The Best of Razzamatazz & Jazz

20 Years Walkin’ the Line

Copenhagen, Walkin’ The Line, Wabash Strut, How Come You Do Me Like You Do, Just a Little While To Stay Here, Shimmy Like My Sister Kate, Over In Gloryland, Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans, Bill Bailey, I’ve Found a New Baby, Rose of Washington Square (Vocal Annett Keeran), Bill Bailey, Lovin’ You, Just a Closer Walk With Thee, Down By the Riverside, Muskrat Ramble.

Razzamatazz and Jazz began life as The Restoration Rag-Jazz Band. Well known in the Central Ohio area, they’ve played numerous locations around the USA, appearing in large and small venues presenting jazz music and stage shows at county fairs, business and trade organization events, country clubs, showboats, Octoberfests, church celebrations, festivals, special events, private parties, concerts.

Band members are Lynn Fullerton trumpet; Jerry Steinke soprano and tenor sax; Paul Fertig, piano; Aaron Jackson tuba and guitar; and Steve Kreiss, drums.

This is not a hard driving jazz band, but very pleasant to listen to, or dance to if that is your desire. The band swings along lightly, some “purists” would possibly consider it more an entertainment band than a jazz band, but there is no question – they do play jazz and play it well. All the musicians are very accomplished, good musicianship. Good solo work, good ensemble playing. Lynn Fullerton has a beautiful tone on trumpet, particularly evident on Wabash Strut and Bill Bailey; Jerry Steinke is one of the most highly regarded sax men in the area; Paul Fertig plays a very credible piano; Aaron Jackson does a fine job on tuba (listen to Closer Walk) dispelling the myth many people believe - that a tuba is just for rhythm, not playing melody; Steve Kreis on drums keeps a solid steady beat without being overbearing as so many drummers tend to do. All five do vocals with Lynn doing a good imitation of Louis.

The selections on this CD are mostly well known “popular” tunes, recognizable by almost everyone, not just jazz fans. This is a band that many people who say they do not like jazz will hear and say “This doesn’t sound like the jazz I hear on the radio, I really like this music”. What most “jazz” stations in the US play today is not jazz, as we know it.

One exception to ‘well known’ is the title tune. “Walkin’ the Line” is an original composition by Mark Kreis, brother of drummer Steve. The lyrics are about the roadside sobriety test given to suspected intoxicated drivers. Nice melody, nice beat, good lyrics for the subject. It’s unfortunate that everyone drinking and planning to drive home cannot hear this before turning on the ignition.

Perhaps “Just A Closer Walk” and “Bill Bailey” showcase the band and each musician better than the other tracks here, due to the longer length. Most of the tracks are short, eight at 3 minutes or less. That short time doesn’t give them the opportunity to do much, to show what they can do. It makes one wonder – what could this band do in a real jam session, playing top of the order jazz classics? Technically, they are very good, they would do fine, could hold their own against almost anyone in that aspect. But with phraseology and adequate extended improvisation, they might struggle a bit. It’s hard to determine from this CD just how good they would be at that. One of us thinks they would carry it off fine, maybe not brilliantly, but do quite ok. The other has some doubts.

Summarizing, this is a good band, very enjoyable to listen to. Most of their appearances are for general audiences, not dyed in the wool, sometimes narrow minded jazz fans, and their programming is geared to that general audience. They do an excellent job on what they do, good arrangements, played by skilled musicians who thoroughly enjoy what they are doing. Song selection on this CD is good and varied, mostly standards along with a couple not often heard and a new composition. Tempos range from slow and lazy to fast and frantic. A good mix. A good CD. A good band.

Writers’ note: This is the first of several CD reviews we will be writing for Jazz Advocate. Our purpose is to review, not to be critics. We both know what one person likes, others will not. We also know the fact we like or don’t like something does not mean it is good or bad. We all have opinions, and judging music is based very much on personal opinion, likes and dislikes. A band does not have to be one of the best to be enjoyed, just as one classified one of the best is not always enjoyed by everyone. As we go forward with our reviews, there will be times the two of us disagree. Carol is a listener only; her experience is a lifetime of listening, guided by many musician friends who taught her what to listen for and to. Karl has studied music and played professionally, and has been a longtime lover of all styles of music, from bluegrass to classical for many years. We both can appreciate what a band or individual musician does even if we personally do not like it. We hope our writing will give readers a fair and balanced assessment of the CDs being reviewed. One more thing, Carol is in the USA, Karl in Germany – another example of Traditional Jazz Around the World.

Karl-Heinz Walter

Carol Emerich