New Orleans Jazz Band of Austin a May 6 Hit at Cap City
By Dave Stoddard
The New Orleans Jazz Band of Austin provided its usual steadiness before an appreciative audience at Cap City Comedy Club on Sunday, May 6. This group is led by pianist Tommy Griffith, an Austin fixture. He was ably supported by Jim Ivy on clarinet, Larmon Maddox on cornet, Max Lyon on trombone, John Gill on banjo and guitar, Dan Augustine on tuba and Budge Mabry on drums.
The show opened with a rocking version of Brother Lowdown. The band played the William H. Butler tune Once in a While at a more relaxed tempo than it is usually heard. Tommy Griffith warmed up his pipes with a vocal on San Francisco Bay Blues. Jim Ivy showed a quiet ballad style on Petite Fleur and Am I Blue. John Gill, a relative newcomer to the Austin area, showed his vocal abilities on the Spencer Williams evergreen I Ain't Got Nobody.
During the second set, Tommy showed off more of his vocal style on The Joint is Jumpin' and I Had Somebody Else. The band showed its ensemble flair with a precise rendering of Snake Rag. John Gill displayed an effective solo style on I Would Do Most Anything For You, followed by a pleasing duet by Larmon and Max. The set concluded with a rousing washboard chorus by Budge Mabry on Sweet Georgia Brown.
During the third set the band followed the road less traveled. Following a neat rendition of When We Danced at the Mardi Gras, John Gill offered a fine vocal rendition of Blue Moon of Kentucky, an early Elvis Presley recording. The band then played La Vie En Rose ( The Life in Pink), the signature song of French singer Edith Piaf. Larmon Maddox offered a rare vocal on the King Oliver favorite Doctor Jazz. Jim Ivy played a contemplative lead on the Sidney Bechet ballad Si Tu Va Ma Mere. John Gill sang and played a rousing version of Willie the Weeper before the band wound the afternoon up with When the Saints Go Marching in.
The New Orleans Jazz Band of Austin is in some respects the signature traditional jazz band in the city. This was a fine outing for the group.
