DAWN LAMBETH SWINGS SWEETLY WITH CLINT BAKER’S NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAND: January 26, 2014

Ladies and gentlemen, a real singer.  No tricks, no emoting.  Just someone with a lovely multi-hued voice, swinging with the band, delighting in the melody and the words, never getting in the way of the song.

She’s one of our favorites, Dawn Lambeth.

Here she is with the equally rewarding New Orleans Jazz Band of Clint Baker, at an afternoon session sponsored by the Central Coast Hot Jazz Society in Pismo Beach, January 26, 2014.  That’s Clint, trombone / euphonium; Marc Caparone, cornet; Mike Baird, clarinet / alto; Carl Sonny Leyland, piano; Bill Reinhart, banjo; Katie Cavera, string bass; Jeff Hamilton, drums.

Aligning ourselves with the calendar, SUNDAY:

AS LONG AS I LIVE:

I’M FOREVER BLOWING BUBBLES:

EMALINE:

I CRIED FOR YOU:

I wish many singers, young and older, new and presumably wise and experienced, would savor and study the singing of Ms. Lambeth — she isn’t didactic, but by her example we could learn a great deal about subtle, convincing music.

May your happiness increase!

HOT MUSIC ON THE RIVER: DUKE HEITGER’S STEAMBOAT STOMPERS (Oct. 11, 2013)

The real thing — lyrical New Orleans jazz recorded on the steamboat Natchez sailing up and back the Mississippi River.  In 2013, not 1926, too.  What could be nicer?

All of this was the idea (the dream, perhaps) of our friend and hero Duke Heitger, who launched the first STEAMBOAT STOMP in October 2013.

Here’s some hot music by Duke and his pals — the Steamboat Stompers: Orange Kellin, clarinet; Tom Fischer, tenor saxophone; Steve Pistorius, piano / vocal; John Gill, banjo; Tom Saunders, tuba; Jeff Hamilton, drums.

One for Papa Joe, SWEET LOVIN’ MAN:

Sweetly dancing, those beauties, CREOLE BELLES:

A riverboat favorite, SAILING DOWN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY:

Duke never speaks roughly to anyone, so this traditional end-of-night New Orleans tune has to be taken as a gentle embrace rather than a rough shove out the door — GET OUT OF HERE (AND GO ON HOME):

I’ll keep you posted on the plans for the 2014 Steamboat Stomp, I promise. For the moment, admire these players: they can swing and they can float.

May your happiness increase!