Guide to the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society
records
Collection processed and finding aid created by Lola Aguilar, 2006. Audiotapes from 2022/006 processed by Kim Hayden, 2022.
Center for Sacramento History
2006, 2021
Descriptive Summary
Title: Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society records
Date Range:
1950-2003
Date (bulk): bulk 1974-1998
Collection Number: MS0007
Collector:
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society
Extent: 58 linear feet
Repository:
Center for Sacramento History
551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd.
Sacramento, California 95811
Abstract: The Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society (STJS)
began on Sunday May 5, 1968, with a group of local jazz musicians gathering at
the Orangevale Grange Hall to play for a small group of jazz fans. The
musicians included Dr. Bill Borcher, the Dean of Men at American River College
and trumpet player for the Delta Moonlighters; John Knurr, a local high school
music teacher; jazz trombonist Jerry Kaehele; and George Boyd and his Good Time
Go-to-Meeting Band. The non-profit organization holds an annual Jazz Jubilee
Festival on Memorial Day weekend and conducts jazz education programs and
community outreach. STJS is the largest traditional jazz organization in the United States. The collection dates from 1952
to
2003, with the bulk of the material dating from 1974 to 1998 and includes correspondence, financial documents, legal documents,
meeting records,
grant applications, publications, directors files, photographs, programs, and
brochures.
Administrative Information
Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests to publish or quote from collections held by the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) must be submitted in writing
to csh@cityofsacramento.org. Permission for publication is given on behalf of CSH as the owner of the physical items and is
not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the patron. No permission
is necessary to publish or quote from public records.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], MS0007, Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society records, Center for Sacramento History.
Acquisition Information,
Acquired in 2001 from Mike Foley (accession number 2001/062) and 2022 from Patrick Skiffington (accession number 2022/006).
Processing History
Processed by Lola Aguilar, 2006. Finding aid prepared using DACS by Lola
Aguilar, 2007. Machine-readable finding aid created by Lola Aguilar, 2007.
Administrative History
The Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society (STJS)
began on Sunday May 5, 1968, with a group of local jazz musicians gathering at
the Orangevale Grange Hall to play for a small group of jazz fans. The
musicians included Dr. Bill Borcher, the Dean of Men at American River College
and trumpet player for the Delta Moonlighters; John Knurr, a local high school
music teacher; jazz trombonist Jerry Kaehele; and George Boyd and his Good Time
Go-to-Meeting Band. Originally named the New Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society, the musicians met
informally in the afternoon on the first Sunday of the month and elected Jerry
Kaelhele as the first president, Jack Burke as vice president, and Roy Harper
as secretary-treasurer. As news of the Jazz Society spread, more jazz musicians
joined the Sunday sessions and their membership grew. In October 1969,
Borcher helped friends arrange a fundraiser on the Delta King riverboat, which
attracted a crowd of 4,000. Publicity from that fundraiser and two more successful
fundraisers in November and December of that year generated even more public interest
in jazz. The STJS soon outgrew the Orangevale Grange Hall, and in 1970 the musicians moved their Sunday concerts to
larger venues, like the El Rancho Motel and the Carmichael Elks Lodge. For the next three years, paid guest artists and
bands joined STJS musicians in
performances around Sacramento.
In late 1973, Borcher and then-President Ozzie Belmore organized a committee to investigate the feasibility of holding a Jazz
Festival in Sacramento, noting that similar festivals in Monterey and Newport had
attracted wide audiences. The next year, the STJS debuted the Dixieland Jazz Jubilee on Memorial Day weekend. Seven performance
sites in West Sacramento and Old Sacramento featured 21 bands,
300 volunteers, and attracted 3,000 jazz fans. Admission badges for that first year cost $12.50 for three days and revenues
totaled $32,000, but expenses totaled $35,000. Despite the loss, the STJS decided to continue the Jubilee as an annual event,
and eventually, it attracted over 100,000 attendees, with 146 bands and 47 performance sites, 3,800 volunteers, and revenues
exceeding $20 million. Prestigious acts such as the Pied Pipers, Boots Randolph, Gary Crosby, Julius LaRosa, Pat Yankee, Bob
Crosby's Bob Cats, the Ink Spots, and the Mills Brothers performed at the Jubilee over the years. Ticket sales declined, however,
and in 1995, in an effort to attract a wider and younger audience, the STJS began including other types of jazz at the Jubilee,
incorporating swing, gospel, Latin jazz, zydeco, and barbershop. As a way to further increase attendance, in 2014, the Jubilee
was rebranded as the Sacramento Music Festival and began booking musical acts outside of the jazz genre. The final festival
was held in 2017.
