IT WAS HOT IN MONTEREY: HAL SMITH’S EL DORADO JAZZ BAND (Part One) — ANDY SCHUMM, JOHN OTTO, BRANDON AU, JEFF BARNHART, MIKIYA MATSUDA, MATTY BOTTEL (March 5, 2023)

We’ve just returned from the 2023 Jazz Bash by the Bay in Monterey, California, and one of the highlights was Hal Smith’s vigorous evocation of the El Dorado Jazz Band — not copying the records, but getting in the swing of things in the most inspired way. Here’s the first half of their set, down-home and expert all at once.

They raised the room temperature in the most enlivening ways. “They” are Hal Smith, washboard, leader; Andy Schumm, cornet; Brandon Au, trombone; John Otto, clarinet; Jeff Barnhart, piano, vocal; Mikiya Matsuda, string bass; Matty Bottel, banjo:

THE BUCKET’S GOT A HOLE IN IT:

Lonnie Donegan’s EARLY HOURS:

A romping FLAT FOOT:

and the very pretty I’M A LITTLE BLACKBIRD:

More to come . . . and this is only a taste of the delightful menu spread out for us (sometimes with eight sessions going on at once) that happened last weekend in Monterey.

P.S. I flew out there with a bad cold and cough, which has not left me: if you hear coughing during any video, I am to blame, but the alternative would have been to stay home. Nay nay.

May your happiness increase!