ALL PROFITS WILL BE DONATED TO THE DEERTREES THEATER BY THE RAGTIME RAZCALS OF NEW ENGLAND
Side 1
1a. Indiana - 2a. Ain't She Sweet - 3a. Smokie
Mokies - 4a. Angry - 5a. Saints
Side 2
1b. Sweet Georgia Brown - 2b. When You're Smiling -
3b. Sunflower Dance - 4b. Congratulate Me - 5b. Dr. Jazz
- 6b. Just A Closer Walk With Thee
_________________________________________________________________
The Musicians and the numbers they performed:
Jeff Grosser, plectrum banjo -- All numbers & vocals on 1a, 2a,
1b, 2b, 5b
Paul Monat, cornet -- All numbers except 3a and 3b(vocals, no examples
on tape)
Jim Simonetti, trombone -- 4a(vocal and trombone), 4b(vocal
and trombone), 6b
Bill Rayne, trombone -- 1a, 2a, 5a, 1b, 2b, 5b, 6b (vocals, no examples
on tape)
Hal Rohn, reeds -- 1a, 2a, 1b, 2b, 5b
Mark Finks, reeds -- 4a, 5a, 4b, 6b(vocal and reeds)
Henry Berry, piano -- 1a, 2a, 5a, 1b, 2b, 5b(vocals, no examples
on tape)
Jane Chester, piano -- 3a, 4a, 4b, 6b
Eric Anderson, tuba -- 3a, 4a, 5a, 4b, 6b(vocals, no examples on
tape)
Spike Hatfield, acoustic bass -- 1a, 2a, 1b, 2b, 3b, 5b
Reine Stewart, drums -- 4a, 4b, 6b
Larry Peterson, drums -- All except 4a, 4b, 6b
Peter Proeller, 5 string banjo -- 3b(This was his first public performance)
----Very Simply----
EXCITING, EXTRAORDINARY, BANJO and DIXIELAND MUSIC
One New York critic put it, "Yes, the cassette did arrive here safe and sound, and I must tell you that it was great. As for the dixieland band, it was about the best I have ever heard. I particularly admired the banjo player because that's a tough instrument. I have heard quite a few good banjo players, and the player on that cassette was excellent. I don't know where you got him from. The rest of the Dixie group were also very good, again, especially the drummer. Very good! No use listing all the guys in the rest of the group, but they were all good."
The Story Behind the Album
For the past four years (this coming August 20, 1999 will be our fifth) my group The Ragtime Razcals of New England (originally conceived by both Jim Simonetti and myself) have been invited to the Deertrees Theater in Harrison Maine to perform. Each year I invite musicians to make up a seven piece Dixieland band to "jam" at the theater for a live performance. For my own enjoyment I tape the performances on a Tascam 454 4 track cassette recorder. It is from these tapes that the album is made. The theater, built in the thirties, is in the process of rejuvenation and renovation and provides performances every weekend of the summer. Usually two or three different and very varied offerings are provided for the theater's audience each week. The Ragtime Razcals arrive at the theater about an hour before show time to set up, although a few times, a number of performers have showed up exactly at show time, and one, once, slightly after. I have an idea of some of the tunes I would like to play, but I work with the other musicians to make final decisions and pick the keys, and tempo, on stage. The "arrangements" including intros, tags, solos, rhythms, etc. are made "on the fly" as we go along, jam session style. Everything is impromptu and unrehearsed and always NEW -- what you hear is what you get! -- good, bad and indifferent! One of the exciting things about this tape is the verbal interchanges heard between the musicians as we work. It is like being on-stage with us. Some of the comments are funny, some are instructions, some are questions, some are entertaining -- all are what happened on stage to make the performance work. Working with such fine musicians as I have been blessed, the results are very exciting and professional, but most importantly, fun for the performers because that is the philosophy of The Ragtime Razcals of New England -- we have to have more fun than our audiences. This cassette represents some of my favorites, not always the best of the performances that were presented to the audiences. A variety of different musical styles are represented on the tape and show the many moods of the group's musical choices. I have tried to give the spot light on this album to all the performers, who have their own special talents and abilities, just as I do in live performances. Everyone is the star in this group. My philosophy with this group is to get good musicians and just stand aside and let them do what they do best -- make their music. These performers have wonderful musical ears and listen to everything that is happening and work to make everyone sound the best they can. There are no effects added to the tape, what you hear is the natural acoustic magnificence of the theater itself. Deertrees Theater may be my favorite performance each year that I have had the privilege of playing there. On the tape you will hear me play a B&D #5, #2, Special, and a Baldwin/Ode "C", some of the banjos I own that I love the most. I know you will enjoy the tape and ALL PROFITS WILL GO TO THE GOOD WORK OF THE DEERTREES THEATER TO CONTINUE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE THE VERY VARIED ENTERTAINMENT THEY PROVIDE EACH SUMMER, FROM CLASSICAL, ROCK-AND-ROLL, FOLK, AND JAZZ MUSIC, TO DANCE AND OTHER TYPES OF CULTURAL ENDEAVORS TO THEIR AUDIENCES.
TO ORDER YOUR CASSETTE:
Send $12.00 in US funds (includes postage and handling),
check or money order requesting the "Jammin' at Deertrees" album to:
Dr. Jeff Grosser
The Ragtime Razcals of New England
64 Water Street POB 97
Wiscasset, ME 04578
If you have comments or suggestions, email me at banjo@doctor4u.com
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