Blues Trail

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=215 BGCOLOR="#999999" TEXT="#080000" background="0ab0eb82ermwup.jpg"> <div> <B>Photo by Ron Daley</B></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=95 style=" border-bottom: 1px solid #000000;" BGCOLOR="#999999" TEXT="#080000" background="0aab85f1ermwup.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>Jazz In The Pass</B></FONT><B>  </B><B> </B><B>|   </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Jazz In The Pass"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="history_brief.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History Brief">History Brief</A>   |   <B>Blues Trail</B>   |   <A HREF="john_handy.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="John Handy">John Handy</A>   |   <A HREF="the_book.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Book">The Book</A>   |   <A HREF="sponsors.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sponsors">Sponsors</A>   |   <A HREF="vendors.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Vendors">Vendors</A>   |   <A HREF="amazon_books.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Amazon Books">Amazon Books</A>   |   <A HREF="links_to_heaven.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links">Links</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 width="100%" colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Blues Trail</I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Blues & Jazz in the Pass - Pass Christian</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="0da10770.jpg" border=0 width="528" height="631" ALT="Contributed by Ron Daley" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">The histories of blues and jazz are often traced along separate pathways, but, especially on the Gulf Coast, the two genres were intertwined from the earliest days.  Blues was a key element in the music of Pass Christian’s illustrious native son Captain John Handy (1900-1971) and other locals who played traditional jazz or rhythm & blues.  Pass Christian has celebrated its rich African American musical heritage with various festivals, including "Jazz in the Pass," first held here in 1999. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Blues Trail Recognizes Pass Christian </B></div> <div> <B>African American Musical Heritage </B></div> <bR> <div>      The Mississippi Blues Trail celebrates the African American musical heritage of Pass Christian with the dedication of the “Blues and Jazz in the Pass” marker on Highway 90.  The marker ceremony was held on Friday, March 4, 2011.</div> <div>      “The Gulf Coast played a major role in spreading the sound of Mississippi musicians to fans from New Orleans to Mobile,” Gov. Haley Barbour said.  “I am glad we have the opportunity to recognize great artists from Pass Christian who contributed so much to the blues and jazz.”</div> <div>      Captain John Handy, Pass Christian’s most famous musical native son and an important figure in New Orleans, is honored on the marker along with others, including Sonny Wimberley, who moved to Chicago and joined the Muddy Waters blues band.  Saxophonist and promoter Don “Cadillac” Henry, a local band from the 1950s called the Claudettes, and Pass Christian musicians Jeannette Kimball, Joe B. Jackson and the Watson brothers are also named on the marker.  Marker supporters also hope to revive the local “Jazz in the Pass” festival, which was held annually from 1999 to 2005.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="0e056850.jpg" border=0 width="86" height="133" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0df7a850.jpg" border=0 width="122" height="133" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="0e287850.jpg" border=0 width="135" height="133" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1026a860.jpg" border=0 width="106" height="134" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Left to right are: Cap'n John Handy, Joe B. Jackson, Eddie Watson, and Jeannette Kimball</div> <bR> <div> <B>For the first Jazz in the Pass in 1999, Cadillac Henry was instrumental in recreating the sounds of John Handy with a group that he put together from New Orleans and the Gulf Coast which he called S.P.I.C.E.  (Spirited People Interjecting Creative Energies)</B></div> <bR> <div> Misssissippi Blues Trail</div> <div> <IMG SRC="0f619b90.jpg" border=0 width="1049" height="1721" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Jazz in the Pass - Pass Christian</B></div> <div> <I>copied from above</I></div> <div> Captain John Handy is celebrated as a exemplary performer of traditional New Orleans jazz, but his innovative and forceful work on the alto saxophone also inspired rhythm and blues pioneers Louis Jordan and Earl Bostic. Handy began playing drums around age twelve in a band with his father, violinist John Handy, and his younger brothers Sylvester and Julius. In Pass Christian, where bands often entertained at beachfront resort hotels, the brothers worked as a trio, with John on mandolin, performing for dinner patrons at the Miramar Hotel, among others, and serenading locals at their homes. Handy later began playing clarinet and moved to New Orleans after World War I with local trumpeter and bandleader Tom Albert. In 1928 he took up alto saxophone and later he and his brother Sylvester formed the Louisiana Shakers and toured throughout the region. In New Orleans Handy collaborated with the Young Tuxedo Jazz Band, Kid Clayton, Lee Collins, Kid Sheik Cola, and others. Handy reputedly earned his nickname “Captain” from his authoritative style of bandleading and directing rehearsals. Widespread fame came late in life to Handy, who did not record until 1960, but during his last decade he recorded several albums and played often at Preservation Hall, in addition to touring the United States, Canada, Europe, and Japan. </div> <div> Music was a family affair among other local musicians as well. <B>The Watson Brothers–Harry, Eddie, Henry (“Gator”), and Charlie</B>–had what was known in its early years as a "spasm band," featuring homemade instruments and gadgets. Eddie Watson later worked with Handy's Louisiana Shakers. At times the Watsons' group included pianists Anita Jackson and her brother,<B> Joseph “Joe B.” Jackson, Jr., </B>who also led his own group, "Jobie Jackson's Band," which featured <B>John Handy on alto. </B>The Jacksons' father, Joe, Sr., played with local bands including that of August Saucier. Pianist <B>Jeannette Salvant Kimball </B>also played with the Watsons before joining Papa Celestin's band in New Orleans. She later performed at the Dew Drop Inn and Preservation Hall. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> A popular local blues, R&B, and rock 'n' roll band of the 1950s called the Claudetts included, at various times, brothers Lawrence ("Sonny") and Earl Wimberley (whose father, Johnny Wimberley, played in New Orleans’ Olympia Brass Band), Arthur Arnold, John Farris III, Joe Welch, Jackie Avery (later a prolific R&B songwriter), Roland Bowser, Nolan Harris, and Irven and James Baker. <B>Sonny Wimberley, a singer and bassist</B>, moved to Chicago, where he played in Muddy Waters' blues band and led his own group, the Sunglows.<B> Saxophonist Donald "Cadillac" Henry</B> also played with the Claudets and later worked in promotion and management with Z. Z. Hill, Otis Redding, and other artists. Among the local clubs that featured blues, jazz, and R&B were the Dixie, the Savoy, and the P. C. Club, where John Handy gave his final rousing performance at a jam session. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="john_handy.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="John Handy"><B>Next Page</B></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>