Jazz Central Does it Again!!!

My favorite place on a Sunday night is Jazz Central out on East Third Street, just a few blocks out of downtown Dayton. I have been going there for over a decade and there are not many Sunday Night Jazz Jams that I have missed. Sunday night, 8-12-12 was one for the books. Walked through the door and the first person I saw was Dale Carpenter, trumpet player extraordinaire! I am thinking all right, this is beginning to shape up to be a special night. Dale has not been available to come down in quite some time. Walk in to sit down and who is spread out on stage but Mark Smarelli, a vibraphonist from Springfield who just lights the place up with his solos. He has not been there for many months. The excitement is building! Sit Down and who is also there, being greeted by all the regulars in the place but WDPS Modern Big Band Host Conrad Jessee, currently on hiatus from his show due to health issues, but apparently well enough to get down to Jazz Central now and again. Things had just barely started to warm up when who darkened the door ( I say this because he is large enough to block the light from one room to the next, larger than life one might say) but Mike Teckenbrock. Arguably the best flugel horn player in the Dayton area. Now I am thinking that the night is really gong to be special and let me tell you, it really was. A core group of the usual Sunday Night Jazz Jammers were there, Kenny Baccus on B3, Greg Webster on drums, Jeff Slinker on guitar and of course John Hampton Wagner on trumpet, vocals and general master of ceremonies duty. Dale Carpenter lit things up first, Mark Smarelli kept it lit and finally Mike Teckenbrock joined in to burn the house down. What a great night of music, then when Wagner, Carpenter and Teckenbrock joined forces it was simply over the top. If you weren't there, believe me, you missed it.