The STJS incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1979 with the
mission of preserving and promoting traditional jazz music through a number of programs, in addition to its annual music
festival. In that same year, the
organization established a Youth Scholarship Program, which expanded into the annual Trad Jazz Camp in 1986, a weeklong
camp that provides intensive jazz instruction for approximately 100 young
musicians ages 12-18 (and, starting in 2000, around 90 adults). In 1992, the STJS introduced the Jazz Ambassadors, who traveled
throughout Northern California providing information about STJS programs and
events, and the Elderhostel, which provided jazz instruction for seniors. At the time this finding aid was written in 2007,
the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society claimed to be the largest traditional jazz organization in
the United States, with organization membership at 5,000 and four paid employees.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into 7 series:
- Series 1. Artifacts, 1974-2000
- Series 2. Administrative Files, 1952-1999
- Series 3. Jazz Jubilee, 1969-2003
- Series 4. Trad Jazz Camp, 1973-1999
- Series 5. Jazz Ambassadors, 1992-1995
- Series 6. Elderhostel, 1992-1999
- Series 7. Scrapbooks, 1992-1999
- Series 8. Media, 1977-2000
Scope and Content
The Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society records span the years 1950 to 2003, with the bulk of the items dating from 1974 to
1998. The first series, Artifacts, consists of 5 cubic feet and includes button badges,T-shirts, hats, and a garter. Appendix
A includes a complete list of artifacts.
The second series, Administrative files, consists of eight cubic feet and three map case drawers, and is divided into eight
subseries: Correspondence, Financial documents, Meeting records, Legal
documents, Reports, Grant applications, Publications, and Ephemera. The items are arranged chronologically within each subseries
and include balance sheets,
treasurers reports, financial statements, committee reports, incorporation
papers, by-laws and constitution, and musicians union information. These
documents chronicle the growth of the organization from a small, informal
gathering of musicians, to a highly successful nonprofit organization. The
documents include changes made to the constitution and the by-laws as the
organization grew. Committee reports include valuable information about the
direction of the STJS, with changes in the types of committees which were
necessary during the years when the organization started to expand. The STJS'
efforts to acquire grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the
Sacramento Regional Foundation highlight the organization's nonprofit status.
The Publications subseries contains an extensive collection of external jazz publications from
other jazz organizations throughout the United States and Canada and are
arranged alphabetically (these are listed in Appendix B). Ephemera includes fliers
and brochures from other jazz festivals in Northern California.
The third series contains the records of the Jazz Jubilee and consists
of six cubic feet and three map case drawers, which are divided into 12
subseries: Correspondence, Directors files, Financial documents, Legal
documents, Reports, Meeting records, Band information, Site information,
Concessions, General information, Publications, and Ephemera. The Correspondence subseries contains letters and hard copies
of emails, including letters between Jubilee organizers and several
musicians, notably one letter from an ailing Hoagy Carmichael written by his
wife. The letters in this subseries are arranged chronologically, and hard copies of email
correspondence are arranged chronologically within alphabetical order. The General information subseries includes complete
Jubilee files, but from only 13 years of the festival.
The fourth series, Trad Jazz Camp, contains one cubic foot and includes
correspondence, financial documents, minutes, class material, scholarship
information, publications, and ephemera. Trad Jazz Camp newsletters are
incomplete, but offer information about the inner workings of the camp.
The fifth series, Jazz Ambassadors, consists of one file folder and includes
general information detailing the duties and events concerning this program,
including agendas and newsletters.
The sixth series, Elderhostel, consists of one cubic foot. Items are arranged chronologically and include correspondence,
class material, catalogs, newsletters, publications, ephemera, and general
information about the programs. Class material includes handouts and class
manuals used for jazz instruction.
The seventh series, Scrapbooks, include general-information STJS scrapbooks, Jubilee scrapbooks, jazz history
scrapbooks, and band scrapbooks.
The eighth series includes VHS videotapes, reel-to-reel audiotapes, cassette tapes, slides, negatives, and over 5,000 photographs.
