He penned the jazz column for Impact Weekly and the Dayton City Paper and today is webmaster for JazzAdvocate.com, as well as publisher of a newsletter he says is sent to 2,000 readers in Dayton, Cincinnati and Columbus.
When you think about Dayton and its cultural strengths, jazz probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Fair enough.
But don’t let that stop you from investigating further. Jazz fans in town for more than a few years may tell you tales of the Night Owl, Gilly’s, Jazz Central and elsewhere. And jazz is still played locally, especially by young people, but fans may need to dig a bit to find it.
We recently exchanged emails with Gable. What follows is an edited transcript.
Q: How did Jazz Advocate Inc. and the web site get started?
“Around 20 years ago, I discovered Mama Jazz on 88.5 FM, which rejuvenated my love of jazz. In those days, the majority of the station’s program was jazz and a nice selection of other music along with NPR news.
“Aside from Phyllis Campbell (also known as “Mama Jazz”), they had a number of other live DJs – Sam Meier, Don Leshner and Tracy DiMartini, devoted to jazz and big band music. Then Miami University decided to make program changes to move into talk radio …
“The one mainstay was the Mama Jazz program. … It came to my attention all our local media was dropping jazz and this became the main reason I decided to start a web site giving our local jazz artists some kind of publication to help keep their fans informed.
Q: Is jazz alive in Dayton? If you’re new to Dayton and you want to hear some jazz, where do you go? And where would you go in Southwestern Ohio, the region around Dayton?
“No, jazz is not alive in Dayton, in spite of valiant efforts of many talented people, jazz is not a commercially valuable product. I know more places that are closed or no longer offer jazz than new venues coming on board. Why? I could write a book on the subject, but I suspect part (of the story) is our economy …
“On the other side of the coin, from an artistic standpoint, jazz is alive and well. I say this from observing performances by many high schools jazz bands in our area. Beavercreek puts on an annual Weekend of Jazz where I took in 20 performances by middle, junior and high school from early morning through late afternoon at their last event.
“In addition, the Stivers Jazz Orchestra continues going strong, as well as the Centerville, Fairmont and Fairborn high school jazz programs. The Miami Valley Jazz Camp put on by the Dayton Jazz Orchestra and performances at UD (University of Dayton), Sinclair Community College as well as the Dayton Art Institute continue to support our youth in jazz.
“If you wish to catch some local live jazz, I would recommend Jazz Central as probably the most prolific at this juncture, but be advised it’s not a nightclub open every night. They have Dayton’s longest (40 years) running Jazz Jam on Sundays, a Blues Jam on Fridays, the Jazz Central Big Band every first Thursday and the Generations Big Band every third Thursday. They do schedule other events on a random basis, which will be listed on the jazzcentraldayton.com web site.”
Q: Do you have any favorite memories of a special nightspot or club in Dayton?
“As to memories, some that stand out: Gilly’s, Jazz Central, Tipp Roller Mill and the top of Crowne Plaza Hotel are places where Rosemary and I have enjoyed many hours of live music. Gilly’s (urban metro style) and Jazz Central (New Orleans style) are jazz clubs not open every night, only when it’s happening. The Roller Mill is very rustic, like sitting inside of an antique (setting), but fitting for the traditional, ragtime style of jazz they offer.
“The Crowne Plaza is a polished hotel atmosphere with music to match along with one of the best views in Dayton. Keep in mind these are memories (mostly of better times); you can still find live music, but maybe not as much as the good old days.”
Know someone who can handle Three Questions? We’re looking for behind-the-scenes-but-still fascinating Miami Valley residents with something to say. Send your suggestions to tom.gnau@coxinc.com.
About the Author
