In 1979, I was writing a jazz column for a Columbus rock journal called Crescendo. At the end of the year it was time to put together a greatest unit of Columbus jazzmen so;
Trumpet: Bobby Alston
Saxes: Rusty Bryant, Sonny McBroom
Trombone: Gary Carney
Keyboards: Hank Marr
Guitar: Don Hales
Bass: Cornell Wiley
Drums: Gregg Pearson
Singer: Jeanettte Williams
There were so many great ones left over that I named a second team:
Trumpet: Lee Savory
Saxes: Vincent Andrews, Randy Mather
Trombone: Vaughn Weister
Keyboard: Bobby Pierce
Guitar: Kevin Turner
Bass: Jeff DeAngelo
Drum: Billi Turner
Percussion: Steve Greer
Vocalist: Mary McClendon
Rather than the first and second teams, I named them the Jazz Dream Team Offense and Defense. Six months later, I was asked by Avril LaCour, of Greater Columbus Arts Festival (GCAC) to put together a jazz group for the GCAC Festival at the Ohio Statehouse Lawn. I suggested that we could use both units by getting the AFM’s Musician’s Performance Trust Fund to cover the costs.
Rusty Bryant was the only person who didn’t perform, because of a previos commitment. I substituted Byron Rooker on the first team and we debuted the Jazz Dream Team for the 1980 and 1981 GCAC Festivals.
In 1982 at the GCAC Fest, we presented “A Tribute to Rusty Bryant,” with another all-star lineup of Rusty, Hank Marr, Don Hales, Ola Hanson, trombone, Lester Bass, bass, Bobby Floyd, keyboards and Joe Ong on drums.
Arnett Howard
Photos by Marge Mitcham
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