Jubilees through the years are
represented by hundreds of color and black and white photographs, including images of bands and guest artists such as Molly
Ringwald, Tommy Newsome, and Phil Harris. Jazz band photographs are arranged alphabetically with a complete list in Appendix
C.
Boxes 1-7
Series 1. Artifacts,
1974-2000
Physical Description: 485 items
Boxes 8-15
Series 2. Administrative Files,
1952-1999
Physical Description: 275 file folders
Box 8, Folder 489-509
Subseries 2.1.
Correspondence,
1976-1996
Physical Description: 21 file folders
Box 8-9, Folder 510-519
Subseries 2.2.
Financial Documents,
1973-1998
Physical Description: 10 file folders
Balance Sheets,
1987-1993
Treasurers Reports,
1979-1991
Financial Statements,
1980-1990
Monthly Meeting Expenses,
1973-1995
Box 9-10, Folder 520-559
Subseries 2.3.
Meeting Records,
1972-1998
Physical Description: 40 file folders
Building Feasibility,
1988
Fund Development,
1993-1994
Jubilee Management,
1975-1993
Member and Committee Lists,
1980-1986
Master Membership List, Oversized Material,
1993-1995
Convention Material,
1993
General Information,
1969-1994
Box 10, Folder 560-569
Subseries 2.4.
Legal Documents,
1968-1996
Physical Description: 10 file folders
By-laws and Constitution,
1981-1989
Musicians Union,
1984-1988
Certificate of Insurance,
1990
Mailing Permits,
1968-1986
Charitable Trust,
1991-1996
Box 10, Folder 570-576
Subseries 2.5.
Reports,
1988-1996
Physical Description: 7 file folders
Building Feasibility Study,
1988
Communication Package,
1996
Downtown Sacramento Retail Strategy,
1995
STJS: Long Range Plan,
1991-1995
STJS Marketing Plan,
undated
Box 10, Folder 577-578
Subseries 2.6.
Grant Applications,
1978-1992
Physical Description: 2 file folders
National Endowment for the Arts,
1978-1992
Sacramento Regional Foundation, Arts and Culture Grant,
1990
Box 11-14, Folder 579-763
Subseries 2.7.
Publications,
1950-2001
Physical Description: 185 file folders
Press Releases,
1975-1992
News Clippings,
1972-1996
Box 14-15, Folder 764-788
Subseries 2.8.
Ephemera,
1974-1999
Physical Description: 25 file folders
Non-STJS Annual Reports,
1989-1992
Other Jazz Festival Programs,
1985-1999
Other Jazz Festival Programs, Oversized Material,
1977-1996
Other Jazz Festival Flyers,
1974-1998
Other Brochures,
1985-1996
Certificates, Oversized Material,
1978-1983
"Dance Steps" Broadside, Oversized Material,
undated
Other Jazz Festival Posters and Banners, Oversized
Material,
undated
Boxes 16-21
Series 3. Jazz Jubilee,
1969-2003
Physical Description: 106 file folders
Box 16, Folder 789-796
Subseries 3.1. Correspondence,
1973-2003
Physical Description: 8 file folders
Correspondence,
1973-1998
Correspondence-Email Hardcopies,
1996-2003
Box 17, Folder 797-802
Subseries 3.2. Directors Files,
1969-1999
Physical Description: 6 file folders
General Information,
1969-1999
Box 17, Folder 803-807
Subseries 3.3. Financial Documents,
1977-1995
Physical Description: 5 file folders
Ticket Sale Logs,
undated
Box 17, Folder 808-815
Subseries 3.4. Legal Documents,
1986-1997
Physical Description: 8 file folders
Box 17-18, Folder 816-829
Subseries 3.5. Reports,
1989-2001
Physical Description: 14 file folders
"The Arts from the CEOs Desk,"
1995
"Attendance/Site/Band Reports,"
1989-1996
"Concession Managers Report,"
1992
"1996 Jubilee Percentage of Seat Occupancy Report,"
1996
"Quality Research Report,"
1996-1999
"Sacramento Jazz Jubilee Demographics Report,"
1991-2001
Box 18, Folder 830
Subseries 3.6. Meeting Records,
1978
Physical Description: 1 file folders
