Since it's come up a few times, why don't you share your musical interests, including any Jefferson connections, such as the late Jack Oatts.
21 comments:
Anonymous
said...
My favorite music memory was at the beer tent at the Bell tower Festival. Rick Morain was playing the piano, and he knew every song you could ask for. You would put a dollar in the glass on the piano, and he would play any song you wanted. At least I think it was Rick Morain. I guess it could have been a Jukebox. I forget. Maybe it was at Carl's and it wasn't Rick Morain.
I remember Jack Oatts teaching us how to play drums in fifth grade using folding chairs like a drum set. Then I think I remember he brought Tower of Power in for a concert. I think his son played for them. Does anyone else remember that?
I remember when Jack Oatts brought Tony Kendall in to play guitar in stage band. He was an amazing guitar player, and could play solos that would knock you over. That lasted till everyone figured out he couldn't read one note of music and had no idea what he was doing if he wasn't running the show.
Tower of Power was never at the Jefferson Jazz Festival. Clark Terry and Buddy Rich were there. Chase was awesome. Perhaps the most underrated musician ever to appear was Joe Farrell in '76 or '77. Does anyone else remember "Molten Glass"?
The Iowa Association of Jazz Educators annually presents the Iowa Jazz Educators Hall of Fame Award at the afternoon awards ceremony of the Iowa Jazz Championships. The award is given to a person that has demonstrated a high level of know-ledge in the jazz idiom and has shared this in making a contribution towards the development of jazz education in the state of Iowa. The IAJE membership sends nominations to the IAJE executive board to select a recipient by the fall meeting at the All-State Music Festival. This year's selection is Mr. Jack Oatts.
Jack graduated from Radcliffe High School and received a bachelor of arts degree in commerce and finance from Coe College and a bachelor and master of music education degrees from Drake University. After performing in the U.S. Navy Band in England during World War II, he began his teaching career at Earlham High School in 1955. Recognizing the need for his students to perform and understand jazz music. Jack approached the administration with the idea of starting a high school jazz band. The administration declined to support the request with their interpretation of the word "JAZZ", so Jack named his ensemble the Earlham Stage Band and jazz education had its beginning. It did not take long for many area and regional instrumental music programs to adopt stage bands into their band curriculum. The Earlham Stage Band received constant media coverage from the Des Moines Register, KENT-TV, and the Bill Riley Talent Scouts.
Jack relocated to Jefferson, Iowa in 1966 and started one of the first jazz festivals that invited jazz artists such as Clark Terry, Bud Shank, Urbie Green, Joe Farrell, Marvin Stamm, Bill Chase, and Arnie Lawrence as guest soloists. Clark Terry said the Jefferson Jazz Band was the first school jazz band he performed with and "they played just like the professionals." The Jefferson Jazz Band received many honors under Jack's direction including 1st place at the 1981 Iowa Jazz Championships and guest performing band at the prestigious Wichita Jazz Festival.
Jack has served as state president of the National Association of Jazz Educators, state chairman of the National Bandmasters Association, and president of the South Central District of IBA. He is also a member of the American Federation of Musicians and continues to perform with the Jack Oatts Quartet.
Since this is the 40th anniversary of the first Iowa high school jazz band, the Iowa Association of Jazz Educators is pleased to recognize Mr. Jack Oatts, the Father of Iowa High School Jazz, with the Hall of Fame Award.
Dick Oatts and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra from NYC will be in Ames this Sunday night at CY Stephens. there is a special tribute to Jack at the start of the concert. There is also a great feature in the DSM Register today
My favorite old album is a collection of Swiss alphorn favorites recorded by a group who was touring with the Monkees in the late 60's. The entire "B" side is taken directly from a live performance at the Filmore East.
"I remember when Jack Oatts brought Tony Kendall in to play guitar in stage band. He was an amazing guitar player, and could play solos that would knock you over. That lasted till everyone figured out he couldn't read one note of music and had no idea what he was doing if he wasn't running the show." -
That would describe about every rock star when they were 16 or 17...before they went on to sell 30,000,000 albums. If Stevie Ray Vaughn had grown up in Jefferson...he would not have made the high school "stage band" either. And I know it would have crushed Stevie to have Jefferson High School band students look down their noses at him. Not every one can be so talented you know...we sometimes need to make room for the lesser muscians.
