Classic Jazz Stompers partner with Neil’s
Group enjoying a residency at the seafood restaurant.
Since 1981, Dave Greer has been bandleader of the Classic Jazz Stompers, an eight-member ensemble specializing in early jazz tunes and popular songs from the 1920s and ’30s. During the past three decades, the band’s fortunes have been curiously intertwined with many of the Dayton area’s dining and entertainment venues.
“Our original spot was at Langtrees on the lower level of Courthouse Square,” Greer recalled. “We moved from there south to the Centerville Club.” After that, the group played extended gigs at Longfellow’s, the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Alex’s on 725.
“We’re always looking for a home,” said Greer. “It’s not as easy to find homes for jazz musicians these days as it was thirty years ago, but it looks like we’ve got a good one now.”
In April, the Classic Jazz Stompers began a new residency on Wednesday nights at Neil’s Heritage House, the iconic restaurant and banquet hall established in 1946. After closing in 2006, Neil’s underwent extensive renovations and reopened late last year.
“They’ve moved the dining room into what used to be the bar area, which gives us a cozy area to play in,” Greer said. “The room has great acoustics, and it’s also got a dance floor.”
The Classic Jazz Stompers can also be heard at Jay’s Seafood restaurant in the Oregon Historic District at 9 p.m. on June 15 and July 20 and at RiverScape MetroPark at 7:30 p.m. July 7.
Although the lineup has changed since 1981, in recent years the personnel of the Classic Jazz Stompers has remained consistent.
“The music is kind of addictive, and the guys are addicted to it,” Greer said.
Because band members come from Dayton, Springfield, Cincinnati and other towns, they rarely get together just for rehearsal. “We tend to practice when we play,” said Greer. “Since it’s head music, where we all improvise, it keeps the band strong if we play together every week.”
Greer is optimistic that the new partnership with Neil’s will be a successful one. “We’ve had good crowds the past few weeks and hope we can continue to build on it,” he said.