very popular in the 50s & 60s.
Still very powerful front line,
(isn't it always?) backed by ?? rhythm with Nate executing a
stunning alto sax solo.
(I know it's not an alto, but it is Nate,
on a beautiful, two-tone
tenor.) |
He's equally proficient on curved
soprano sax, and clarinet. |
 |
Jason Jurzak is a composer, arranger, and full-time
musician on tuba and string bass. (Ruffner is his step-Dad.) The tuba
wraps around him like a serpent, and produces a full, rich and powerful tone
as he reinforces the
harmony of that commanding front line.
He skillfully umpired the six tubas at the
Festival Finale. asking "Anybody know how to run a band??"
(You
had to be there!)
|
 |
The band showcased "Siren of the San Joaquin" -
Ms. Sherri Colby, an inspired vocalist, charming and personable,
very nice phrasing and timing.
When we last saw her in 2006, Sherry had left for
the University of Virginia for a doctorate in cultural anthropology. Sherri is still working on her doctorate while living in New Orleans with her husband Blue Street banjo/guitarist Matt Bottel, a computer program designer. |
Rick
Canfield,mainstay of the band,
maintains the pulse |
sensational young pianist,
attacking the keyboard, beating out rhythm |
| When not playing
banjo,
Matt Bottel is a computer program designer.
|
Still wrapped in tuba body armor, Jason
survived
the War Drums at
The Finale, of the festival!
Jason being Jason
|
TGCTJF 2009 will be held July 31-August 2 at the
MountainRidge,
Tickets: 1- 800 HOTEVENT
Web Site: www.greatctjazz.org
Questions:
rross92239@sbcglobal.net
Give it a boost, place a Remembrance in the
festival Program!
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BACK TO TOP
| By Marce, Updated
November 16, 2008
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