GOODLAND — Dixieland jazz and razzmatazz is coming to the Goodland High School Auditorium, Sunday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. MDT (3 p.m. CDT). Sponsored by the Western Plains Arts Association, admission is by WPAA season ticket or adults $20, students $10, at the door. The second of WPAA’s 50th anniversary season performance is made possible through the generous support of area businesses and individual donors, including a special grant from the Dane Hansen Memorial Foundation, Logan, Kan.
Headquartered in Denver, Colo., the Queen City Jazz Band has delighted audiences since 1958, with traditional, swing, ragtime, and Dixieland-style jazz, as well as blues and spirituals. A chemist at Golden’s Coors Brewery, Harney Peterson, organized the band for his weekly traditional jazz program on KFML radio.
The QCJB has been featured at jazz festivals from Florida to British Columbia and has toured Europe. They have produced dozens of recordings and are regularly guest artists with all the major regional symphony orchestras and concert bands. The current band excels in entertaining listeners of all ages with the music of the early master of blues jazz like Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong along with the great sounds of the “Second Line” straight from Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
Most of the music presents audiences with the happy sounds of the 20s, 30s and 40s era. The QCJB has performed at every major Dixieland and swing jazz festival in North America. They faithfully recreate the music of Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton, Scott Joplin, Bix Beiderbecke, Wilbur DeParis, Turk Murphy and many others.
The band’s busy schedule abounds with weddings, worship services, educational clinics, fundraisers and major parties. Each year they are featured at the Evergreen Jazz Festival in Evergreen, Colo. Over the years the band has recorded many of their best songs.
Lev Ropes, artistic director, West Side Live! Presents, writes: “The QCJB is always a delight to have in our concert series. They present a variety of fine jazz along with information about composers, eras, and performers that adds even more to our audiences’ listening pleasure. Great fun, lively, instrumental and vocal music that fills our house. We love ‘em.”
Current band members are: Wende Harston, singer, Bill Clark-tuba/leader, Kevin Bollinger-trumpet, Eric Staffeldt-trombone, John Bredenberg-reeds, Hank Troy-piano, Rory Thomas-banjo and Tony Pantelis-drums.
Since 1992, blues and gospel singer Wende Harston brings to life the great hit songs of Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, Ida Cox, Ethel Waters, Alberta Hunter, Helen Humes, Ella Fitzgerald, and other early blues singers. Harston is the complete package as she sings, dances and acts. She has appeared in many feature film and a made-for-TV film series. She can also be seen in local theater productions. She not only sings but writes songs for the QCJB.
Clark is a retired professor from UC Denver and the tuba player and leader of the QCJB. Clark received his music education degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He continued at Northwestern where he studied with the Chicago Symphony’s legendary tubist, Arnold Jacobs. He began his teaching career in the Boulder public school system and recently retired as a Professor of Music at UC Denver after more than 45 years as an educator. Clark, the band’s longest term member, started with the QCJB in 1976 and became the leader in 1985. Clark’s passionate endeavors while teaching included his college band, the UC Denver Claim Jumpers, one of the Nation’s finest college Dixieland bands of the time. The “CJs” performed across Europe and have been featured at many jazz festivals in the country. In the early 70’s, Clark performed on the Ed Sullivan Show when he was touring with the original Your Father’s Mustache Band.
Kevin Bollinger, trumpet, attended the Eastman School of Music. Later, he studied with Bill Clark and was in the UC Denver Traditional Jazz band, Red Beans and Rice, directed by Clark. Bollinger is a much sought after free-lance trumpet player in both jazz and classical idioms. In his spare time, he works as a systems administrator for a government agency.
Reedman, John Bredenberg, has years of experience playing traditional jazz on clarinet, saxophone and banjo. Bredenberg served in the US Navy, then attended the University of Northern Colorado as a clarinet major. He is a master electrician, and has recently retired.
Eric Staffeldt is the QCJB’s trombonist, holds a M.A. degree from the University of Denver. Staffeldt has worked for many years in the design industry, providing custom finishes for furniture and cabinetry for some of Denvers’ finest homes. He also writes and arranges music for QCJB and other local groups. Staffeldt is the current director of the University of Colorado Denver Claim Jumpers. He is a freelance musician as well as a regular performing member of several Denver area ensembles, ranging in style from classical to salsa to jazz.
Hank Troy has been the pianist with the QCJB since 1981, making him the second longest term band member. He is the secretary/treasurer for the Queen City Jazz Foundation. In this capacity Hank helps with the behind-the-scenes activities of the band, such as helping to produce the band’s annual concert. He is a nationally recognized expert as a pianist for silent movies and has traveled the country doing the same. As leader of the Queen City Ragtime Ensemble, Troy promotes Ragtime Jazz, the great American music that was the precursor to the traditional jazz that the band performs today.
Rory Thomas, banjo player, comes to the QCJC with a great deal of professional experience including playing with all of Denver’s best traditional jazz bands. He has also played with Karla West’s Goodtyme Jazz Band and still plays with the Poudre River Irregulars when available. Rory is a retired graphic artist .
The drummer, Tony Pantelis, holds a B.S. degree from the University of Colorado, Denver. Tony played with the Delta Sonics, recent “Best of Denver “ award winners from Westword Magazine. Other highlights include appearances with The Colorado Symphony Orchestra, The Denver Symphony Orchestra and performances at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.
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