SBJS´s annual meeting 2012

In spite of Stockholm's lovely summer weather 45 Bunk freaks gathered in the premises of Svenskt Visarkiv on May 26th to attend the annual meeting of the Swedish Bunk Johnson Society. Three new members were introduced - Harald Hult, Nils-Bertil Morgell and Ulf Jägfors - as well as two new members of the Executive Committee - Per Oldaeus and Bo Scherman. The meeting wholeheartedly welcomed the newcomers. Per, a New Orleans jazz drummer and researcher, is the new Chief Editor of Bunk. Johnson. Information with Bo, former jazz records shop owner and the last European Jazz Quiz master, as a deputy. After 16 years as Chief Editor Håkan Håkansson thinks it's time for new forces to take over. A sincere thank you to Håkan, who fortunately will continue as a member of the Executive Committee. After the formal society matters had been taken care of in a rather short time we enjoyed Sven Gustafson's dinner, as superb as always. We are really proud of the society's own Chef.

Then it was time for our guest of honor, Louis Lince from Great Britain, to enter the stage. Louis told us how his interest in New Orleans jazz was awakened in his early teens when he bought a 78 rpm with Ken Colyer's Jazzmen. Louis' mother had asked him to buy another record but by mistake it ended up with Ken & Co. Louis was delighted but his mother was certainly not. Inspired by Ken & Co Louis started playing the banjo and the guitar in 1957 and was soon involved in regular New Orleans jazz style bands. In 1984 he formed his own New Orleans band and became a full time musician a couple of years later. Through the years Louis has played with lots of famous New Orleans musicians from Great Britain as well as from the Crescent City itself. Louis was the last editor of the great magazine New Orleans Music, now sadly gone. There wasn't a lack of material Louis told us, but the number of subscribers diminished for each year. The magazine had some new young subscribers, but for every new one ten of the old ones were gone. And that's why it was time to let the magazine end it's days while still fresh and healthy Louis concluded his speech. Sadly we recognize the pattern in the Swedish Bunk Johnson Society.

Next on the program was as the tradition goes Jan Lorentzon's always difficult but most entertaining Jazz Quiz. Jan's theme this year was trumpet players from the 1920's  to the 1950's . Not surprisingly Bo Scherman won the Quiz, closely followed by Per Oldaeus. These two jazz buffs are quite impossible to beat. But since Jan had donated a lot of prizes besides the society's usual bottle of Bunk's favorite whiskey Four Roses, even yours truly with his humble result proudly brought home a smart Japanese wrist watch with George Lewis' picture on it. That prize had by the way been donated by Jens Lindgren and even my wife who isn't a devoted George fan was rather impressed by the watch. Jens also donated another copy of the watch to Björn Bärnheim of Jazzens Museum in Strömsholm, the only jazz museum in Europe.

After a short break Jens, former curator of the jazz department of Svenskt Visarkiv, entered the stage and told us the story of his friends and musical colleges of the New Orleans Rascals, the Japanese band that celebrates it's 50th anniversary this year. Jens, trombone player and leader of Kustbandet - also 50 this year - and Jesse's New Orleans Band, was invited to the band's anniversary party. As a tribute to our former Chief Editor Jens started with a recordning made in Stockholm in the early 1960´s featuring Håkan on the clarinet. Then we got a lot of fascinating glimpses of New Orleans Rascal's career, both in musical examples and in rare pictures.

As usual the meeting was concluded with live New Orleans jazz. This year Per Oldaeus' excellent NOLA Jazz Band with guest stars Ragnar Tretow on the trumpet and Louis Lince on the banjo entertained the happy audience. The other members of the band were Anders Alm clarinet, Arne Högsander tenor saxophone, Lars Tidholm piano, Håkan Rosenqvist guitar, Göran Stachewsky string bas and of course Per himself on the drums. By the way I can tell you that the banjo Louis played was provided by our new member Ulf Jägfors, a devoted collector of banjos with his own banjo museum in his home. And as always I finally say: we'll certainly meet again next year.

P-O Karlström