Joe Dollard

In 2013 Joe Dollard helped me learn some jazz improvisation ideas as we hung out probably a dozen times, jamming to his play-along recordings. A euphonium player that I knew in the U.S. Navy Band, Joe was (and remains) a good friend. He suggested I do a jazz recital and that he would participate. So we did.

I gathered together a rhythm section and got permission at my church to perform there. The drummer and pianist were students at George Mason University–Marty Risemberg and Clif McCall. The bass player was a colleague in the Navy Band–Kyle Augustine. And the guitar player was my friend Tony Halloin, normally seen with a tuba in the Navy Band, and a member of the Navy Band Brass Quartet. Even though it was only one performance, I gave the group a name–JAM (“Jazz Art Music”).

Here are some clips from that recital that took place on September 29. Playing jazz was a little out of my expertise but was a solid learning experience for me. And fun.