Tars- Did Stevie Ray Vaughn rise from the dead to impart this wisdom to you? I think not. Did Tony Kendall go on to sell 30 million albums? I think not. Maybe you should move to Rhode Island and join Ghost Hunters. If you were accepted, your comments might have a ring of truth to those who believe in that sort of crap.
Although I have not talked to the ghost of Stevie Ray Vaughn...it was well known that he could not read sheet music.
For someone from Jefferson High School Stage Band (talk about insignificant) to ridicule someone that could play guitar but not read sheet music is beyond ridiculous.
Jack had his standards and if you could not read music you were out the door. Bruce Smith never compromised Jack Oatts demands, and in my opinion he deserves a round of applause. Several other musicians from Jefferson adheered from Jack's instruction and eventually became successful professionals. Life is not defined by monetary gains but rather the paths we chose and who defined those choises, Jack Oatts defined those choises. Just my opinion.
Okay...first, I am not sure why Bruce Smith deserves a round of applause. But if you want to clap for Bruce, knock yourself out. I did speak with Bruce a few times and found him likeable.
As for Jack Oats...I was not being critical of him. I just did not like someone ridiculing a guitar player that could not read music. You can pretty much name any guitar hero you want (David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, etc...). You will find that, unless they decided to start playing piano (Eddie Van Halen in the mid 80's), they could not...and did not need to...read sheet music. Something that probably drives piano players nuts.
I agree with Tars against applauding for Bruce Smith. I never met him and don't know who he is, so I'm not applauding, and that's that. My personal opinion is that Jeff Lentz deserves a round of applause.
21 comments:
My favorite music memory was at the beer tent at the Bell tower Festival. Rick Morain was playing the piano, and he knew every song you could ask for. You would put a dollar in the glass on the piano, and he would play any song you wanted. At least I think it was Rick Morain. I guess it could have been a Jukebox. I forget. Maybe it was at Carl's and it wasn't Rick Morain.
I remember Jack Oatts teaching us how to play drums in fifth grade using folding chairs like a drum set. Then I think I remember he brought Tower of Power in for a concert. I think his son played for them. Does anyone else remember that?
The name of the band was "Chase", and it would have been sometime around 1975 at the annual Jefferson Jazz Festival.
The voice of an angel Mrs. Balding an that thing she always blew to get you started on the correct note.
I remember when Jack Oatts brought Tony Kendall in to play guitar in stage band. He was an amazing guitar player, and could play solos that would knock you over. That lasted till everyone figured out he couldn't read one note of music and had no idea what he was doing if he wasn't running the show.
I know Chase was ther. I think I still have the program somewhere. I think Tower of Power was here, too.
Clark Terry and the drummer from the Tonight show plus many others also played and gave clinics.
I'm pretty sure that was a kleenex and Mrs. Balding was blowing her nose.
Tower of Power was never at the Jefferson Jazz Festival. Clark Terry and Buddy Rich were there. Chase was awesome. Perhaps the most underrated musician ever to appear was Joe Farrell in '76 or '77. Does anyone else remember "Molten Glass"?
Rick is right, it wasn't Tower of Power...it was Earth, Wind and Fire, but it sure sounded like Tower of Power.
Iowa Jazz Educators Hall of Fame Award
The Iowa Association of Jazz Educators annually presents the Iowa Jazz Educators Hall of Fame Award at the afternoon awards ceremony of the Iowa Jazz Championships. The award is given to a person that has demonstrated a high level of know-ledge in the jazz idiom and has shared this in making a contribution towards the development of jazz education in the state of Iowa. The IAJE membership sends nominations to the IAJE executive board to select a recipient by the fall meeting at the All-State Music Festival. This year's selection is Mr. Jack Oatts.
Jack graduated from Radcliffe High School and received a bachelor of arts degree in commerce and finance from Coe College and a bachelor and master of music education degrees from Drake University. After performing in the U.S. Navy Band in England during World War II, he began his teaching career at Earlham High School in 1955. Recognizing the need for his students to perform and understand jazz music. Jack approached the administration with the idea of starting a high school jazz band. The administration declined to support the request with their interpretation of the word "JAZZ", so Jack named his ensemble the Earlham Stage Band and jazz education had its beginning. It did not take long for many area and regional instrumental music programs to adopt stage bands into their band curriculum. The Earlham Stage Band received constant media coverage from the Des Moines Register, KENT-TV, and the Bill Riley Talent Scouts.
