Skip Parsons' Riverboat Jazz Band
by Cliff Lamere, a fan
27 Nov 2004, last revision 19 Dec 2011
This webpage was made for my friends in the Skip Parsons' Riverboat Jazz Band.
This terrific 7-piece dixieland/traditional jazz group has been performing monthly at the
Fountain Restaurant in Albany, NY since 1971. They perform their toe-tapping music from
10 p.m. to 1 a.m. every second weekend of the month (the second Saturday and the Friday night before).
Skip Parsons founded the Skip Parsons' Riverboat Jazz Band in 1956.
The photo shows him with his clarinet and soprano saxophone.
Schedule of the 7-piece Skip Parsons' Riverboat Jazz Band at the Fountain Restaurant
They always play 10pm-1am the second Saturday of the month plus the Friday night before.
For more information and other venues, visit Skip's official calendar on his new website.
For some gigs, Skip uses smaller groups. Not all of the players are the same as those in the full group which performs at the Fountain Restaurant.
Clarinet Marmalade - this term is used to mean a group other than the full Riverboat Jazz Band
Examples:
Skip Parsons’ Clarinet Marmalade Trio (usually
clarinet, banjo, tuba)
Skip Parsons’ Clarinet Marmalade Swing Trio
Skip Parsons’ Clarinet Marmalade Swing Quartet
Skip Parsons’ Clarinet Marmalade Swing Quintet
Visit Skip's website if you would like to hire the full band or one of his smaller groups.
PHOTOS of the whole band
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WEBPAGE |
COMMENTS |
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PHOTOS and BIOGRAPHIES of recent band members, including alternates
(alphabetical by last name)
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PHOTO WEBPAGES (in order by last name) |
BIOGRAPHIES |
COMMENTS |
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Ernie Belanger in FL 1 |
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Ernie Belanger in FL 2 |
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Ernie Belanger in FL 2010 |
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Ernie Belanger at Saratoga Nat Cem |
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Saratoga National Cemetery |
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Ernie Belanger youngster |
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His new website |
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Bio is on Skip's website |
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Times Union feature |
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Mo Rancourt Quintet - part 1 |
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Mo Rancourt Quintet - part 2 |
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Mo Rancourt Quintet - videos |
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Bio contains early photo. |
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Jazz musician |
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bass saxophone |
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bass saxophone #2 |
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soprano sax |
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contrabass sax |
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contrabass sax #2 |
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with Clarinet Marmalade |
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Miscellaneous Photos
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PHOTOS of Clarinet Marmalade Groups |
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PHOTOS of Past Band Members |
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PHOTOS of Guest Musicians I Have Seen |
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PHOTOS of Riverboat Jazz Band Fans |
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LIST OF ALL KNOWN MUSICIANS who played with the Riverboat Six and the Skip Parsons' Riverboat Jazz Band since 1956 - includes links to online photos and bios, plus over 30 obituaries. The list contains information about more than 160 musicians. |
Hear the sound of Skip Parsons & his Clarinet Marmalade Swing Quartet
"Squeeze
Me" - a Fats Waller tune (3:52) Size: 3.62 Mb.
Dec 16, 2010.
Skip Parsons (clarinet), Rennie Crain (piano), Ernie Belanger (electric bass), Tim Coakley (drums)
MUSIC FOR SALE
Skip Parsons - 2 CDs (click on the CD icons)
Skip Parsons' Riverboat Dixieland Jazz Band (CD). Featuring Skip Parsons (clarinet, soprano sax &
vocals).
With Ed Hubble (trombone & alto horn), Paul Monat (cornet & a vocal), Ernie Belanger (tuba & bass),
Rennie Crain (piano), Tom D'Andrea (drums), Ed Kebabjian (banjo, guitar,
and a vocal).
Skip Parsons' Clarinet
Marmalade Trio (CD). Skip Parsons' Clarinet Marmalade Trio featuring Skip
Parson
on clarinet & soprano sax. With Ernie Belanger (tuba & bass), Don LaVoie (banjo),
Ed Kebabjian (banjo), and Dick Hunsberger (tuba). Only three musicians play on each cut.
Eddy Kebabjian - 2 CDs
By
the Sea - The Jazz Banjos of Steve Caddick & Eddy Kebabjian
(CD).
Old
Cape Cod
- The Jazz Banjos of Steve Caddick & Eddy Kebabjian
(CD).
Other band members appear on CDs as part of a group. See their individual or biographical webpage for more information. Click on the CD icon following a CD title to get more information about the CD.
FORMERLY RECORDED, BUT NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Skip
Parsons: Joe 'n' Me
(audio tape). Skip Parsons on clarinet & soprano sax. With
Joe Slovak on clarinet,
Ernie Belanger on tuba & bass, Tom D'Andrea on drums, and Paul Mastriani on piano.
Members of the 7-piece Riverboat Jazz Band I saw in 2006
Skip Parsons - clarinet / soprano sax / vocals / leader
Ron Joseph - clarinet
Mo Rancourt - cornet / trumpet / Satchmo vocals
Sam Ponder - trumpet
Woody Strobeck - trombone
Eddy Kebabjian - banjo / vocals
Ron Bill - guitar, banjo
Bernie Mulleda - guitar
Arvid Allen - keyboard
Rich Skrika - keyboard
Ernie Belanger - tuba / sousaphone / electric bass / vocals
Rich Downs - acoustic bass, cornet
Tom Wetmore - acoustic bass
Tom D'Andrea - drums
Tim Coakley - drums
Mike Benedict - drums
Forrest Gabriels - drums
Additional members seen after 2006
Giampaolo Biagi
Mike Canonico - cornet (2010-2011)
Dino Cimino - electric bass (2007)
Rennie Crain - keyboard (2011)
Crick Diefendorf (2011)
Joe Hetko - guitar (2010)
Paul Mastriani (2010)
Ken Olsen (2012)
Johnathan Steenstra - bass & soprano sax (2009-2012)
Members I saw at the Fountain Restaurant in earlier years
Paul Monat - tuba (well-known cornetist)
Tom Scannell - cornet
Ed Hubble - trombone
Guests at the Fountain Restaurant have included:
Jerry Gordon, washboard (Feb 10, 2006 & Sep 8, 2006)
Oakley Frost, electric stick bass (Nov 13, 2004)
Don Arnold, trumpet (Dec 10, 2010)
MY OTHER JAZZ WEBPAGES
Burial Places of Jazz and Other Musicians
Includes photos of most gravestones and some signatures.
Tom Wickman - a fan's 80 birthday celebration
Read a biography of Skip Parsons.
View Skip's website.
Visitors since 21
May 2004
