Trad Jazz for Everyone: The Ancient Mariners Dixieland Band, February 18, 2006

by Larry Swain

L to r: Mort Speck clarinet, Jake Kerwin piano, Bob MacInnis cornet, Marilyn Kerwin (behind Bob M) bass, TomMcAllister trombone, Bob Cronin drums, Norman Nichols violin, Tom Ruggles banjo.

The Ancient Mariners Dixieland Band gave a concert at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church in Concord, MA Saturday evening, Feb. 18, in memory of long-time church member and Dixieland banjo player and vocalist Bill Payne.

It was an outstanding evening, with stellar playing and appropriate antics by the following gifted performers:

Jake Kerwin, piano, leader, and our musical historian for the evening;
Marilyn Kerwin, string bass;
Mort Speck, clarinet;
Bob MacInnis, cornet;
Tom McAllister, trombone;
Norman Nichols, violin, bones, vocals, and soft-shoe;
Tom Ruggles, banjo, vocals, and soft-shoe;
Bob Cronin, drums and miscellaneous devices.

A summary: The band is outstanding! Ensembles are tight, individual players are virtuosi, the rhythm section is solid and supportive, and Jake's introductions are informative, witty, and tie everything together.

The first set opened with a tune immortalized in a 1927 recording by Louis Armstrong, "Once in A While". Bob MacInnis, cornet, adroitly soloed the verse, backed by Marilyn Kerwin, bass, and Bob Cronin, drums. Next, a solo by Mort Speck, clarinet, backed up by Norman Nichols, violin, and the rhythm section, including Tom Ruggles, banjo, followed by solos from Tom McAllister, trombone, then Jake Kerwin, with the ensemble taking it out.

Jake explained that the next tune, "Yellow Dog Blues", was about a railroad in Mississippi, so it was no surprise when Tom Ruggles started things off by sounding a train whistle.

Sweet Lotus Blossom", a 1935 tune, was next, with a melodic duet by Jake and Marilyn, bowing her bass fiddle, then the ensemble, followed by solos, with Tom McAllister delivering tasteful glissandos.

A rousing "Charleston" got three couples, from youngsters to folks my age (I sat it out) onto the dance floor, acquitting themselves very well.

A laid-back "Lazy River" featured Tom Ruggles, vocal, and a nice violin solo from Norman Nichols.

The 1920s Louis Armstrong recording of "Dippermouth Blues" has Louis playing solo after solo, Jake reminded us, and so excited one of the band members that he hollered "Oh play that thing" in two places during the session. The outburst has been considered an integral part of the tune for the past 80 or so years, so Jake gave the audience detailed instructions -- one word each on the second, third, and fourth beats of a certain measure, and on the first beat of the next -- as to when we should shout out the phrase, including watching Tom Ruggles, who promised to hold up a sign bearing the words at the precise moments we should all shout (he did).

It worked out so well that the audience applauded itself.

Bill Payne, the evening's late honoree, always included "Paddlin' Madelin' Home" in the shows he staged, so the band played it too, with an inspired vocal by Tom Ruggles, followed by an energetic ensemble, then a hot solo from Jake and more from Tom R before the finale.

A rhythmic rendition of "Somebody Loves Me" brought us to another discourse from Jake. An inveterate technologist, he helped us to understand the state of technology in 1899, when "Hello My Baby" was composed -- the telephone was just coming into widespread use. This was the first song to mention this new-fangled device. I had never heard the lyrics to this tune's verse, which, as Jake explained, outlined the dilemma faced by the person, new to the uncertainties of telephone contact, singing the tune. Here are the lyrics for both verses and the chorus, which were sung by Norman, in his standout tenor voice, with close harmony from Tom Ruggles, as they did a bit of a soft-shoe routine, backed up by the rest of the band:

Hello, Hello, Hello,
Hello, Hello, Hello,

[Verse 1]
I've got a little baby, but she's out of sight,
I talk to her across the telephone.
I've never seen my honey but she's mine all right,
So take my tip and leave this gal alone.
Every single morning you will hear me yell,
" Hey Central! Fix me up along the line."
He connects me with ma honey, then I rings the bell,
And this is what I say to baby mine,

[Chorus:]
Hello! ma baby, Hello! Ma honey, Hello! ma ragtime gal.
Send me a kiss by wire, baby my heart's on fire!
If you refuse me, Honey, you'll lose me, then you'll be left alone;
Oh baby, telephone and tell me I'm your own.
Hello! Hello! Hello! Hello there.