Jack relocated to Jefferson, Iowa in 1966 and started one of the first jazz festivals that invited jazz artists such as Clark Terry, Bud Shank, Urbie Green, Joe Farrell, Marvin Stamm, Bill Chase, and Arnie Lawrence as guest soloists. Clark Terry said the Jefferson Jazz Band was the first school jazz band he performed with and "they played just like the professionals." The Jefferson Jazz Band received many honors under Jack's direction including 1st place at the 1981 Iowa Jazz Championships and guest performing band at the prestigious Wichita Jazz Festival.
Jack has served as state president of the National Association of Jazz Educators, state chairman of the National Bandmasters Association, and president of the South Central District of IBA. He is also a member of the American Federation of Musicians and continues to perform with the Jack Oatts Quartet.
Since this is the 40th anniversary of the first Iowa high school jazz band, the Iowa Association of Jazz Educators is pleased to recognize Mr. Jack Oatts, the Father of Iowa High School Jazz, with the Hall of Fame Award.
Dick Oatts and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra from NYC will be in Ames this Sunday night at CY Stephens. there is a special tribute to Jack at the start of the concert. There is also a great feature in the DSM Register today
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20081028/NEWS08/810280328/1046/ENT
Junck - the new store on the square - has some of the albums done by the Jazz Band in the70's and a bunch of Jazz Festival programs.
How lucky were we in those days?
We were very,very lucky. ;)
My favorite old album is a collection of Swiss alphorn favorites recorded by a group who was touring with the Monkees in the late 60's. The entire "B" side is taken directly from a live performance at the Filmore East.
"I remember when Jack Oatts brought Tony Kendall in to play guitar in stage band. He was an amazing guitar player, and could play solos that would knock you over. That lasted till everyone figured out he couldn't read one note of music and had no idea what he was doing if he wasn't running the show." -
That would describe about every rock star when they were 16 or 17...before they went on to sell 30,000,000 albums. If Stevie Ray Vaughn had grown up in Jefferson...he would not have made the high school "stage band" either. And I know it would have crushed Stevie to have Jefferson High School band students look down their noses at him. Not every one can be so talented you know...we sometimes need to make room for the lesser muscians.
Tars- Did Stevie Ray Vaughn rise from the dead to impart this wisdom to you? I think not. Did Tony Kendall go on to sell 30 million albums? I think not. Maybe you should move to Rhode Island and join Ghost Hunters. If you were accepted, your comments might have a ring of truth to those who believe in that sort of crap.
Anonymous -
Although I have not talked to the ghost of Stevie Ray Vaughn...it was well known that he could not read sheet music.
For someone from Jefferson High School Stage Band (talk about insignificant) to ridicule someone that could play guitar but not read sheet music is beyond ridiculous.
Tars- Do you watch a lot of James Bond movies? If not it seems like you should. You may be in good company.
Jack had his standards and if you could not read music you were out the door. Bruce Smith never compromised Jack Oatts demands, and in my opinion he deserves a round of applause. Several other musicians from Jefferson adheered from Jack's instruction and eventually became successful professionals. Life is not defined by monetary gains but rather the paths we chose and who defined those choises, Jack Oatts defined those choises. Just my opinion.
Okay...first, I am not sure why Bruce Smith deserves a round of applause. But if you want to clap for Bruce, knock yourself out. I did speak with Bruce a few times and found him likeable.
As for Jack Oats...I was not being critical of him. I just did not like someone ridiculing a guitar player that could not read music. You can pretty much name any guitar hero you want (David Gilmour, Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, etc...). You will find that, unless they decided to start playing piano (Eddie Van Halen in the mid 80's), they could not...and did not need to...read sheet music. Something that probably drives piano players nuts.
I agree with Tars against applauding for Bruce Smith. I never met him and don't know who he is, so I'm not applauding, and that's that. My personal opinion is that Jeff Lentz deserves a round of applause.
Letz awl cheep in an by spel chek for anonimuss.
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