ABOUT
About phil
Here is a brief listing of some of the bands with which Phil has played over the last 65+ years:
1957-60
1960-61
1962-64
1964-66
1966-67
1967-88
1974-75
1988-92
1993-2019
2020-
University of Illinois Fraternity band with Mike Denny
Danville, IL: Dixieland Saints with Bill Barry and Whip Williams
Chicago: Windy City Banjo Band, Steamboat Stompers, Chuck Hillstrom's Red Garter Banjo Band with Dave Marty
Pittsburgh: Gaslight Club, Shadyside
Honolulu: Shakey's Pizza with Ernie Carson & Dave Wierbach
State College, PA: Tarnished 6, Night Bloomin' Jazzmen
London, England: Kid Tidiman's New Era JB; Bee Minter's Gothic JB
San Francisco area: Jerry Kaehele's Levee Stompers, Jubilee JB, Ted Shafer's Jelly Roll JB, Cell Block 7, New Revival JB
Cleveland,OH: New Orleans Jazz Ensemble, Classic JB, Night Owls, Minstrels of Earlville, Original Ragtimers, Hot Jazz 7, Hymns of Dixieland, Six Flags/Sea World
Retiring in Napa, CA playing with various bands and jazz clubs
Phil has played in over 80 jazz festivals and jazz club events from California to Edinburgh to Hungary with a bunch of different Bands.
Sea World/Six Flags
Sea World/Six Flags
Some Anecdotes
With Buck Creek JB
In 1966, with Ernie Carson and Dave Wierbach, I played for a dancing
elephant at the Hawaii state Republican convention! I played a lot of gigs
with Ernie and Dave. See the link to Honolulu.
In the mid-70's there was pub in London's Chelsea area called the
Stanhope. It featured trad jazz 7 nights a week. I played 2 nights a
week there with Bee Minter's Gothic Jazz Band. The Stanhope
encouraged foreign musicians to sit in with band. One night our 7 piece
band was populated with musicians from 7 different countries. The only
common language was the music and a few words in English to identify the
songs.
In 1981 and 1988, I played with the Tarnished Six at the Edinburgh,
Scotland Jazz Festival -- part of the greater arts event held each
August. (Info about the Tarnished Six.)
One event was a 24 hour jazz marathon. 12 Trad Jazz bands each
played 2 sets 12 hours apart. We played one set at 3:00 pm in the
marathon, then played a 2 hour concert in a pub from 7-9. At 3:00 am we
dragged ourselves back to the marathon to play our 300AM set.
In Chicago in the 60's, the standard weekend evening job was 9:00PM
until 3:00AM.
In Pittsburgh in the 60's. I played with a trio at the Gaslight Club, an
after hours private club in Shadyside. There, the band's hours
were 9:00PM to 4:00AM on Fridays and 10:00 PM to 5:00AM Saturdays. I
learned a lot of vocals and banjo solos playing with just a trio for 7 hours!
Stanhope Pub, London
Edinburgh Program
Red Garter Post Card
In 1964, I was in the opening band of the Chicago Red Garter. It was
located in a prime location near Chicago and Michigan Avenues. (Link: RedGarter)
In the early 60's in Chicago, I was with a band of young white guys:
The Windy City Banjo Band. (Link: WindyCityBanjoBand)
For 12 months we played opposite a "mature" band of
African-American musicians at the Red Arrow restaurant in Stickney, IL.
We played the 1st, 3rd, & 5th sets; they played the 2nd and 4th sets.
We thought we were hot stuff and thought they were old tired guys over
the hill in their 60's and 70's. We soon learned differently.
The leader, Franz Jackson, had played with Earl Hines, Fletcher
Henderson, and many others. The trumpeter, Bob Shoffner, replaced
Louie Armstrong in King Oliver's Band around 1925. He also played with
Earl Hines. Piano: Little Brother Montgomery or Lil Hardin Armstrong;
Trombone: Al Wynn or Preston Jackson. Equally distinguished drums and
tuba.
We learned a great deal from these guys. They were extremely kind to
us and very generous with their time. They helped us understand the
music and even wrote a song that mentioned each of us young guys.
We sat in with them and subbed when one of their guys was late.
Franz Jackson encouraged us to record, produced our first LP, and sold
it on his Pinnacle label in Chicago. The LP was given 3 stars in "DownBeat"
magazine.
Franz Jackson
In 1963 in Chicago, the Windy City Banjo Band played at a joint on
Chicago Ave, between State & Wabash. We played the Saints as our
closing number. It was just 300AM and a guy with a beret walked in and
wanted us to play the Saints. Persuaded by the $50 tip, we played it
again.
Sometimes on Fridays (Saturday morning!) we would go down State St.
and play for tips at a gin mill that was open until 500AM. Freddy the
Frenchmen (as we named the big tipper) went with us.
We were driving down State Street and one of our guys asked Freddy
what he did for a living. He said "I'm a professional thief" and pulled a
pistol out from under his jacket! We told him we had
changed our minds and dropped him off on a corner. We then went to the
club and started playing.
A little while later Freddy came in. He said he didn't like the piano
player and if he didn't stop playing he would shoot him! Our guys rapidly
packed up and started to leave. I was the first one out the door! Freddy
started shooting up the joint, grazed the piano player, and robbed the
bartender. Two of our guys, Jack Meilahn and Craig Elvidge, tackled
Freddy as he left the bar and held him until the police arrived.
WCBB LP Cover
