He's That Good

A couple years ago Kathy, Brenda and I were in Evart for the Osceola County Fair and stopped to watch a gospel singing group called the Sears Trio. They have been together for a long time and Kathy remembers her dad speaking highly of them. We had heard them several times before and enjoy very much their singing. On this occasion there was also another group entertaining, the New Reformation Jazz Band. A young twenty-two year old clarinetist caught our attention playing what sounded to me like Benny Goodman. (My folks had many BG 45 rpm records, aka vinyls, which I played until the grooves were smooth and I knew every song.) We were so impressed we looked up Dave Bennett on the Internet and tried to find if he was performing locally. He has a website but performances were not convenient either in location nor date.

And then, last Saturday, Bennett, now just twenty-four, performed with the DSO. And what a performance. Classic Benny Goodman songs with his own twist in a few places. Especially Sing, Sing, Sing, perhaps my favorite, which has a couple drum solos. He had members of the orchestra tapping their feet and slapping their thighs in time with his beat. And the woman singer was a chip off the old block of Peggy Lee or Rosemary Clooney.

I will still try to see where he is performing locally--he's that good.