Committee Reports: Jubilee Fact-Finding,
1978
Box 18-19, Folder 831-843
Subseries 3.7. Band Information,
1978-1996
Physical Description: 13 file folders
Musician Information,
1969-1980
Gold Card Members,
1970-1985
Artist Correspondence,
1979-1993
Artist Resumes,
1979-1996
Musician Sign-up Sheets,
1972-1996
Reprise (Set) Lists,
1972-1996
General Information,
1994
Box 20, Folder 844-846
Subseries 3.8. Site Information,
1984-1996
Physical Description: 3 file folders
General Information,
1988-1996
Jubilee Site Maps,
1989-1994
Box 20, Folder 847-852
Subseries 3.9. Concessions,
1979-1997
Physical Description: 6 file folders
Concessions Inspection Report,
1988
Operations Newsletter,
1991-1993
Vendor Information,
1988-1997
Box 20, Folder 853-863
Subseries 3.10. General Information,
1987-2000
Physical Description: 11 file folders
"1988-2000" Jubilee,
1987-2000
Box 21, Folder 864-886
Subseries 3.11. Publications,
1974-2001
Physical Description: 23 file folders
"Jazz Jubilee Bugle," Oversized Material,
1974
"The Jubilee Volunteer,"
1985-1999
"Jazz Sunday Programs,"
1984-1987, 1998
"Jubilee Programs," Oversized Material,
1975-1994
"Official Program,"
1974-2001
"Official Program," Oversized Material,
1987-1988
"Pianorama Program,"
1985-2001
"Sacramento Jubilee Jazz,"
1998
Press Releases,
1977-1984
Box 21, Folder 887-894
Subseries 3.12. Ephemera,
1974-2001
Physical Description: 8 file folders
Jubilee Brochures,
1981-2000
Jubilee Bumper Stickers, Oversized Material,
1977-2000
Jubilee Flyers,
1980-1994
Jubilee Broadsides, Oversized Material,
1975-2001
Jubilee Posters, Oversized Material,
1977-2001
Other Festival Flyers,
1974-1999
Boxes 21-22, Folder 895-911
Series 4. Trad Jazz Camp,
1973-1999
Physical Description: 17 file folders
General Information,
1989-1992
Correspondence,
1978-1998
Financial Documents,
1986-1993
Class Material,
1987-1992
Fundraising Material,
1986-1988
Boxes 22, Folder 912
Series 5. Jazz Ambassadors,
1992-1995
Physical Description: 1 file folder
General Information,
1992-1995
Boxes 22-23, Folder 913-938
Series 6. Elderhostel,
1992-1999
Physical Description: 25 file folders
Correspondence,
1994-1999
Financial Documents,
1994-1996
Legal Documents,
1994-1995
Program Material,
1992-1997
Publications, Oversized Material,
1992-1995
Boxes 23-31, Folder 939-967
Series 7. Scrapbooks,
1952-1995
Physical Description: 66 volumes
Jubilee and STJS Scrapbooks
undated
Jubilee and STJC Scrapbooks, Oversized Material,
1974-1994
Boxes 32, Folder 968-1791
Series 8. Media,
1977-2000
Physical Description: 154 folder files
Box 32, Folder 968-976
Subseries 8.1. VHS Videotapes,
1989-1999
Physical Description: 9 file folders
"Camp-Saturday P.M.,"
1989
"Jazz for Kids Program,"
1991
"Hanson Thank You Luncheon,"
1996
"Jazz Jubilee Volunteer Picnic,"
1997
"NHK Network (Japan) T.V. Special,"
undated
Box 32, Folder 977-978
Subseries 8.2. Reel-to-Reel Audiotapes,
1971-1980
Physical Description: 2 file folders
Scott Ellsworth Show,
1971
KCNU Bob Ringwald Interview,
1980
Box 32-33, Folder 979-980
Subseries 8.3. Cassette Tapes
1978-2000
Physical Description: 3 file folders
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J1 2022/006
1971-12-12
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society recording tape J1: 1971-12-12
General
Recorded at McClellan Field. Featuring Teddy Buckner.
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society recording
1972-01
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society recording, Jan. 1972: 1972-01
General
The physical copy of this tape no longer exists.
