WEDNESDAY, February 26, 2014
The Islands’ Sounder • www.islandssounder.com
Island Living
Musical brotherhood Willie Thomas and Oliver Groenewald present classic jazz concert
Contributed photos
by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG
Above: Willie Thomas. At left: Oliver Groenewald.
he melodic sounds of two intertwined trumpets can be heard every day around 5 p.m. in the Olga area – much to the neighborhood’s delight. Long time resident Willie Thomas and son-in-law Oliver Groenewald have come to love their daily jam sessions. Every evening they meet in Willie’s cabin to play their horns, exchange ideas and continue a friendship that started in 1995, long before they would become family members. “It’s smooth, easy and natural when they play together,” said Wendy Thomas of her father’s relationship with her husband. “They are like a father and son, teacher and student ... they are friends and colleagues who share humor, love and discipline.” The duo have organized a night of classic jazz and bebop at Orcas Center on Saturday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. as a fundraiser for the Funhouse Commons. Groenewald will be debuting his new tentet, a group comprised of Seattle’s A-list jazz musicians. The performance will also feature Willie and Seattle vocalist Bernie Jacobs. The cost is $30 for adults and $16 for students; visit www.funhousecommons.org for tickets. All proceeds will benefit the kids’ community center. Groenewald, originally from Germany, was introduced to Willie by bassist Chuck Israels in Bellingham. Groenewald needed a room to rent while completing his masters degree in arrangement at Western Washington University.
During his sabbatical in 2013, Groenewald brought together – with the help of Jay Thomas – a group of prominent Seattle musicians that includes Brad Allison, Dan Marcus, Travis Ranney, Alex Dougdale, John Hanson, Adam Kessler, Chuck Kistler and Brendan O’Donnell to form the Seattle tentet. They are looking forward to their first gig being at Orcas Center. “I am very blessed with this band,” said Groenewald, who performed himself for the first time on an Orcas stage last summer at the One World Concert. Groenewald’s set has been described as a “show stopper.” Willie is a legend in the jazz scene, playing and recording with the Al Belleto sextet, Slide Hampton octet with Freddie Hubbard, Woody Herman, Peggy Lee and MJT+3 with Frank Strozier. Willie followed his playing career with teaching and the creation of one of the first jazz education curriculums still in use today in schools throughout Europe and the U.S. He has now brought his curriculum to the web with his site www.jazzeveryone.com, offering online jazz lessons for the beginner to the advanced musician. Willie is pleased to have another opportunity to collaborate on a night of jazz for the Funhouse Commons. “It’s great music that you don’t have to go to Seattle to hear,” said Funhouse Commons Executive Director Krista Bouchey.
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Their friendship remained when Groenewald moved back to Germany to begin his teaching career. Willie regularly visited his school for workshops. In 2009 Groenewald came to Orcas for an overdue visit. Wendy, owner of Chez Chloe in Eastsound, and Groenewald hit it off immediately and were soon married and living in Hamburg, Germany together with her daughter, Chloe. They loved their time in Hamburg but were also ready to come home again to Orcas. As of this February, Groenewald finished his last semester teaching in Germany and has retired from his professorship. Now a permanent resident of Orcas, he will continue composing, performing and traveling around the country to teach workshops and master classes. He has written for the German Chamber Orchestra and the New York Gypsy All-Stars among others.
PG. 9