August 30, 2009 - Frankfort Concert on the Green

Not much to say about this little shin dig. We've been closing the Frankfort Concert Series for 22 years now, and its always an adventure. The sound up on stage was horrendous (outdoor performances are the worst!), but apparently it sounded great from the crowd side. People raved and, as Vince said during the show, we brought out our 'A' game for the people of Frankfort.

After defending himself the night before by stating he'd 'only been late to the Frankfort show once in 22 years', Peter McCormack was late. Flat tire coming from the Mother-in-Law's. Yup. And to top it off, he specifically requested that we perform Count Basie's

'Queen Bee' for his daughter Brigid, who is his Queen Bee. He arrived as we were playing it. D'oh!

John Ruf and Joey Rossi showed up in street clothes, so while the rest of us were resplendent in

our classic blacks, they looked silly. And three quarters of the trumpet section showed up, like, 3 minutes before downbeat. What the hell is up with that?

It was nice to have Stacy Williams-Jackson playing bass with us again. She's the Music Dept chair at Lincoln-Way Central, so she's a local fave. Now her kids can totally make fun of her for playing old people music.

Vince's youngest son, Keegan, decided to join his dad on stage for the last number, 'Late In the Evening', and had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand as he waved and smiled from his dad's arms while Dad sang.

1 Big Set
Kick In The Head, Jumpin at the Woodside, The Queen Bee, LOVE. Intermission Riff, The Very Thought of You, String of Pearls, Fly Me To the Moon, Is You Is, Mack the Knife, Almost Like Being In Love, Pennsylvania 6500, Straighten Up and Fly Right, And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine, One Mint Julep, This Can't Be Love, Choo Choo 'Ch Boogie, It Should've Been Me, American Patrol, Big Noise From Winnetka, The Lady Is A Tramp, Moondance, Late in the Evening

August 26, 2009 - Wednesday Night SMACK DOWN!

Mercy, that was fun! It was the annual no holds barred, bare knuckle, knock down, drag out battle of the big bands, as we traded swinging sets all night with the venerable Brass Trax Big Band. Tom Fox's merry bunch of blowers plays at Hackney's every Wednesday night, along with special guests (us tonight).

Dan Gorski in the house, but he refuses to have anything more than three beers. Nancy.

Another OJBAlum crawls out of the woodwork - Daniel Deacy, tenor Sax from WAY back - now sporting a cool old fashioned Irish moustache and a penchant for Guinness, me thinks.

Brass Trax blew serious chops all night - most notably a Gordon Goodwin chart called (Something) IV. Gotta find that one. Kudos to Steve Hawk and Keith Brady, who both pulled double duty in the rhythm section, on drum and bass respectively. I suppose if we had to chose a highlight, it would be the reemergence of 'Late In The Evening', a chart that has fallen by the wayside as we work thru rhythm section personnel changes. Here's hoping that one stays - we nailed it pretty good.

Rumor has it Phil Enns and Keith Bauman closed the place down around 2a. OJB likes that. Thumbs up! And god bless those sassy waitresses. They are fun and attentive to our needs as a band with an unquenchable thirst.

Set 1

Let The Good Times Roll, Don’t Be That Way, And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine, American Patrol, Travelin Light, Main Stem, I Only Have Eyes For You, Come Fly With Me, Caledonia

Set 2

Every Day I Have The Blues, Intermission Riff, Route 66, The Very Thought Of You, Big Noise From Winnetka, Lady Is A Tramp, Is You Is My Baby, Late In The Evening

August 3, 2009 - Hackney's Swing Session

Maybe it was a full moon? Certainly not the Blue Moons! We've had better sessions, but that's kind of the point. Sometimes the charts just don't work (Blue Monk), sometimes its best to let them fade off and disappear (Bizet Has His Day), and sometimes they play themselves like butter (Everyday I Have The Blues).

Claudia's 'Pick Yourself Up' sounded much better the second time around. And Tisket Tasket also seems to have found its groove. Finally!

There was a little tension in the rhythm section tonight, and tempos

fluctuated as the battle played itself out. Also, we had 5, count 'em 5, trumpets in the house, which left Terry Connell on the sidelines for parts of the first set, and that just ain't right!

Special note to Alex Blomarz - chicks dig bald heads. So now that the chemo treatments are done, you might want to consider making this an everyday look.

Drink of the night was Blue Moon. Hackney's waitresses are the best!

Set 1
St Louis Blues March, 9:20 Special. Bei Mir Bist Du Schon, Little Brown Jug, Pick Yourself Up, Bizet Has His Day, Lady Is A Tramp, Blue Monk, Come Fly With Me, Just In Time, Mack The Knife

Set 2

Every Day I Have The Blues, Big Noise From Winnetka, A Tisket A Tasket, Shorty George, Sun Valley Jump, Route 66 Vox, Hot Toddy, I Only Have Eyes For You, I Could Write A Book, Let The Good Times Roll