Mission Gold Jazz Band
Fremont, California
With a name inspired by the golden hills above Fremont's Mission San Jose, Mission Gold is an eight piece, two cornet band consisting of a variety of multi-talented musicians from all over the Bay Area. MGJB was formed in 1980 and has a long tradition of performing the music of Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Lu Watters and Turk Murphy. The band plays standards and more common tunes in the swing genre. The main goal is to please the dancers, strutters, and jazz listeners.
We offer a variety of Dixieland styles, including Marches, Blues, Ragtime and Stomps. We encourage audience participation during tunes reminiscent of the cakewalk, parasol strutting and to raise their voices to sing along with the band.
Upon request, for smaller venues and events, the band can be reduced to as few as 5 instruments. The leader can assemble the best sound for your event.
Our focal area is Fremont/Newark, where we have a steady Wednesday gig at Newark's Swiss Park Dance Hall. We now perform the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays and over the last eight years have developed a loyal following.
The band members (teaming with the East Bay Trad Jazz Society) are mentors of the JAZZINATORS, a youth band with middle/junior and senior high school students from local schools. The Jazzinators presently have a steady gig the Pizza Depot, the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month (7-8 PM).
Mission Gold has appeared at a variety of venues and performed at numerous private functions. We have been the featured band at the New Orleans Jazz Club of Northern California, the South Bay Traditional Jazz Society, the East Bay Traditional Jazz Society Festivals, the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society and many jazz clubs in Alameda, Napa, Redding, Stockton and Fresno. We've also performed at several NOJCNC Showcases, Fremont's Arts and Wine Festival, as well as Hot and Cool Festivals.
Band members, have various musical backgrounds that range from Traditional Jazz, to Ragtime and Chicago Swing.
Regular GigPlease join us at the Swiss Park Dance Hall in Newark!
Special Appearances
Modesto Dixieland Jazz Society
Monterey Hot Jazz Socity
Channing House "National Night Out"
Carlton Plaza BBQ
Canterbury Woods Trad Jazz Festival
New Orleans Jazz Club of Northern California - Band of the Month
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Sound BitesExcerpts in RealAudio® and mp3
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Musicians |
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John Soulis: Trombone, Baritone, Vocals, Leader
John has been listening to Dixieland Jazz since his pre
teenage years when he heard his trumpet-playing brother’s records of
the Fire House Five Plus Two etc. He always liked to listen to the
trumpet player’s part, although he has played trombone since grade
school. He has played with various bands including Emperor Norton’s,
forming Mission Gold in the early 1980s. He has also played with The
Cell Block 7, “And That’s Jazz”, The Spirit of ’29, and Ted Shafer's
Jelly Roll Jazz Band.
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Andy Parker: Drums
Andy is a walking encyclopedia of 1920’s era jazz, and brings great
creativity and authenticity to Mission Gold. Andy was seven years old
when he became hooked on jazz. His dad would play his 10 inch LP's and
Andy would keep rhythm with his brushes. Andy received his first drum
set at age fourteen. For ten years Andy was on the road with Papa Do
Run Run. Andy has played with many combos and has been playing the
drums with Mission Gold since 2001.
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Bob Sterling: Tuba
Bob is the band director at Kennedy High School in Fremont. He was
introduced to dixieland jazz by then fellow teacher John Soulis who
needed a tuba player for Mission Gold. He has been with the band since
the early 1990’s.
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John Stringer: Clarinet
John began playing traditional jazz in Liverpool, England, having
started out as a classical musician. He came to California on a
sabbatical leave from England, and met Bill Armstrong; he helped Bill
with the Churchill Street Band, a youth band at the time, from Palo
Alto High School. Eventually John moved permanently to Palo Alto, and
played with the Apex Jazz Band; then a number of others bands including
Professor Plum's Jazz. John's main experience was as the leader of the
52nd Street Revival Jazz Band. Along with the clarinet, John will
occasionally play the bass clarinet.
