• July 24, 2005 - The GJB performed from 2 to 4 PM on a sunlit stage on the Branford Town Green with guest trombonist-vocalist Jim Fryer, the amazing Noel Kaletsky, and the fulsome banjo and vocal stylings of Joel Schiavone. Later that evening at the Cedars/RiverRun/Millpond the band performed with the same guests, and were honored by the presence of Jeff & Ann Barnhart and Danny Coots from the Titan Hot Seven!
     
  • June 29, 2005 - The GJB returned to the Ashlar Village in Newtown with banjo virtuoso Bob Price and trombonist Tom Boates for its annual free concert Directions... ..Map..
     
  • June 24-26, 2005 - The Hot Steamed Jazz Festival at the Valley RR station in Essex. The GJB was there on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon with trombonist Craig Grant, banjo virtuoso Bob Price, and vocalist Jane Campedelli. As always, we enjoyed perfect weather; the thunderstorms in the forcast never appeared. A particular thrill for us was drawing a crowd in one tent while the fabulous Dick Hyman performed in the next tent. .....Directions.... ..MAP...
     
  • June 25, 2005 - Music Mountain: Each year in June the GJB returns to Music Mountain in scenic Falls Village for its annual concert at "the string quartet capital of the summer music universe", Connecticut's answer to Tanglewood. Our 2005 concert was June 25, with special guest trombonist Craig Grant, banjo virtuoso Bob Price, and vocalist Jane Campedelli! Note: Gordon Hall at Music Mountain is now fully air-conditioned!... For more info about Music Mountain or to order tickets by phone, call 860-824-7126.... Directions... .. MAP ..
     
  • June 22, 2005 - The GJB returned to the gazebo on the green in Fairfield, CT for its annual free outdoor concert with special guests trombonist Jim Fryer, banjo virtuoso Bob Price, and vocalist Jane Campedelli. Although there was a thunderstorm earlier in the afternoon, and although it was still raining just a few miles away in Milford at the time of the concert, we enjoyed perfect weather that evening. There was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was about 70 degrees. . . . MAP . . . .
     
  • April 3, 2005 - The first Jazz Brunch fund raiser for the 2005 Great CT JazzFest at the River Run. The GJB performed for a SRO crowd with trombonist Tom Boates and vocalist Cynthia Fabian.
     
  • March 19, 2005 - Art Hovey's Famous Trio (with Gim Burton and Harvey Tibbs) performed at the NORTHEASTERN REGIONAL TUBA AND EUPHONIUM CONFERENCE hosted by the United States Military Academy Band at Eisenhower Hall, West Point, New York.
     
  • January 21-23, 2005 - We particularly enjoyed participating in the Central Illinois Jazz Festival, with Craig Grant, Jane Campedelli, and Bob Price. Although there was a blizzard in Connecticut that weekend we escaped its effects completely; our trip went well and we got home safely.
     
  • November 19-21, 2004 - The GJB was featured again at the 14th annual Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic in Clearwater, Florida, with Craig Grant, Jane Campedelli, and Bob Price. The weather was perfect, the crowds were huge and appreciative, and all the bands were hot. Photos from the 2004 Suncoast Festival.........
     
  • November 12, 2004 - The GJB performed with Jimmy Mazzy and Jim Fryer at the Cheers Pub at Faneuil Hall in Boston before a large and exceptionally appreciative audience. Jim Fryer had just returned from a South American tour with the Titan Hot Seven; the sudden transition from the sunny beach of Ipanema (Rio) to the snow of Boston was quite a blow, but he delivered his usual stellar performance.
     

  • August 29, 2004 - The GJB performed at a special tribute to Spiegle Willcox, 3-5 PM in Cortland, NY, in the Brown Auditorium on the SUNY Cortland campus . Our guest trombonist-vocalist was Rocco Patierno. The concert honored the memory of Spiegle Willcox, who passed away five years ago at the age of 96. Proceeds from the event went to the Willcox Music Scholarship Fund at SUNY Cortland. Seven Cortland students have received Willcox scholarships in the last six years. The concert was made possible by a grant from the Center for the Arts of Homer in conjunction with the SUNY Cortland Department of Performing Arts.

