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South Frisco Jazz Band Archive

Recordings 1979-95


The classic
two-cornet
South Frisco
appeared at festivals and concerts,
c. 1979-95. 

This new page offers recordings presented in cooperation with former members, their followers and enthusiasts.  A growing archive presents exceptional performances selected from concert tapes, rare and unpublished or out-of-print sources.


This page under construction.  Additional content, photos and music are forthcoming. 

South Frisco Jazz Band was among the finest ensembles dedicated to keeping alive the sound of Lu Watters Yerba Buena Jazz Band.  South Frisco had a strong commitment to ensemble sound and jazz performance style prior to 1930, the ‘real and righteous’ sounds associated with Jelly Roll Morton, the small Louis Armstrong groups of the Twenties, and King Oliver’s band.  

Like their model Yerba Buena Jazz Band, South Frisco style was modeled on the classic King Oliver Creole Jazz Band: a two-cornet front line, Johnny Dodds-style clarinet; tuba and banjo ‘two beat’ rhythm and ragtime-influenced piano reflect the Watters influence.  South Frisco built a worldwide fan base, recorded a dozen and a half albums, and appeared to acclaim at jazz festivals worldwide.

The South Frisco name is a tribute to the San Francisco jazz of Lu Watters and Turk Murphy, transplanted to Southern California.  Originally an Orange County area band, it re-formed as a Watters-style ensemble in its classic two-cornet form in the late 1970s.  Because the musicians resided across the US, the band convened only for festival appearances, concerts, overseas travel and recording sessions.

They aspired to high standards of authenticity and musicianship.  Like their inspiration the Watters band, South Frisco was one loud ensemble, to which I can testify having recorded them myself.  The sheer physical force and dynamic impact of this ensemble is hard to convey in words or recordings.











Vince Saunders led and guided South Frisco from its inception in 1956.  A dedicated follower of Lu Watters and Turk Murphy, he is a superb rhythm banjo player and a good singer.  Vince is a relaxed and pleasant master of ceremonies onstage . . . plus he’s as modest and unassuming a guy as you’d ever hope to meet.


ARCHIVE MUSIC

South Frisco Jazz Band,
Sacramento Dixieland Jubilee, 1989
Guest Bob Helm, clarinet and tenor sax
Recorded by Dave Radlauer

Concert format:
South Frisco Sacramento Pt. 1.mp3  16:05
South Frisco, Sacramento, Pt. 2.mp3  24:37

Tunes format:
Set 1
Mandy Lee Blues (Bob Helm, sax)
Doin‘ the Hambone (Bob Helm, sax)
Trouble in Mind (Vince Saunders, vocal)
Trombone Rag (feat. Jim Snyder, trombone)

Set 2
Shreveport Stomp (featuring Bob Helm with Robbie Rhodes)
Marie (Saunders, vocal)
Broken Promises (Saunders, vocal)
Perdido Street Blues (feat. Bob Helm and Mike Baird)
Topliner Rag (Robbie Rhodes, piano rag)
King Chanticleer                        
  

Cornet player Leon Oakley was among the finest musicians performing Traditional and Classic Jazz in the last quarter of the Twentieth Century.  Oakley joined South Frisco in 1979 bringing his flawless technique, exciting improvisational ideas, commitment to ensemble sound, and ease in a wide range of musical styles.  An attention-grabbing personal voice of distinction and polish, Leon’s intensity smolders in performances of  “Marie,” “Broken Promises” and “Jones Law Blues.”

Oakley was deeply involved in behind-the-scenes organizing of recordings, events and jazz projects of all kinds.  He’s comfortable in a wide range of styles and formats: combos, large swing orchestras or the ‘real and righteous’ sounds of classic jazz.


New December, 2016

South Frisco Jazz Band
Indian Wells Jazz Festival
Indian Wells, CA 12.29.91


Tom Bartlett (trombone)
Jack Mangan (drums)
Special guest: Spiegel Wilcox (trombone)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiegle_Willcox
http://elvispelvis.com/spieglewillcox.htm

Set A
Jazzin’ Babies Blues
West Texas Blues (Robbie Rhodes piano featured)
Willie the Weeper
Going Back to Bottomland
Sunset Café Stomp
Big Bear Stomp

Add Speigel Wilcox second trombone:
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Hindustan
If Had You
Down in Honky Tonk Town (upcut)

Set B
Won’t Somebody Love Me
Kansas City Stomps
Frog Tongue Stomp
Sweet Lotus Blossom (Dan Comins, vocal)
Doin’ the Hambone
Fig Leaf Rag
Band personnel & close
Brother Lowdown
  












Cornetist Dan Comins played traditional jazz in the Boston area before moving to California in 1971, when he joined South Frisco.  His musical skills and singing were integral to the band.


