As Jazz-Artists-In-Schools for the National Endowment for the Arts 1979-85 we visited many out-of-the-way places. Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota (home of the Mandan Public Schools and Mary College) was one of those unlikely locations.
Scott Prebys as director of the Mary College Jazz Band and John Warren, director of the Mandan High School band would invite us to join other great clinicians including the fine trombonist Buddy Baker ( then at Univ. of Colorado-Boulder) and his bandmate, the noted jazz Euphonium and tuba soloist Rich Matteson.
Rich was of the old school where the Tuba was the harmonic anchor of the band (predating the upright bass). We spun up a great friendship over the years. In the summer of 1985, we decided perform the old Arthur Johnston and Johnny Burke chestnut “Pennies from Heaven” for the Mary College Jazz Festival.
With Rich holding down the bass line, Prebys playing the drums, I played guitar and sung Eddie Jefferson’s sly alternative lyrics (Bennie’s From Heaven). If you don’t think Jazz can come out of a Euphonium, please take a listen.
This, right here, is the heart of the music for me. As my father used to say “If it’s music, it’s love”
Amen.
More to come.
Jazz Anywhere