VETERINARY STREET JAZZ BAND The International Page

The Veterinary Street Jazz Band

From the beginning, springtime 1978,seven students and pupils met in a tiny cellar bar of the amusement quarter „Schwabing". They went in as single musicians and left the bar as a jazz band . This band consisted of new and old friends and did not model themselves to any great jazz band. They also had not yet developed a specific stylistic line – they were simply playing moderate Dixieland – just for fun.

Of course, people seemed to like the happy music of the „Incredible Veterinary Street Jazz Band", named after the street in Munich, where they started to practice. The band consisting of a trumpet, trombone clarinet, banjo, piano drums and string bass had in no time plenty of gigs in and around the capital of Bavaria.

Revising the band’s style was the prime task in the year 1980. Hans Reidel, founder, leader, piano-player and clarinet-player decided to concentrate on clarinet. This created the typical Double-Reed-VSJB-Sound. The band also, at this time, added an ancient tuba instead of the string bass for a truly authentic sound. The band decided to take a new turn: The bands of King Oliver, Fletcher Henderson and Clarence Williams became their new idols. Correspondingly, the band name changed and the „Veterinary Street Jazz Band" was born.

Over since that time the band orientates itself towards the original recordings of the 20ies & 30ies – but strictly without copying them. The band takes great pride on the development of its own sound and in presenting some of the wonderful numbers lost in the evolution of jazz.

Verily, as a side-effect of this new formation of organization came success. The orchestra became t h e personal hint in town. For the next five years (meanwhile 20 years) , the band was playing every Thursday evening and is warmly welcomed by the Munich friend & fans of Old time Jazz music..

Europe opened to the VSJB. The appreciation of its fans led the band Austria, France, Switzerland and numerous place in Europe. From 1984 to 1985 the band performed about 303 live shows for the Bavarian Broadcasting Station (meanwhile nearly 200). In 1986 the band performed additional shows for German Television (ZDF).

Recording contracts are well and good. However, the band concentrates on live-performances: The jazz festivals that VSJB have attended throughout Europe have allowed each musician to capture the vitality and the spontaneity of New Orleans Dixieland Jazz.

Two years later – in 1988 – we recorded our second CD. Again we had the difficult task to write an English text for the booklet: Read, what we wrote for our album: „Everybody Stomp"

Hey, do you remember springtime 1978? The last VW-beetle „Made in Germany" rolled of the conveyor-belt, the late Landrat „A" Rüfer finished his army-duty, and Hans Reidel completed his first piano concerto.. Meanwhile, in a students dorm at the famous Munich „Ludwigs-Maximillians-Universität", a New Orleans Jazz band has conceived, that grow up to one of the most well-known jazz bands in Good Old Germany – the Veterinary Street Jazz Band.

Influenced by the recordings of King Oliver, Clarence Williams and Fletcher Henderson, the musicians of the Veterinary Street Jazz Band refined the sound and style of their music. Thus – in no time at all – the dedicated jazz fans followed the bans throughout Munich and foreign counties, such as Northern Germany, Austria, France and even the moon.

Fortunately, as time passed, the music of the Veterinary Street Jazz Band could not be heard only in jazz-clubs, posh hotels, exhibition centers, and exclusive private circles, but also in the living rooms of their fans – via radio and television. For the last two years the band has also been recording the „Knoff-Hoff-Show", one of the most famous TV-Shows in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Also the Veterinary Street Jazz Band has had much success, the band is still eager to capture ever more of the spirit of the 20ies. Therefore, they skillfully arrange tunes from the repertoire of the early jazz greats to create the famous VSJB-Sound.

Now, in springtime 1988, the Veterinary Street Jazz Band is celebrating its tenth anniversary and consists of ten handsome musicians – coincidence? Does that mean that there was only one lousy member in 1978? Does that mean a chamber-orchestra-sized Veterinary Street Jazz Band in the year 2001? (For the answer of these questions send $ 5,00 and a self-addressed envelope to contact address listed in this album).

So, in any case, relax sit back and enjoy the music of the Veterinary Street Jazz Band. Perhaps you’ll get a chance to meet them in the United States. Some time .......

P.S. One year later - in 1989 - the band performed at the Metro Jazz Festival in Orange County!.