New December 2016

South Frisco Jazz Band
Special event
Bimbos 365 Club
San Francisco, CA 10.22.95


Special Guest Bob Helm (reeds)

Set A
That’s a Plenty
Daddy Do
My Little Bimbo down on a Bamboo Isle
Minstrels of Annie Street
Bay City
Duff Campbell’s Revenge
Jazzin’ Babies Blues
Annie Street Rock

Set B
Custom House Up and Down
Who’s It

Add Bob Helm:
Sage Hen Strut
Perdido Street Blues
Shake That Thing

Set C
Jungle Blues (Lloyd Byasse, Chinese gong)
Brother Lowdown
Grizzly Bear (Wally Rose, piano solo)
King Chanticleer
The Misery Blues (vocal, Charlie Sonnanstine)
Emperor Norton’s Hunch
Friendless Blues
    









A founding member of South Frisco, Mike Baird has long been considered a foremost interpreter of the Johnny Dodds clarinet style.  Like Bob Helm and Ellis Horne in Yerba Buena, he managed to carry a tasteful reed part poised against a great deal of brass.  Versatile and talented Baird also plays alto and soprano saxophone.

New 2.2016

Hanzehof, Zutphen, May 1988

Leon Oakley comments:
"These are good recordings. SFJB was in top form . . . the band is hot!  I think this needs to become a CD package.  The live recording guy did a great job."

Concert format:
South_Frisco_Hanzehof_Zutphen_5.1988_Set_A1 complete.mp3 = 37:12
South_Frisco_Hanzehof_Zutphen_5.1988_Set_A2 complete.mp3 = 30:31

Set A1
Annie_St_Rock.mp3
Working_Man_Blues.mp3
If_Someone_Would_Only_Love_Me.mp3
Waiting_for_the_Robert_E_Lee.mp3
Mandy, Make Up Your Mind.mp3
I'm_Goin_Huntin.mp3
Willie_the_Weeper.mp3
I_Cant_Say.mp
Weary_Blues.mp3

Set A2
Big_Bear_Stomp.mp3
Antigua_Blues.mp3
West_Texas_Blues.mp3
Coal_Cart_Blues.mp3
Ace_In_the_Hole.mp3
I_Ain't_Gonna_Tell_Nobody.mp3
Pontchartrain.mp3
Mandy_Lee_Blues.mp3
   











Jim Snyder
was one of the great jazz trombone players of the revival, or any jazz era.  Based in the Chicago area, he was very popular as part of the Original Salty Dogs and other groups.  A top session player for Stomp Off Records, Snyder was second to none playing the gutty Frisco tailgate trombone style best exemplified by Turk Murphy and heard on “Trombone Rag” (written by Murphy) and “Marie.”


Hanzehof, Zutphen, May 1988

Concert Format:
South_Frisco_Hanzehof_Zutphen_5.1988_Set_B1_complete.mp3 = 38:34
South_Frisco_Hanzehof_Zutphen_5.1988_Set_B2_complete.mp3 = 33:54

Set B1
Come_Back_Sweet_Papa.mp3
Bay_City.mp3
Minstrels_of_Annie_Street.mp3
Someday_Sweetheart.mp3
Sage_Hen_Strut.mp3
T'aint_Nobodys_Business_If_I_Do.mp3
Castlehouse_Rag.mp3
Who's_It.mp3
Mabel's_Dream.mp3

Set B2
Emperor_Nortons_Hunch.mp3
I'm_Goin'_Away_Just_to_Wear_You_Off_My_Mind.mp3
Coney_Island_Washoboard.mp3
Broken_Promises.mp3
Frog_Tongue_Stomp.mp3
Candy_Lips.mp3
Alcoholic_Blues.mp3
   







Robbie Rhodes
was unparalleled at emulating and resynthesizing the Wally Rose band piano manner.  Like Wally, Robbie lent a strong ragtime flavor to the band.  His style and cadence brought a unique sparkle and energy: Rhodes was as integral to South Frisco just as Rose was to Yerba Buena.  Like Wally, Robbie was often featured playing solo piano rags like Scott Joplin’s “Easy Winners,” or in a trio setting with Jelly Roll Morton’s “Shreveport Stomp.”












