Roger Bissell with the Side Street Strutters


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Here are some clips of our own Roger Bissell playing with the Side Street Strutters. I've seen the Strutters perform a couple times at the Central Illinois Jazz Festival in Decatur. They put on a great show -- lots of first-rate jazz with some vaudeville on the side.

Ghs

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  • 1 year later...

I just returned Sunday from a great week at Mammoth Lakes, California, where I performed at the Jazz Jubilee for 8 sets with the Strutters and 2 additional sets with the Titan Hot 7, whose regular trombonist was busy relocating his family from Chicago to New York City. The weather was perfect, the playing was fun, and the "hang" with old friends I seldom see otherwise was very enjoyable. Now it's back to "normal life" in Music City USA (Nashville), until time to fly to Idaho in October for the Sun Valley Jazz Festival, where I'll again perform with the Strutters.

I did 8 weeks of touring with the Strutters from February to May, but we're anticipating that the next 2-3 years will be much less busy. The community concert biz seems to run in cycles, and it's only economically feasible to travel out when you can line up a number of consecutive nights, which is hard to do right away after making a major push like we did the past several months. Which is fine with me, because I have a lot to do here at home -- both personal/family and professional.

But while I'm on the subject, the Strutters have some new CDs and a DVD available at the website (www.sidestreetstrutters.com). There are both a CD and DVD of the 25th anniversary concert we did in 2008, and our newest CD is named "Shiny Stockings," after our current show with Meloney Collins, who is a fantastic singer as well as intimidatingly tall and beautiful. :-)

REB

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  • 2 months later...

The Strutters did a fun community concert in McKinney, Texas this past Saturday. (It's less than an hour northeast of Dallas.) Then in mid-month, we fly to Idaho to play at the Sun Valley jazz festival. That's it until after the first of the year, though.

REB

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  • 3 months later...

The Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree came and went (mid-October), and it was really good this year. After a lengthy hiatus, the Strutters are gearing up for a few mini-tours and festivals this winter and spring. The first gig is two concerts in Oregon the second weekend in February. Can't wait!

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Thanks, Michael--glad you enjoyed the video!

Rob Verdi has been collecting rare and unusual saxophones for decades. He should open a museum! He has a road show called "Saxophobia" that features his collection. Usually he does one or two specialty numbers during our Strutters concerts, most often the tune "Saxophobia" on the sopranino saxophone (a whiny little creature) or something like "Fly Me to the Moon" or "Si Tu Vois Ma Mere" on the Conn-o-Sax (pitched in F, like French and English horns).

By contrast, his brother Vince plays only the clarinet, but what he does with that one instrument is phenomenal! He has a show stopper Goodman-esque solo spot in "Sing, SIng, SIng," when we do the long version. He also plays a very soulful first statement of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee."

The rest of the band ain't bad either. :-)

REB

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