Podcast Audio: The Intensely Vigorous Jazz Band

Richard Dzina '56 Says:

2014-04-21 11:16:06

Ah, memories.

 

Don Maloney '49 Says:

2014-04-21 11:36:18

The guiding force behind the IVJB was John Dengler '48, who mastered multiple wind instruments and devoted himself to jazz after returning from the Army. He became a professional and went on the road with Rex Stewart's (ex-Ellington) combo in which Rex, a cornet player, actually had John take solos on that instrument. At the time of his death his favorite instrument was the bass sax, and he can be heard soloing on that rare instrument on recordings by Jabbo Smith.

 

Dick Snedeker '51 *61 Says:

2014-04-22 09:35:50

Good to have Don Maloney's comments. Dengler was truly one of a kind. I knew him pretty well and played (not very well) with the IVJB twice when the regular clarinetist couldn't make it. The IVJB existed from early 1949 until the spring of 1951, when they all graduated. That was it. Dengler could play any brass or reed instrument. He used the cornet in the IVJB. He played bass sax in the marching band. He even tried the tuba a couple of times. As Maloney implies, he played with many big names as a pro. His pride and joy as an undergrad was his car, a 1927 purple Nash convertible he named Anableps (look it up). I rode in it once with him when he went to New York to play in the Village. Later on, he was also a journalist for jazz magazines. He died in 1994.

 

Scott Baton '58 Says:

2014-04-24 09:27:55

I grew up hearing Lou Emanuel '51 play the song on the piano and sing the words. Lou says that he can still do it.

 

John T. Perkins '55 Says:

2014-05-14 12:12:22

Wonderful happy music. At Campus Club in the fifties, we tried to provide the same happy music, but through a Dixieland String Jazz Band. Papa Paw, organizer of the band, was Bob Kenagy '53. Guitar was Mason Kurtz '53, banjos were F. Nelson Peters III and Malcolm S. MacNichol '55, drumnmer was John Brehmer '55, pianist was John Perkins '55, gut bucket was played artfully by Barry Danner '55, and our key player, the man who with his mandolin provided the lead and the rollicking melodies, was Chuck Williams '55. In 1954 and 1955, we had to replace those who had graduated and were lucky to find two accomplished musicians - Barry Truscott on guitar and Art Merritt on the banjo.

 

Reese Dengler Says:

2014-07-13 20:56:07

I was so glad to find this recording posted here that my Uncle John played on. Thanks.

 

John Gebhard '50 *51 Says:

2014-10-01 09:32:06

I was in graduate school In 1951 and lived in 7 So Dod. The IVJB practiced every Friday night in the room below. It was tough to concentrate on my senior thesis with all that good music below, but I did manage it.