Description
The original Ozark Club, which burned down in 1962, had a stunning resurrection in 2007, when Jack Mahood, Great Falls art collector, farmer, and musician played live recordings from the Ozark Club for musician and composer Philip Aaberg and historian Ken Robison. Philip contacted Chris Morris, then director of the History Museum, and the result was 5 sold-out shows featuring top rank national and Montana jazz musicians. When the History Museum started researching the Ozark Club, they had one photo….of the club burning down. At the opening of the New Ozark, an entire room was devoted to historical Ozark Club photos, handbills, and memorabilia, including the juke box from the club. The Ozark Club was a place where young and old, black and white, sat with each other and played on the bandstand together in a time of strict segregation. Touring jazz performers of the time, including Lionel Hampton, often wound up playing there after hours. The new Ozark Club at the History Museum in Great Falls, Montana, is a celebration of that time, and it is also a wonderful contemporary jazz venue with a 9-foot concert grand and wooden stage. This CD set recreates the integration and mutual respect of what was once merely a promise of true American community. A special thanks to the sponsors who made this project possible: Ken Robison, Dora Mahood, Jim and Gail Ragen, Dayton and Polly Kolstad, Jim Humphries, Jim Todd, Harry Mitchell, Dan Mortag, Owen Robinson, Craig Sterry, Jane Weber, Triangle Piano Service, Thad and Su Suits, Bill Conklin, Don and Marilyn Murdock
CD One: The New Ozark Club This CD represents the present and future of the Ozark Club. These tracks were contributed by musicians who have played at the New Ozark Club. 1. Mocking Bird composed by Michael Aaberg, ASCAP Michael Aaberg, Piano Dayna Stephens, Bass Jaimeo Brown, Drums Remixed by Philip Aaberg Recorded at the Ozark Club 2. Tommy Sancton/Lars Edegran: New Orleans Heritage Band “High Society” com. Porter Steele from “City of a Million Dreams” (www.jazzology.com)Lars Edegran, piano, Tommy Sancton, clarinet, Jason Marsalis, drums Ronell Johnson, trombone Clive Wilson, trumpet Kerry Lewis, bass 3. “Just Squeeze Me (But Please Don’t Tease Me) from “Alone With Duke” David Morgenroth, piano Duke Ellington, comp. (www.davidmorgenroth.com) 4. “Fly Swatter” from “Backburner Live” with Alan Fauque, tenor sax, Eric Funk, pianoEddie T , bass Mike Gillan , drums comp. Eric Funk (www.ericfunk.com) 5. “Rumi” from “Loud Lullabies” The Alex Naumann Trio Brad Edwards, drums Alex Nauman, guitar Erik Olson, Hammond C3 and Fender Rhodes (Alex Nauman Music, ASCAP) 6. “The Cleansing in the Dance of the Sad” Previously unreleased version. Kelly Roberti, bass Ben White, guitars composed by Kelly Roberti (www.kellyroberti.com) 7. “Teeth” from “The Timeles Now” by Dayna Stephens Dayna Stephens, tenor sax, Taylor Engsti, Fender Rhodes Ben Street, bass Eric Harland, Drums composed by Dayna Stephens, ASCAP (www.daynastephens.com) 8. “Slow Roll” Dartanyan Brown, bass Marcia Miget, flute, Lynn Willard, piano John Grguric, drums Composed by Dartanyan Brown and Marcia Miget www.dartanyan.com/influences.html 9. “Jack Mahood: A Short Story” Of the West interview with Philip Aaberg www.ofthewest.net “Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa. Piano and sousaphone arrangement by Tom McDermott. Tom McDermott, piano Matt Perrine, sousaphone from “New Orleans Duets” www.rabadash.com
CD Two: The Ozark Club History 1. “Every Day’s a Holiday” Ellsworth Brown, piano and vocals (Mr. Brown is Dartanyan Brown’s father. He played at the Ozark Club during its heyday. This was recorded in New York City in 1972.) Pub. Mayorisha Music, ASCAP comp. Ellsworth Brown The following tracks were recorded at the historic Ozark Club during a jam session and feature Bob Mabane on sax, Al “Smoky” Eddington on guitar, Joe Richardson on piano, Richard Brown on drums, Jack Mahood on alto sax and vocal, Mel Eller on tenor sax, Jack Evans on bass, Jack Harper on piano, an un-identified trumpet player (who some think might be John Huber), and an un-identified clarinet player. As a record of the Sunday jam sessions at the Ozark, the generosity of the house band is obvious in letting some young musicians play. But there are some “bright moments”. These tracks are from the Recordio disks that Jack Mahood owned, and they began the resurrection of the Ozark Club. For the most part these are not digitally restored, but represent what you’d hear by playing the disks on a turntable. “I Never Knew”, “Royal Roost”, “Ghost of a Chance/Sweet Lorraine”, and “These Memories of You” have some noise reduction so you can hear what a partially-restored disk sounds like. 2. “C Jam Blues” by Duke Ellington 3. Royal Roost by Lester Young 4. Ghost of a Chance by Victor Young Sweet Lorraine by Cliff Burwell and Mitchell Parish 5. Ready For Love composer unknown 6. Sweet Georgia Brown by Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard, and Kenneth Casey 7. Memories of You by Eubie Blake 8. These Foolish Things by Holt Marvell, Jack Strachey, and Harry Link 9. You Can Depend On Me by Earl “Fatha” Hines, Charles Carpenter, Louis Dunlap 10. Body and Soul by Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, and Robert Sour 11. I Surrender Dear by Harry Barris and Gordon Clifford
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