    Well known as an elder statesman of traditional jazz, Spiegle left his home town of Cortland in the early 1920's to join Paul Whiteman's Collegians. Shortly thereafter, he hooked up with the Jean Goldkette Orchestra, one of the top jazz bands of the era. While with Goldkette, he traded licks with such jazz immortals as Bix Beiderbecke, Frank Traumbauer, Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti and Jimmy Dorsey. In 1930, he "retired" from the music business to return to Cortland and run his father's coal business. Despite the company motto ("There's no fuel like an old fuel"), Spiegle made the transition to fuel oil and developed a successful business while his big band played weekends in the Central New York area. His active life, which always included music and laughter, left him rested and ready for his international rediscovery in the mid 1970's. It was his association with Bix that brought him the recognition that he continued to enjoy. In 1975, Spiegle performed two Bix tribute concerts in Carnegie Hall, along with five other guest Goldkette alumni. European tours, a guest spot on the Tonight Show with Wild Will Davison and a host of all-star appearances at jazz festivals were typical of Spiegle's final years. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in music form SUNY Cortland in 1988 and was crowned the "Emperor of the 1995 Sacramento Jazz Jubilee." He also received the Benny Carter Award from the American Federation of Jazz Societies. For information about his final recording, click on the photo above.
     
  • February, 2004 - Our 2004 Mardi Gras celebration at the River Run was sold out. There were costumes and prizes and a free buffet, and we had Herb & Abbie Gardner joining us on trombone and vocals. This was also our 33rd anniversary of Sunday night jazz! We are grateful to all of our loyal fans for sticking with us all these years and for coming out in spite of snow flurries and freezing rain on that fine February evening.
     
  • November, 2003 and 2004 - The GJB performed in Clearwater Beach, Florida, at the 13th and 14th annual Suncoast Dixieland Jazz Classic with Jane Campedelli, Craig Grant, and Bob Price. We enjoyed perfect weather for both festivals, which were very well-run and well-attended; we especially enjoyed seeing so many old friends from Connecticut who are now living in Florida. For more details visit the festival website or write to Suncoast Classic Jazz Inc., P.O. Box 1945, Largo, FL 33779-1945, or call (727) 536-0064. The GJB returned to the Suncoast festival in November, 2004 and 2005. Photos from the 2003 Suncoast Festival.........

  • August, 2003 - The GJB and acres of people enjoyed beautiful weather for our annual Masonic Home concert in Wallingford, pictured below:

  • July 27, 2003 - The GJB was joined at the RiverRun by members of Paris Washboard for an exceptionally exciting evening of hot jazz with a standing-room-only crowd.
     
  • June, 2003 and 2004 - We enjoyed perfect weather on the last weekend of June in 2003 and 2004, performing at the Hot Steamed Jazz Festival in Essex. Hot Steamed Festival Photos... One of the highlights of the Hot Steamed festival was 8-year-old jazz violinist Jonathan Russell, who sat in with us at our final set there. On the Saturdays of both weekends we performed at Music Mountain in Falls Village. Apparently the famous Vigorito Voodoo was working; it was the first weekend without rain in quite a while.
     
  • June 8 and 15, 2003 - The GJB enjoyed standing-room-only crowds for its first two nights at the RiverRun (formerly the Millpond Tavern) with Jane Campedelli. We were thrilled to see so many dear friends and loyal fans turn out for the occasion. Kim Steffen is to be congratulated for all the work she has done, rebuilding our old home and bringing it into the 21st century.
     
  • April 27, 2003 - Although we enjoyed good crowds at the Chowderpot in Branford every Sunday evening for seven years, the management decided that our services are no longer needed. Our final performance there on April 27 was a big night, attended by loyal fans from as far away as Massachusetts and North Carolina. The Chowderpot (203-481 2356) was a wonderful home for the GJB; perhaps someday we can return. Photos from the Chowderpot Farewell...

    • Events before 2003 are not listed here because this website did not yet exist. For a history of the very early years, click HERE.

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