Mo Rancourt of Skip Parsons' RJB, biography

Mo Rancourt

Biography & Discography

Biography by Skip Parsons

Discography & Webpage by Cliff Lamere

25 Feb 2006

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Bio by Skip Parsons

Maurice André “Mo” Rancourt
Cornet & Horns

Mo launched his Dixieland career in his teens playing fraternity and sorority house parties around Ivy League campuses with the popular Williams College Route Two Tooters in the early l960’s. More recently as a member of the Big Six Jazz Band in the neighboring Berkshires for over 23 years, Mo has played functions at the J P Morgan Hotel in Hartford, The Mohowie Theatre in Great Barrington, The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, The Clark Art Museum in Williamstown as well as a performance with the Berkshire Big Band at Ozawa Hall at Tanglewood in Lenox.

Along with the appearance at Ozawa Hall, Mo personally treasures having played an evening with Bix Biederbecke’s trombonist Spiegel Wilcox in West Stockbridge, and the 70th Birthday party for Leonard Bernstein at the Fitzpatrick estate in Stockbridge.

His lyrical approach to the cornet reveals the composite influence of the various styles of such personally greatly admired trumpeters and cornetists as Louis Armstrong, Bix Biederbecke, Bobby Hackett, Jimmy McPartland, Wild Bill Davidson, Roy Eldridge, Bunny Berrigan, and Rex Stewart. “I love all their playing," Mo readily admits, “and I don’t mind borrowing their ideas as inspiration for my own playing.”

His vocal tribute to Louis Armstrong is always a favorite of jazz fans and fellow musicians whether on a Jazz Club date or in a concert setting. He is a featured performer at Castle Street Cafe in Great Barrington (“...from time to time.”...). Mo has also appeared with the Paradise City Jazz Band, New Storyville Stompers, Steel Pier Jazz Band, New Century Jazz Ensemble, Lazy River Jazz Band, the Dixie Sweet Hots, and Skip Parsons' Riverboat Jazz Band.

Mo is no stranger to the musical scene in upstate New York, however, and has appeared with various musical mixes at several Saratoga venues such as One Caroline Street, The Metro, Nine Maple Avenue, Sargo’s, Ciro’s and, of course, the Saratoga Raceway. From Wallabee’s Jazz Club in Glens Falls, and the Steamboats and the Sagamore Hotel on Lake George down to the various resorts in the Catskills, Mo is (“..has been...”) a familiar player on the scene.

“Having the opportunity to work with Skip and his real fine players in the Riverboat Jazz Band,” Mo shares, “is a real great kick for me. I’m really having a good time learning the arrangements and enjoying the wonderful musicianship of Skip and all the real fine players in this band. To quote Pops, “It’s a real gasser.”