By: Aimee Shramko
“When the Swing Era swept America, it sparked a passionate revival of interest in the early jazz and ragtime that came before it, a musical reclamation movement that lasted until rock ‘n’ roll took over American culture.” - OLLI at ASU Fall 2026 Class Catalog
This fall OLLI members will be treated to an insider’s look at some of the groundbreaking musicians and bands who led the ragtime and early jazz revival period from 1935-1955. Bob Crosby’s Bobcats, Kid Ory, Lu Watters, and Louis Armstrong’s All-Stars all made their own unique mark on the movement earning them a place in the history of American jazz.
{Click below to listen to Down Home Rag, a bouncy, playful example of the music from this period by Lu Watters' Yerba Buena Jazz Band}
Hal Smith, who was the 2026 “Musician of the Year” at the Monterey Jazz Bash by the Bay, (1) will guide OLLI members through this influential period in his new class, The Great Jazz Revival. Offered at the Mesa Arts Center on September 28th, it’s sure to be a swinging good time so register soon and secure your spot!
Hal’s primary goal, “to share the music I love with others,” (2) will come to life as he presents numerous engaging sound bites from the era. You may even find yourself trying to resist the urge to get up and dance!
Hal is new to OLLI, but not to Arizona. He performed at the annual Arizona Classic Jazz Festival first in Scottsdale, and then in Chandler, for many years. Sadly, the Chandler festival ended last year, but we’d love to see one of you bring the music back to the people!
Setting the Stage
Originally from Indiana, Hal grew up in Southern California. He moved to Searcy, Arkansas in 2014 when his wife retired from her position at University of California at San Diego. Its lower cost of living and proximity to family and music influenced cities such as New Orleans and Austin were strong motivators.
Multi-talented, Hal has a degree in Journalism and has written for the Mississippi Rag, the Syncopated Times, the British publication Just Jazz, the Bulletin of the Hot Club of France and authored many sets of liner notes” (3).
I met Hal through my fiancé, jazz pianist Chris Calabrese, while attending my first ragtime festival in Monterey. Both devotees of the genre, Hal and Chris have played together in various bands on numerous occasions. I was instantly impressed by their depth of knowledge and enthusiasm for the period.
I must admit that as a child of the 80s, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy or ever learn to appreciate early jazz (the cool cats call it “trad” or traditional jazz) and ragtime. The nuances, subtlety, and depth of feeling that rise to the surface in pieces such as the dreamy Bethena, by Scott Joplin written in 1905 soon won me over.
Disneyland Connection
Hal was captivated by traditional jazz and ragtime early in his youth. On a visit to Disneyland in 1962, he experienced live jazz for the first time, played by the Firehouse Five Plus Two which was composed mainly of Disney animators, directors and editors. He was fascinated by how the vastly different instruments in a band fit together, each bringing their own unique sound to the party. In Hal’s words, “I was hooked before the first chorus was over!”
Chris and I also grew up in Southern California and like most SoCal kids, the magic of Disney is intricately woven into our shared childhood experiences. I think this is one of the many reasons we connect so well to Hal and share his love of the era.
On subsequent visits to Disneyland, Hal was fortunate to hear Louis Armstrong, Ben Pollack, Kid Ory, and Turk Murphy live onstage. Imagine seeing Louis Armstrong live at Disneyland!
Louis Armstrong Playing at Disneyland for the first time, from the Disney Archives
Hal, who is “mostly self-taught” was in his high school band as were Chris and I. He was initially drawn to the trombone, but when he needed braces and could no longer play, his mother suggested the drums. He “wishes I’d been able to stay with the trombone, to play the music of Kid Ory and Turk Murphy” and also admits to being a “frustrated piano player”. Recently an audience member gave Hal his idea of a perfect comment: “You play drums like a pianist!”
The dynamic jazz scene that was thriving in the Bay Area of San Francisco soon grabbed Hal’s attention. His parents, who were constant supporters of his love of music, pathed the way with road trips so Hal could experience performances from Turk Murphy's San Francisco Jazz Band which played at the infamous club Earthquake McGoon’s. Eventually, he met Lu Watters, Bill Dart, Clancy Hayes, and other key Revival musicians. He says he was “fortunate to play with San Francisco style legends Bob Helm, Wally Rose, Burt Bales, and of course, Turk Murphy.”
Keeping it Interesting
Today Hal plays with a variety of bands, each bringing its own distinctive musical style to the mix. He particularly enjoys drumming with New Orleans style groups and says “when the rhythm is locked in with the horns, it’s magical! You get the feeling that everyone is just playing one big instrument.”
Details for Hal’s class are below and at the time of posting, limited space is available, so please do come and join us! It’s going to be a great time!
Class: 030 | The Great Jazz Revival (analog catalog pg 17)
One Session: Monday, September 28; 10:30am-Noon
Location: Mesa Arts Center, Dobson Hall
Register for Hal’s Class: - Link to OLLI Class Registration - Remember to log in!
MORE ABOUT HAL:
Hal Smith Playing with the Backdraft Jazz Band
Hal Smith is a full-time professional musician, writer and educator whose interest in ragtime and jazz dates back to 1956. Hal has performed across the U.S. with internationally-renowned traditional jazz bands. He has also appeared on over 250 recording sessions and broadcasts of "A Prairie Home Companion" and "Riverwalk - Live From The Landing."
Currently, he leads the Hal Smith Trio, the Golden Snake Jasss Band, Hal Smith's El Dorado Jazz Band, and co-leads the Oliver-Smith Incomparables -- an ensemble dedicated to performing the music of Jelly Roll Morton -- with pianist Andrew Oliver. Hal heads for the Redwood Coast Music Festival in Eureka, CA as soon as his OLLI class is over and will be keeping the beat alive for us all!
Upcoming Events:
- Oct. 1 - 4 REDWOOD COAST MUSIC FESTIVAL with Kris Tokarski's Chicagoans, On The Levee Jazz Band, New Orleans Night Owls, Swing Central, Miss Jubilee and the Yas-Yas Boys and others: https://rcmfest.org/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Aimee Shramko, a former advertising executive, grew up in Santa Monica, CA and received her undergraduate degree from UCLA. After earning an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management/ASU, she spent several decades leading creative and tech teams to develop branding campaigns and customer focused websites. A resident of the Valley of the Sun for fifteen years, she devotes her time to supporting OLLI, the arts, and exploring new destinations.
RESOURCES:
- Monterey Jazz Bash by the Bay: https://jazzbashmonterey.com/
- Interview with Hal Smith, August, 2026
- Syncopated Times - https://syncopatedtimes.com/august-2026/
PHOTO CREDITS:
- Walt Disney Achieves
- Syncopated Times
STAY CREATIVE, OLLI! Now it’s YOUR turn! We welcome all forms of writing and artwork on our members-only page. Send contributions to: asuolliblog@gmail.com
