1992 time frame. In 2007, Bob remembered me and invited me to work with
the Cell Block 7 at the International Bohem Ragtime and Jazz Festival in in
Budapest, Hungary. In addition to playing in Budapest, we played in several other
cities associated with the Festival. It was a great tour and we performed for
hundreds of people during the week or so we spent in Hungary. There are some
YouTube videos floating around. For example, click the link to hear Blues My
Naughty Sweetie Gives to Me we recorded in Hungary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJF9ycB0BA
Band members were: Cornet, Bob Romans and Bill Sharp; Trombone, Dan
Talbert; Clarinet, Jon Stutler; Piano, Daryl Hosick; Washboard, Bill Gunter;
Tuba, Tom Downs; Banjo, Phil Cartwright. Romans, Sharp and Talbert also played
Double Belled Euphoniums. See the double bells in action in the photo below.
In 2008, the Cell Block 7 did a pub crawl in South West England. It was great
fun to play in a half dozen different pubs primarily in Devon. The pubs were
jammed and we were well received.
Band members were: Cornet, Bob Romans and Dave Johnson; Trombone, Dan
Talbert; Clarinet, Pete Main; Drums, Coleman Scholl; Tuba, Tom Downs; Banjo,
Phil Cartwright. Romans, Johnson and Talbert also played Double Belled
Euphoniums.
After the pub crawl, I went to London for a few days and played a couple of
gigs with an English band I had worked with when we lived in London in 1974-75.
In 2009, I flew from Ohio back to Oregon to play with the CB7 in a jazz club
event in Eugene, OR.
The Cell Block 7 has released many CDs and play a wide variety of songs. Here
are a few examples from CDs and a concert we played in Eugene, Oregon in
2009: In a Persian Market, Savoy Blues, Limehouse Blues, Military Escort, Spanish
Shawl, Bugler’s Holiday, Words, King Chanticleer, Alligator Hop, Hiawatha,
Chelsea on Down, Big Lip Blues, Doin’ the Hambone, King of the Zulus, Hello
Beautiful, Red Rose Rag, Story Book Ball and Washboard Wiggles.
Hungary:
Bill Gunter, Daryl Hosick, Dan Talbert, Phil Cartwright, Bob Romans, Tom Downs, Bill Sharp, Jon Stutler
England:
Dan Talbert, Coleman Scholl, Dave Johnson, Tom Downs, Waitress, Phil Cartwright, Pete Main, Bob Romans
Eugene, Oregon:
Tom Downs, Phil Cartwright, Ted Van, Dan Talbert, Pete Main, Bob Romans, Daryl Hosick, Fred Spitzer