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society recording
1972-02
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society live performance, Feb. 1972: 1972-02
General
The physical copy of this tape recording no longer exists.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J3 2022/006
1973-02-11
General
Recorded at the Caravan Inn. Sets 3, 5, and 9. Featuring Bob Havens and Wilda Baugn.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J2 2022/006
1972-03-12
New Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J2: 1972-03-12
General
Recorded at McClellan Field. Featuring Johnnie Guanieri. Recorded at at McClellan Field.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J4 2022/006
1973-04-08
New Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J4: 1973-04-08
General
Recorded at the Woodlake Inn. Sets 3 and 5. Featuring Peanuts Hucko and Nick Fatool.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J5 2022/006
1973-05-06
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J5: 1973-05-06
General
Recorded at the McClellan Field Officers Club. Sets 3, 5, and 6. Featuring Bill Allred.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J6 2022/006
1973-07-08
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J6: 1973-07-08
General
Recorded at the Woodlake Inn. Sets 4 and 6. Featuring George Bruns and Phil Howe's Phabulous Phrisco Phunction.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J7 2022/006
1973-11
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J7: 1973-11
General
Sets 3, 5, and 7. Featuring Ron Cuesta.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J8A 2022/006
1973-12
New Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J8: 1973-12
General
Recorded at the Woodlake Inn. Featuring Ray Heath and George Rock.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J8B 2022/006
1973-12
New Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J8: 1973-12
General
Recorded at the Woodlake Inn. Featuring Heath Ray Heath and George Rock.
box 33
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J9 2022/006
1974-03-10
Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society tape J9: 1974-03-10
General
Recorded at the Caravan Inn. Sets 1 and 5. Featuring Roger Snell.
box 33
Jubilee All-Stars tape J10 2022/006
1975
Jubilee All-Stars tape J10: 1975
box 33
Jazz at the Bank #1 2022/006
1975-04-27
Jazz at the Bank #1
General
Recorded at the Bank Restaurant in Woodland.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks #2, tape 1 2022/006
1976-04-25
Jazz at the Elks #2: 1976-04-25
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks #2, tape 2 2022/006
1976-04-25
Jazz at the Elks #2: 1976-04-25
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 7-25-76, tape 1 2022/006
1976-07-25
Jazz at the Elks 7-25-76: 1976-07-25
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 7-25-76, tape 2 2022/006
1976-07-25
Jazz at the Elks 7-25-76: 1976-07-25
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 10-24-76, tape 1 2022/006
1976-10-24
Jazz at the Elks 10-24-76: 1976-10-24
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 10-24-76, tape 2 2022/006
1976-10-24
Jazz at the Elks 10-24-76: 1976-10-24
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 1-30-77 2022/006
1977-01-30
Jazz at the Elks 1-30-77: 1977-01-31
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 2-5-78 2022/006
1978-02-05
Jazz at the Elks 2-5-78: 1978-02-05
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks. Featuring Eddie Miller
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 4-23-78, tape 1 2022/006
1978-04-23
Jazz at the Elks 4-23-78: 1978-04-23
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 4-23-78, tape 2 2022/006
1978-04-23
Jazz at the Elks 4-23-78: 1978-04-23
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks.
box 33
Jazz at the Elks 2022/006
undated
General
Recorded at the Woodland Elks. Featuring Missy Lanius.
box 2001-062 23, folder 25
Tapes performance personnel and song lists 2022/006
General
Lists of performance personnel and songs performed for the following tapes: Jazz at the Bank # 1; Jazz at the Elks #2 and
#3; NSTJS tapes J3-J6, and J9.
Also included are personnel and song lists for two missing tapes: 1983 Jubilee All-Stars (tape M62), Walt's Time (tape M63),
and NSTJS tape J11.
Jazz Jubilee recording 2022/006
1982
Jazz Jubilee 1982: 1982
General
There is no physical copy of this recording.
Jazz Camp recording 2022/006
1986
Jazz Camp 1986: 1986
Capital Public Radio Jazz Preview,
2000
Box 32, Folder 981-1109
Subseries 8.4. Slides,
1987-1999
Physical Description: 7 file folders
Jubilee and STJC,
1987-1999
Box 32, Folder 1110-1386
Subseries 8.5. Negatives,
1977-1997
Physical Description: 14 file folders
Jubilee and STJS,
1977-1997
Box 32, Folder 1387-1791
Subseries 8.6. Photographs,
1976-2003
Physical Description: 140 file folders
Musicians, Jubilee, STJS, Trad Jazz Camp, and
Elderhostel,
1976-2003
