How many of today's popular recording artists will be remembered 80 years from now? Thanks to the tireless efforts of several Quad-City area music fans, the work of Bix Beiderbecke was celebrated last weekend for the 40th year in a row.
Beiderbecke was a jazz performer who lived a short 28 years before the ravages of alcoholism claimed him. But in those few years, he left a mark of innovation that has lasted for decades. Beiderbecke made his mark in some of the larger cities of this country, but he was a native of Davenport. His most favored style of music, Dixieland jazz, was prevalent at several venues in downtown Davenport last weekend as bands from as far as the east coast and Australia filled the air with the sounds of sweet jazz.
Last weekend marked 30 years since my dad died way too soon at the age of 54. One of his gifts he gave me was a love of music, particularly jazz music. He told me of the days when he would go over to Rock Island and hear Louis Armstrong play for 50 cents. I still have hundreds of 78 rpm records my dad collected.
Back in the summer of 1971, I was preparing to continue my education after graduating from high school. On a warm August night, he took the family to the lower level of the local Holiday Inn to hear a series of jazz musicians who played in the first Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival. Last Friday afternoon, something drew me to the banks of the Mississippi, to LeClaire Park, for an afternoon of great jazz music. Perhaps it was my inadvertent tribute to my dad. All I know is something drew me to spend the afternoon in the brilliant sunshine listening to great music on Friday.
On Sunday morning, I attended services at First Presbyterian Church in Davenport. It was the Beiderbecke home church and the pipe organ was replaced by the sweet sounds of the Jimmy Valentine Quintet with guest clarinetist Dave Bennett. If you closed your eyes and allowed your imagination to take over, it was easy to think that you were hearing the great Benny Goodman and Pete Fountain in dueling clarinets. Jazz music in a church service gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "Make a joyful noise!"
In this era when the fine arts program in many schools is in peril because of budget cuts, it is more important than ever that this style of music not be allowed to die. This festival draws thousands of fans from around the country each year. Make plans to check it out the first weekend in August in 2012.
This was also a big weekend for the Pleasant Valley High School Class of 1971. Many of us gathered at a local restaurant Saturday night, wondering where the past 40 years went. As we are nearing the age where we can claim we are having "senior moments," name tags were very valuable.
Our school was on the outskirts of the Quad-Cities and we weren't really sure whether we were a suburban school or a rural school. While I didn't notice any of my classmates arriving in a limousine, many of us have achieved a lot in our careers and in our lives. Several have moved away and settled in the far corners of the country. Some have stayed close to where they grew up and carved out successful careers in many fields. Some of the real heroes of my class were several of my friends who have battled various serious ailments and have persevered. Unfortunately, more than a dozen of the folks I graduated with are no longer with us and we held a special remembrance for them.
I realize that each year thousands of high school graduating classes hold reunions around the country. But even in this era of social networking and multi-tasking, it's even more important to periodically physically climb in the car, drive to a location and shake hands or give a hug to a former classmate. E-mails can't quite compare.
The Pleasant Valley Class of '71 is AWESOME! None of us has aged a bit and we still know how to party!
A couple of leftover comments: It's been a few weeks since I've made any political comments, so here goes. As I've heard the babble of the endless bunch of presidential wannabes from the party currently not in the White House, I have yet to hear anyone say how he or she would deal with international affairs. Many of them feel that the Obama administration is vulnerable because of our financial mess, but any current or former president will tell you that there's more to being the leader of the free world than how the stock market is doing. A handsome financial portfolio doesn't mean much if terrorists attack our country. The next time you have an opportunity to hear a presidential candidate, ask him or her how they would do a better job of protecting us from foreign threats.
Corporate America strikes again! I have become a fan of a particular brand of mixed nuts. It's the brand that features a walking peanut as the spokesman. The last time I bought a can of nuts, I noticed that the net weight had dropped from 21 ounces to just over 18 ounces. If my math is correct, that's a decrease of over 13 percent! The nuts cost the same for 18 ounces as they had for 21 ounces. A few days later, as I was driving down 53rd Street in Davenport, I saw this big vehicle the size of a bus that looked like a giant peanut on wheels. Remember the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile? This was a nut mobile, apparently a marketing tool for the nut people. Now I know why the nuts increased in price by 13+ percent. Thanks, corporate America! I guess you have to keep fuel in the nut mobile somehow.
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