OPENING OF THE GEORGE AND JOYCE WEIN HERITAGE CENTER

Old friends: with George Wein at the gala. photo by Deborah Ross

Last Thursday, Sylvaine and I attended the grand opening gala for the George & Joyce Wein Heritage Center on N. Rampart, the new headquarters of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation. The new multimillion dollar center, including a state-of-the-art concert hall, was officially inaugurated that afternoon by George and Mayor Mitch Landrieu. In addition to great food and drink, and some funky music by John Cleary, George Wein himself played the piano and sang an improvised blues narrative about the history of Jazzfest, which he founded in 1970. He brought down the house. For me it was a particularly moving occasion, as George, now 89, has been a friend of mine and my family's since this first visit here in 1962. It was great to meet up with him on Thursday night and an  honor to show him a photo by my wife Sylvaine, which was acquired by the Foundation as part of their permanent collection.

[See Keith Spera's article about the new center in the Times-Picayune: http://www.nola.com/jazzfest/index.ssf/2014/12/multi-million-dollar_george_an.html]

CLOSING THE CIRCLE WITH SAMMY RIMINGTON

June 1962: Jim Robinson, George Lewis, Sammy Rimington
Photo by Tom Sancton (Sr.)

In the summer of 1962, a young English clarinet player appeared in Preservation Hall, instrument in hand, and sat in with the George Lewis band. He had learned to play by copying George's records and he did it so well that all the veteran jazzmen at the Hall were amazed by his playing. So was I. I was in the audience that night, all of 12 years old, recently introduced to this music by my father, and enthralled with the whole scene. Sammy was about 20, but looked younger. My father befriended him and showed him around town. When Sammy returned to London, he sent me one of his old clarinets. I hadn't thought of playing an instrument before that, but Sammy's gift put me on the road to becoming a jazz musician myself.

May 2014: Me and Sammy at Economy Hall tent. Photo by Turk Enustun

Sammy and I have met up many times over the intervening years, but our latest encounter, at Jazzfest 2014, was special. Sammy told me he was having trouble with the clarinet mouthpiece he has had for some 20 years. He suspected it had warped and it had a small chip on the edge. Over dinner at our apartment last week, I gave him one of my extra mouthpieces, a Vandoren 5JB model that many jazz players use. Sammy tried it and liked it. When I heard him play at the last day of Jazzfest, I was thrilled by his tone and volume. I was especially pleased by the idea that Sammy had given me my first clarinet and I was able to reciprocate more than half a century later, closing the circle.

Sammy's set at Jazzfest, May 4, 2014: (l to r) Chuck Beatty, Seva Venet, Sammy, Ronell Johnson

WHEN KID ORY SHOOK OUR HANDS, 1971

Kid Ory, surrounded by (l to r) Bonnie Bagley, Jim Klippert, Tommy Sancton

Jazzfest 1971 was an unforgettable occasion for me. My Boston-based Black Eagle Jazz Band was invited to play at the second Jazzfest. We had just recorded for Sire Records (the album eventually came out on the NBEJB label) and were thrilled by George Wein's invitation to play in New Orleans. Three of us almost missed the plane from Boston, arriving at the Jung Hotel at the last minute. We rushed onstage and played our hearts out for an hour and a half. The audience was enthusiastic, and I remember festival producer Wein jumping up and playing with us on the last few numbers. We played "Ice Cream" as en encore and got a standing ovation. As we left the stage, we received an unexpected honor: the legendary Edward "Kid" Ory, who'd been listening from the front row, came up and congratulated us on our performance. As I shook his hand, I marvelled at the thought that he had shaken hands and played with Louis Armstrong, Johnny Dodds, King Oliver, virtually the whole Pantheon of early jazz legends. The moment has lingered in my memory ever since, part myth, part dream, part…did that really happen? Last month during French Quarter festival, I met a man named Dick Hill who not only remembered the moment, but had photographed it. I just received his prints from this memorable occasion. God! The memories, the memories...

N.O. LEGACY BAND REVIEWED IN THE ADVOCATE

Nice review of our Jazzfest set on Saturday, April 26. Always nice to be appreciated, especially in New Orleans's official daily newspaper: 

TOMMY SANCTON BAND UPHOLDS TRAD LEGACY

BY JOHN WIRT

JWIRT@THEADVOCATE.COM
April 27, 2014

Traditional New Orleans jazz is alive and well at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival’s Economy Hall Tent. Saturday’s lineup included the Dukes of Dixieland, Treme Brass Band, Don Vappie with his Creole Jazz Serenaders and, one of Preservation Hall’s regular acts, Tommy Sancton’s New Orleans Legacy Band. Sancton is a music professor and performing pro. His introductions to songs included quick music history lessons.

The Legacy Band’s front line starred clarinetist Sancton, trumpeter Clive Wilson and trombonist-singer Lucien Barbarin. Sancton made of point of noting that Barbarin, whose credits include Harry Connick Jr.’s big band, is a member of one of New Orleans’ talented musical families.

Barbarin sang and played his trombone for a charming “Girl of My Dreams I Love You.” Another of New Orleans’ natural entertainers, Barbarin obviously modeled his gravely but warm vocals on those of Orleans jazz pioneer and star Louis Armstrong.

Jason Marsalis, another member of a great New Orleans music family, played the Legacy Band’s drums. He wowed the crowd with his lively, polyrhythmic solo.

— John Wirt

A HOT TIME IN THE ECONOMY HALL TENT

Had a great time at Jazzfest today. Our New Orleans Legacy Band got a nice reception from the packed house in the Economy Hall tent. Thanks to Clive Wilson, Lars Edegran, Lucien Barbarin, Kerry Lewis, and Jason Marsalis for their stellar performances.  Apart from our own heady moment onstage, I particularly enjoyed the sets of the Shotgun Jazz Band, Don Vappie's Creole Serenaders, Bob Wilbur with Wendell Brunious, and the Tremé Brass Band. There was incredible energy in the tent today, good vibes from the audience, and a lot of hot music from the bands. Standout performances that stick in my mind: Tom Fischer's clarinet solo on the haunting waltz "Abandon," Marla Dixon's vocal on the Buddy Holly ballad "Raining in my Heart," Gregg Stafford's hot trumpet on "Lord, Lord, Lord." Can't wait to return next Friday with Clive Wilson's Serenaders. Keep the faith, y'all!

TOMMY SANCTON GIGLIST - JULY - SEPTEMBER 2013

I'll be spending the entire summer in Europe, so my usual appearances in New Orleans are suspended until the end of September.

Here's a short list of my European concerts this summer:

Monday, July 1: Zofingen (Switzerland) Jazz Festival with The Vintage Jazzmen of France

Thursday, July 4:  Castello Colloredo (Italy) with Luciano Invernizzi's New Orleans Jazz Band.

Saturday, July 6: Baden-Baden (Germany) with the Trevor Richards Jazz Band.

Friday, July 12:  Le Gramophone, Marly-le-Roi (France), with Enzo Mucci and Gilles Chevaucherie.

Thursday, Aug 1 / Friday Aug 2: Femø Jazz Festival (Denmark), with The Vintage Jazzmen of France

Friday, August 30: Le Gramophone, Marly-le-Roi (France), with Enzo Mucci, bass, and Christophe Davot, guitar.