HUME STREET PRESERVATION JAZZ BAND #405
Hume Street Preservation Jazz Band #405 originated in Aberdeen, WA over thirty years ago. The band has earned a reputation of being a great traditional jazz band, both for listening and dancing, having played festivals from coast to coast, as well as “Dixieland at Sea” cruises.
Using a two cornet front line, Hume Street continues the tradition of the two cornet sound of King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band popular in 1923, a sound revived by Lu Watters Yerba Buena Jazz Band that evolved into West Coast or San Francisco style Dixieland.
Cornet player, Steve Wright, previously of Evergreen Classic Jazz Band, joined Hume Street PJB to fill the hole left by Craig Wellington’s untimely death in August 2006. Steve, a software engineer, lives in the Seattle area. A multi-talented musician, Steve acts as musical director for Paramount Jazz Band of Boston. He has an uncanny ability to set the tempos, play delightful rocking solos and delegate the solos for the band. He has played and recorded with The Back Bay Ramblers and The Happy Feet Dance Orchestra.
On second cornet is George Oelrich. George is a retired band instructor, now living in Sultan, WA. He has played with many bands around the Pacific Northwest, including Bathtub Gin from Bellingham. A few traditional jazz festivals also appreciate George’s extra talents as a piano tuner.
Hume Street’s trombonist, Steve Horton lives in Aberdeen, WA. He is the school band director at Ocean Shores, WA. Steve has played and loved Dixieland for years, and he is passing his jazz knowledge on to his band students, who are featured each year at the Ocean Shores Jazz Festival. Listen for Steve’s renditions of traditional jazz tunes once performed by Turk Murphy.
Rob Hilliard, a software engineer from Bellevue WA, has been a founding member of the band since its inception in 1977, when it was originally called the "Royal Bourbon Street Dixieland Jazz Band". In 2006 Rob took over the leadership of the band. Rob plays soprano sax and clarinet.
The Hume Street rhythm section is comprised of Andy Hall on tuba, Hank Dougherty on banjo, Bob Neisinger on drums, and Karla West on piano.
Andy Hall currently resides in Aberdeen WA. He is multitalented “techie” type – mechanical engineering, robotics, computers, instrumentation, the list goes on. Through the years, many traditional jazz fans have enjoyed Andy’s musical talents with Hume Street and Uptown Lowdown. Andy has been featured on piano, trombone, cornet, and is currently Hume Street's tuba player, plus he has a wonderful singing voice!
Hank Dougherty comes from Independence OR. He’s been a pilot and a flight instructor. Retired from law enforcement, Hank now enforces Hume Street’s rhythm and chord changes. He is often featured on an up tempo banjo tune that never fails to impress jazz festival fans. You may recognize Hank from his years with Stumptown Jazz Band from Portland, OR.
Bob Neisinger is also an original member of Hume Street, having joined the Royal Bourbon Street band right around the time the name changed to Hume Street in the early eighties. Bob provides a drumbeat and his wonderful singing voice. Living in Aberdeen, WA, Bob is a retired music professor, having taught for many years at Grays Harbor College. He has led many bands, orchestras, choirs and small vocal groups, and also has starred in several Aberdeen musical productions, such as “The Music Man”. Bob is the leader and conductor of the National Elks Band from Aberdeen, WA.
Karla West is a college instructor from Whitefish MT. Karla provides the solid piano chords and rhythm. She often pleases the crowds with her tasty ragtime piano solos. Karla has many other talents also, as jazz festival organizer, band leader, and jazz camp organizer. Many instructors and students alike have appreciated her traditional jazz educations efforts with Camp Heebie Jeebies.