Continued: Jazz Warriors

Other bands Adams was/is active in are Hal Smith's Frisco Syncopators, George Probert's Monrovia Old Style Jazz Band, Dixie Hasslers, Hot Frogs Jazz Band, Heliotrope Ragtime Orchestra and Dixie Express. He also led the New Orleans Wanderers and the Mississippi Dixie Jazz Band.

Many musicians support the AFCDJS festival as do non-musicians. Among the musicians are Hal Smith, Alan Adams, Everett Crouse, Hans Reuter, Paul Daspit and Ed Adams. Non-musicians include Myrna Goodwin (secretary), Alice Contreras (treasurer), Joy Chaddock, Carey Jo Thoza, Ruthe Monteith, Joan Adams and Jean Nielson. They volunteer year around to support and preserve this important piece of U.S. musical history.

The AFCDJS annual Thanksgiving Dixieland Festival has had the same venue from the very start. "The Town & Country Resort here in San Diego has been a fantastic supporter from the beginning, and continues to provide logistic and financial support," Adams emphasizes. "Without their assistance and positive support, the past 29 years would never have happened."

In tracing the history of the festival, Adams recalls that "Len Levine and John Dehler (leader/pianist, San Diego Hysterical Banjo Society) and myself were on the festival band selection committee. We all liked traditional jazz and Len had experienced many of the bands in the New York clubs in the Condon era. We were all very opinionated about the selection and only occasionally were all three of us enthusiastic about a band. When we all liked the band, it was always a hit. If one of us really didn't like a band, we didn't have the band, but if two of us liked a band and the third felt it was ok, we would go with it. If all three of us thought the band was just so-so, we didn't hire them. This formula worked well for the many years that the three of us were together although we sure argued a lot!"

After Len Levine died, his son, Jay Levine, continued with his father's PIP printing business and took over as editor of Jazz Rambler. Hal Smith, a talented journalist as well as an expert musician, took on writing the articles on legendary musicians that Len had penned for years. (Membership in the AFCDJS includes a subscription to the monthly publication of Jazz Rambler).

At the time Smith moved back to San Diego, Adams found that he had inherited a number of responsibilities with the festival due to staff attrition, and he needed assistance. He says, "The AFCDJS board hired Hal based on his background and knowledge of our music and the recommendation from the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture that we should consider hiring a Media Director. Since Hal joined the AFCDJS staff, he has assisted or taken on a sizable festival workload."

At one time, Adams was doing all of the hiring, contracts, musicians' housing, scheduling, travel and band paysheets. "It was just too much!" he says. He now splits those duties with Smith, and it keeps both of them busy. They feel very fortunate to have very dedicated AFCDJS officers and board members who are highly involved in all aspects of the Festival and the Society.

Another big project that began in 1996 is the annual San Diego Adult Traditional Jazz Camp, an inspiration of then board member George Harbaugh. "George felt there was a need for an intensive performance jazz camp for adults," Adams says. "This has proved to be the case as we approach our 14th year and over 1,000 graduates of the camp. We continue to utilize instructors who are able to inspire and communicate with the students on the method of jazz improvisation in an ensemble and have fun doing it.

"Howie Nielson, our 'wicked-fingers' banjo member, dedicates much of his retirement time to our Small Band Music Library. He maintains an archive of over 2,000 small combo and Dixie-style sheet music arrangements. His goal is to make this material available to school and youth groups and others."

Alan Adams has been the Festival Director since 1985 and is currently the Executive Director of the Thanksgiving Festival and AFCDJS. In addition to his wife Joan's support and involvement with the festival and AFCDJS, his sons and grandchildren are also now involved. Truly a family affair!

Alan Adams and Hal Smith make a great team, as shown by the success of their concerts, jazz festival, jazz camp and long friendship. Most of their joint venture is done through e-mail, saving time in case of last-minute changes and bargain plane fares,  and it works well for both of them.

AFCDJS has an impressive website at www.dixielandjazzfestival.org where details on the upcoming Thanksgiving Dixieland Festival are available. Many bands are scheduled to appear, and highlighted is the fact that a large wooden dance floor will provide an opportunity for dancers (some in period costumes) to show off their fancy footwork.. It's a tribute to the musicians when  dancers start moving, and AFCDJS recognizes the importance of adding this colorful adjunct to the festival mix.

The 29th Annual AFCDJS Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival will take place Nov. 26-30. Check out the ads for the event in this month's RAG or log onto www.dixielandjazzfestival.org.  Further information is available via e-mail from jazzinfo@dixielandjazzfestival.org.

November 2008 issue | © 2008 The Mississippi Rag

P.O. Box 19068, Minneapolis, MN 55419.