Glacier Jazz Stampede starts today
Gary Fischer, left, and John Van, co-directors of the Glacier Jazz Stampede, are pictured at the opening act of the festival Tuesday at Snappy’s Sport Senter in Kalispell. Playing behind the men are the Rocky Mountain Rhythm Kings; at left on cornet is Don West, at right on banjo is Bill Rossiter. Karen Nichols/Daily Inter Lake
Since February, Thursdays have been designated work and planning days for Glacier Jazz Stampede co-chairs John Van and Gary Fischer.
The duo in charge of pulling together one of the Flathead Valley's biggest annual events hasn't taken any days off this week, though.
"There's a list of what we had to do starting Monday, getting equipment, sound systems, bandstands, chairs," Van said. "And then the Monday after, we take them all back. It's a lot of lifting and manpower."
The 15th annual Glacier Jazz Stampede, sponsored by the Flathead Valley Jazz Society and bringing three days of Dixieland, ragtime, swing and big-band music to Kalispell, begins tonight. The opening party is at 8 p.m. at the New Outlaw Inn in Kalispell, featuring the Yerba Buena Stompers, Mimi Blais and Big Mama Sue's Follies.
The music is back Friday with the opening ceremonies at the Kalispell Center Mall at 3 p.m., and then runs continuously through midnight. Saturday and Sunday are both full days for the Stampede.
Performers will be at three sites, with six venues spread among them - the New Outlaw Inn, the Kalispell Eagles and the Red Lion Inn in Kalispell, the latter serving as Stampede headquarters. Up to 100 volunteers are pitching in this week to help Van and Fischer, who will be, according to Van, "busy putting out little fires all over."
The lineup for tonight's opening party is a strong representation of the kind of talent attracted to the festival, as well as the far-flung geographical range of the musicians.
Festival first-timer Blais is a popular ragtime pianist from Montreal, Quebec; the Yerba Buena Stompers, also making their festival debut, come from New York City; and Big Mama Sue, a perennial Stampede favorite, is from Santa Cruz., Calif.
Last year, Glacier Jazz Stampede performers and attendants came from 27 states and seven Canadian provinces, and about 3,500 people will take in a show during the Stampede.
A few special features help define the character of the local jazz festival, which is the only one of its kind in the state.
Ragtime, big band and swing dances are on the schedule, as well as an Oktober Fest, a banjo show and a lineup of ragtime pianists playing in the Fireside Lounge at the Red Lion.
On Sunday morning, the festival offers a free gospel service at the Red Lion with the Don Lawrence Orchestra and the Festival Gospel Choir. School choirs from Flathead, Glacier, Columbia Falls and Whitefish high schools will be part of the service.
"It's always standing room only," Van said. "It's something that a lot of people look forward to, and for some people, it's the only thing they attend."
The gospel event is just one of many features of the festival meant to foster community goodwill.
Bands also are traveling to senior centers - Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls, Brendan House, Immanuel Lutheran Home, Buffalo Hill and Prestige Assisted Living Center in Kalispell, as well as a number of local schools.
Van said the bands and jazz fans also do their part for the local economy - filling hotel rooms, restaurants and stores.
"I was talking to Julie (of Julie's Cafe in Kalispell), and she said the Sunday of the festival was the second-biggest Sunday of the year after Mother's Day," Van said.
Van and Fischer do their best to lure as many visitors to the Flathead as possible on Jazz Stampede weekend. Van said they sent close to 8,000 brochures across the country to people on the mailing list. They advertise in the national jazz publication American Rag and promote the local festival by taking material to jazz events throughout the country.
Fischer said it's important to attend other festivals to see how they're run. He's traveled to Sun Valley, Idaho, British Columbia, and a number of Oregon coastal towns to check out the jazz scene.
There he is able to relax and appreciate the music and the company of band members he's met through the Glacier festival.
"I don't think I've met anyone in any of these bands who is a grouch or a sorehead," he said. "They're all a neat bunch of people."