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Roz Temple: Piano
Roz helped us out immensely in late 2004 and early 2005, alternating
with Rod on piano and bringing her own infectious stride style and
ragtime solos to our repertoire. Now we're delighted to have her full
time!
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Jack Wiecks Banjo
Jack started a long-time interest in traditional jazz in high school.
After growing up in Western Oregon (where jazz bands are as rare as
giraffes) he finally saw a real live Dixieland band at the University
of Oregon. He traded in his ukulele for a banjo, but after a few years
of college jam sessions, the necessities of making a living and raising
a family set in. Recent years have allowed more time for Dixieland and
Jack has played with Professor Plum, Churchill Street, Mission Gold,
Silicon Gulch, 52nd Street Revival and the Magnolia Jazz Band. Jack has
been a member of Mission Gold since 1996.
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Dick Williams: Cornet
Dick is a well-known and respected Bay Area cornetist. Dick
was a co-founder of "Jazzin Babies", and played with the "Desert City
Six" when living in Southern California. Dick moved to Montana and led
the "Good Tyme JB", and since coming back to California he was a member
of "Alcatraz Angels," "Tuleburg," and "Creole Jazz Kings" before
joining Mission Gold. He is associated with JazzSea Cruises/Jammers and
often organizes jam sets at major jazz festivals.
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Thomas Banuelos: Cornet
Born and raised in the East Bay, Thomas Banuelos recieved
his BA in Music from Cal-State Hayward in 2004. Along with a being a
freelance musican, Thomas holds many jobs such as Director of Bands at
Fremont Christian School, Music Director of Templo Betaina Church, and
Private Trumpet Instructor. He began playing traditonal jazz while
attending Cal-State Hayward where he played with the Section 7
Dixieland Band for over 4 years.
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Rick Holzgrafe: Cornet, Trombone, Vocals
Rick was introduced to Traditional Jazz in a Santa Barbara
pizza parlor by a multi-instrumental duo who mentored his early
playing. He played with the Fink Street Five in Orange County for seven
years, and then the Apex Jass Band in San Jose when he moved to the bay
area in the early 1980s. Lately he has also performed with the
Churchill Street Rhythm and Ted Shafer's Jelly Roll Jazz Band.
Rick is currently on extended leave from
Mission Gold, performing with the band when the non-musical demands on
his time permit. He hopes to return to full membership when conditions
permit.
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Hank Silva: Clarinet, Saxophone
Hank played reeds for big band and jazz combos in the bay
area for over 50 years. His introduction to dixieland came when the Gem
City Jazz Band asked him to substitute for their gig at the Sacramento
Jubilee. He has since played in several festivals including the Fats
Waller Memorial Festival. He played with Mission Gold from 1995 until
his death in 2007.
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Howard Simpson: Cornet, Vocals
Howard grew up in Moline Ill., across the river from Davenport Iowa and
the Bix Beiderbecke tradition. He was a founding member of the Salty
Dogs at Purdue University. He also played with Miff Mole in Chicago,
and backed Billie Holiday as part of a trio in Baltimore. He played
with Mission Gold for over a decade, retiring from the band in 2005.
Howard brought a distinctive cornet style and crowd-winning vocals to
the band.
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Rod Roberts: Piano
Rod has been playing piano in the bay area since the 1950’s with
various bands including the Olema Owls, The Racoon Ragtimers, and the
Goodtime Dixie 7.
Rod joined Mission Gold in 1992, and for over a decade contributed not
only his fine piano playing but many wonderful arrangements and a
couple of original tunes. Rod retired from the band in mid-2005.
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Patty De Ridder: Vocalist
Patty learned her love for traditional jazz and her ear for lyrics at
her parents’ knees. She has sung with MGJB since the early 90’s and is
also a member of the East Bay Stompers.
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Contact Mission GoldJohn Soulis 510-657-0243 Top - Schedule - Sounds - Musicians - Contact Last modified - September 22, 2008 |