Thirty years ago, if you had told me that a quartet — Steve Wright (cornet, reeds), Ray Skjelbred (piano), Candace Brown (banjo, guitar), Dave Brown (string bass) had performed in a restaurant in Washington (a place beyond my reach at the moment), my thoughts would have run something like this, “Oh, I wish I had been there. I wish I had heard them play. Maybe someday they will make a record together and I can purchase it?”
The technology that we take for granted in this century, which can be so irritating at its worst, has made my wistful questions irrelevant.
Here are video-recordings of this delightful hot band on the job on October 3, 2013: the First Thursday Jazz Band at the New Orleans Creole Restaurant in Seattle, Washington. The associations reach far and wide: a jealous lover bent on vengeance, a Southern railroad line; Sigmund Romberg, Red McKenzie, Pee Wee Russell, boogie-woogie, Bing Crosby, Bix Beiderbecke, Irving Berlin, Earl Hines, King Oliver, and many other mythical figures — who come to life in the sounds of this quartet.
HELLO, LOLA:
LOVER, COME BACK TO ME:
A very sweet WAITING AT THE END OF THE ROAD:
Asking the perennial question, HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT WAY?:
A thoughtful BLUES IN THIRDS:
Ray plays Mary Lou Williams’ OVERHAND:
A romping YELLOW DOG BLUES:
The generous Mister Wright has also posted other videos on YouTube — see them here and on his Facebook page.
May your happiness increase!
