JAZZ, ETC.

(This is the first of a series of articles on Boston Jazz, its past, present, and prospects.)

Most famous jazz spot in pre-war Boston was the old Theatrical Club, corner of Warrenton and Tremont, where beginning in 1937 after-hour highballs were served to the accompaniment of Bobby Hackett's band. The "real" jazz school might claim that an instrumentation of two tenors, even though abetted by Brad Gowns' slide trombone and Hackett's horn, wasn't conducive to good music--but, then, the liquor wasn't too good, either.

This underground bistro has since become the Ken Club, where such bands as those of Red Allen, Bill Davison, Gene Sedric, and Frankie Newton played in the period from Pearl Harbor until early '44, after which a new entertainment policy featuring a juke box was adopted.

The other day I ran into Johnny Field, who played bass with Bill Davison's all star crew at the Ken in 1943. Personnel included the late Rod Cless, clarinet, James P. Johnson, plan, Kaiser Marshall, drums, Sandy Williams, trombone, and Bill himself on cornet.

Johnny recalled the informal atmosphere at the weekly Sunday afternoon jam sessions, where one could walk around with a drink in had sans the bother of officials attempting to enforce Boston's Sunday liquor laws. Everyone in jazz, even those in service stationed nearby, was sure to drop in at the Ken. PeeWee the Great came in one Sunday and stayed for a few weeks. Three or four Pepsi's flavored by the smoky atmosphere were sufficient to send Mr. Russell to dreamland, so the drummer invested in a small bell which gave with resonance when tapped by a drum stick. When it was time for the clarinet sole, the bell was hit, and PeeWee would come out of his trance for the required chorus or two.

Unfortunately, "Jazz Band Ball" and the blues have been replaced by a nickle serenade, and jazz no longer reigns at the Ken, nee Theatrical, Club. Next week this column will discuss the Savoy Cafe (before and after), and we're happy to say that there is an after at the Savoy with Frankie Newton opening there this coming Monday. Incidentally, the above mentioned PeeWee Russell will also soon be back in Boston: Sunday afternoon at the Jazz Society's concert in the Copley Terrace, 30 Huntington Avenue.