Big city jazz came to Jefferson Thursday night when Beta Tau Delta hosted New York City’s Vanguard Jazz Orchestra (VJO) for what the Betas dubbed “An Evening with Jefferson’s Own Oatts Family.”
About 600 people attended the 2-1/2 hour concert in the Greene County Middle School gymnasium. The 2-1/2 hours didn’t include the high school’s Jazzatonics jazz choir and a jazz trio composed of pianist Tanner Taylor (Jefferson-Scranton class of 1999), drummer Jim Eklof and bassist Eric Krieger.
The evening was a homecoming event for the children of Jack and Marcella Oatts. Jack Oatts was band director at Jefferson Community High School from 1966 to 1985. He is revered as the “father of jazz” in Iowa high schools.
The four Oatts children all graduated from JCHS – Jim in 1969, Dick in 1971, Sue in 1973 and Nancy in 1976. The three older siblings are all professional jazz musicians – Jim on trumpet in central Iowa, Dick on saxophone in the VJO, and Sue, a vocalist in the Twin Cities. They all performed on stage Thursday night.
Nancy is a graphic designer and did all the promotional graphics and the programs for the event. She is married to John Mosca, band director and lead trombone player in the VJO.
Another of Jack Oatts’ students, Terry Rich, JCHS class of 1970, now CEO of the Iowa Lottery, was emcee. He told stories of Jack Oatts and offered shout-outs to former Oatts students in the audience, asking for former jazz band members by graduating year before the concert, and by instrument during the intermission.
The Jazzatonics performed the very familiar “Chattanooga Choo Choo” and the jazz trio performed Duke Ellington’s equally familiar “Take the A Train.” The VJO followed with a wide range of jazz by artists like Thad Jones, George Gershwin, Billy Strayhorn and Bob Brookmeyer.
At the close of the concert Jefferson mayor pro tem Shannon Black was called to the stage to read and then present to the Oattses copies of the mayoral proclamation naming April 9 as Oatts Family Day in Jefferson. Beta Tau Delta president Cassie Dozier presented a check for $1,500, a portion of the proceeds from the evening, to Greene County High School music directors Becky Greiner and Dave Heupel.
The VJO then treated the audience to an encore, “Route 66,” with Jim Oatts and Sue Oatts and the next generation of Oatts jazz artists, Eric Oatts, son of Jim and Lori Oatts, all on stage.
Presenting sponsors were Home State Bank, McFarland Clinic PC of Jefferson, and West Central Coop. Benefactors were Hamilton Redi-Mix/John and Alice Hamilton, and Kim and Gail Rueter. Patrons were Hy-Vee, Midland Power Cooperative and Wilcox Law Firm.