Robbie Rhodes
Sketched in action by
Joe Mathieu



ARCHIVE MUSIC

South Frisco Jazz Band
Canadian Club, May 21, 1988
Apeldoorn, Holland

Concert format:
SOUTH_FRISCO_Apeldoorn 1A 1988.mp3
SOUTH_FRISCO_Apeldoorn 1B 1988.mp3
SOUTH_FRISCO_Apeldoorn 2A 1988.mp3
SOUTH_FRISCO_Apeldoorn 2B 1988.mp3


Tunes format:

1A
Darktown Strutter’s Ball
Jazzin’ Babies Blues
Doin’ the Hambone
Lady Love
Big Bear Stomp
Antigua Blues
West Indies Blues
I’m Going Away to Wear You Off my Mind

1B
I’m a Little Blackbird
Sweet Like This
High Society
Camp Meeting Blues
Smokey Mokes
Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out (vocal Vince)

2A
Triangle Jazz Blues
Candy Lips
Coal Cart Blues
Titanic Man Blues
Mandy Lee Blues
San Antonio Rose (Vince Saunders, vocal)
Burgundy Street Blues

2B
Cakewalkin’ Babies (from Home), group vocal 
Alcoholic Blues vocal, Vince
Trombone Rag
Mabel’s Dream
Bay City
Little Lawrence
Friendless Blues
    
Special thanks to Frank Selman
 














Bob Rann was the driving force of the rhythm section for 32 years.  Steeped in traditional jazz sounds he'd already been part of the Original Salty Dogs and Turk Murphy jazz bands.

New 4.17.2015

ARCHIVE MUSIC

South Frisco Jazz Band
Breda, The Netherlands, 9.5.82


Bay City.mp3
Big Bear Stomp.mp3
Blue Mama's Suicide Wail.mp3
Burgundy Street Blues.mp3
Come Back Sweet Papa.mp3
Dippermouth Blues.mp3
Doin' the Hambone.mp3
Down Home Rag.mp3
Emperor Norton's Hunch.mp3
Fickle Fay Creep.mp3
Friendless Blues.mp3
If Someone Would Only Love Me.mp3
Kansas City Stomps.mp3
Messin' Around.mp3
New Orleans Shuffle.mp3
Old Fashioned Love.mp3
Original Rag.mp3
Pontchartrain.mp3
Snake Rag.mp3
Shake That Thing.mp3
T'Ain't Nobodys Business If I Do.mp3
Tiger Rag.mp3
Washboard Wiggles.mp3
Working Man Blues.mp3

Thanks to Frank Selman
   







Bob Raggio
provided percussion via his washboard, augmented with a woodblock, cowbell and tiny finger cymbal.  A highly knowledgeable jazz record collector, Raggio was with South Frisco almost from the beginning in 1964, except during a seven-year stint at Disneyland.

His deft touch with an emphasis on wood blocks is reminiscent of Bill Dart in Yerba Buena.  According to Hal Smith, “he played two washboards fastened together since he played so hard that the surface on the top board wore out quickly.”

Heard on a few sessions, Bob Helm was frequently a special guest and collaborator with South Frisco in concert, on records and on numberless occasions.  He was a brilliant, distinctive and original voice in Frisco jazz, best known for his key role in Yerba Buena Jazz Band, Watters’ famed Hambone Kelly’s venture, and many (intermittent) years with Turk Murphy.  

A living link to Watters’ Yerba Buena, Helm was a deeply loved musician and personality.  He was widely regarded as dean of the Frisco revival and possibly its best all around musician: the most imaginative and fun to play with, a bold and daring soloist.  

Over the decades Helm was welcomed in numberless bands, ensembles, concerts, recording sessions, jams, gigs, festivals, and special events worldwide.  His sharp historical memory, clear insights and dry wit made him a popular entertaining interview subject.

South Frisco Repertorie

The unofficial moniker of Yerba Buena Jazz Band was the result of a newspaper article referring to the members of the band as the “Minstrels of Annie Street:"  #20 Annie St. was the storied Frisco location for the Dawn Club on an alley off Market Street next to the Palace Hotel intermittently between 1940-46.

“Sage Hen Strut” was written by Watters in 1944.  Its title refers to both the female sage grouse unique to the North America plains, and in this context “The Famous Grouse,” a remarkable and legendary Scotch whiskey.  And Sage Hen Strut was title of the 1987 South Frisco album Stomp Off 1143.

Lil Hardin Armstrong composed “Perdido Street Blues.”  It celebrates the 19th Century African American Bamboula dances described as a ‘ring-shout shuffle’ led by a drummer striking a large bass drum with a beef shank bone.  The odd metric count under the clarinet duet of Mike Baird and Bob Helm is aimed at recreating the Bamboula’s stamping, chanting rhythm.
http://www.streetswing.com/histmain/z3bmbla1.htm

“Who’s It” was introduced by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five in 1926.

Marie” was generally associated with swing music and was a huge hit for Tommy Dorsey.  Played by South Frisco it’s a reminder that just about any song can be adapted to classic jazz performance style.

Jones Law Blues” is a magnificent realization of a Benny Moten/Bill Basie chart.  The heavyweight slam of this ensemble is visceral, as Leon Oakley ventures out on the high wire for a keyed-up solo.  Jones Law Blues was also title of their 1985 record, Stomp Off 1103.

South Frisco’s “Mabel’s Dream” is every bit the King Oliver favorite in modern stereo.


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