At the end of the piece the old fashioned two-piece telephone on the piano "rang" (Tom Ruggles ringing a bell). Jake picked up the phone, said "Hello....it's for you dear", and handed the phone to his wife Marilyn, who said "Hello...oh, hello BOYS!"

"Walking the Dog" was followed by the final tune of the first set, "Snake Rag", hammered out at a 140 tempo, while stuffed snakes were marched around the hall by youngsters from the audience, followed by thunderous applause.

The second set opened with a barn-burner rendition of Johnny St. Cyr's "Oriental Strut", with the ensemble chorus followed by Jake and Bob Cronin trading fours, and Norman's spirited solo. The last chorus was a blast, with the classic Louis Armstrong ending.

Jake reminded us that we had missed most of that Saturday evening's Prairie Home Companion broadcast, but consoled us as he played the introduction to the show's theme song, the 1917 "Tishomingo Blues", with Norman treating us to a chorus with lyrics tailored to this Unitarian Church for this occasion: "Oh hear that old pianner playing that Prairie Home Tune, Hey Al, where are all the UU's....what?, the meeting should be over soon" (alluding to the members of that church holding never-ending meetings).

The evening's tribute to Bix Beiderbeck was "Since My Best Gal Turned Me Down", done in Bix's style in his definitive 1927 recording. Bob MacInnis got things started, Mort and Tom McAllister traded fours, Bob MacInnis blew an inspired solo, then the ensemble played the alternating half-time/full-tempo segments that Bix devised in the 20's for the ending, to the delight of us in the seats.

There followed a segue, starting with Jelly Roll Morton's "Ponchartrain Blues", ending with the ensemble's stop chorus, then sliding into, with Jake's solo piano introduction, a little-known Irving Berlin tune: "Me". Norman and Tom Ruggles graced this tune with an enchanting vocal duet.

Bob Cronin's tasteful percussion led into "Joe Avery's Piece", with the ensemble chorus leading to the tune's signature stop chorus, followed by an ensemble chorus that spotlighted Norman smartly playing the bones. Jake reminded us afterward that the tune had a rebirth in the 60's as Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock".

Tom McAllister and Marilyn, trombone and bass, sweetly brought the band in to "Creole Belles", a ragtime piece composed in 1900. Tom played lead in the chorus, followed by Norman's charming violin solo (double stops!) for the interlude. Tom picked up the next theme, the ensemble repeated it, then things transitioned to a superb piano solo, with Tom providing glowing harmony in the background. This one ended with an exciting ensemble chorus.

Jelly Roll's "Wolverine Blues", a perennial favorite, was performed in the 20's by Jelly's Red Hot Peppers (Jelly, piano; Johnny Dodds, clarinet, and Warren "Baby" Dodds, drums), so after Jake's piano solo, and a chorus by the ensemble, Jake, Mort, Bob Cronin, and Marilyn gave us an intimate look at what Jelly had in mind for a smaller group.

Then Jake led into "Smile a While" as Tom McAllister thanked us for coming (and we thanked them for playing), followed by what Jake said would be the closing number, a rousing rendition of "Sweet Georgia Brown". After an ensemble chorus, Norman gave us a rip-roaring 16 bars, Mort another 16, followed by cornet and trombone a cappella. Then Jake and Marilyn traded fours, followed by Bob Cronin's driving drum solo for the first 8 bars, with the ensemble taking us out for the last 8.

The capacity crowd, on its feet, exploded with applause, and the band seemed surprised. So Jake decided to have the Ancients give us an encore, and what a blast that was! It's not unusual for the last piece played to be "The Saints", nor for the tune to change key two or three times, but this time the key changed -- up a half-tone at a time -- at least six times (I may have lost count).

That was it. What a terrific night! Thanks, old-timers (from another old-timer).

Pictures: Diane Reilly, Larry Swain. Thanks to Norman and Arlene Nichols for help with the text.

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© New England Traditional Jazz Plus
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Note: This article first appeared online at the New England Traditional Jazz Plus site. With the site no longer active, the article has been reproduced here.