Photo courtesy Ed Lawless
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History
The Golden Gate Rhythm Machine is a small band with a big, swinging, fun loving sound, produced by some of the best traditional jazz musicians in the country. They are celebrating our 22nd anniversary together this year. They love to play a wide range of music, from the standard Dixieland favorites, through the West Coast originals of Lou Watters and Turk Murphy, to more recent standards and novelties played in a traditional style. They are particularly pleased when they are able to fill the dance floor.In 1984, Scott was asked to get a band together to fill in for Sunday afternoon sessions at Earthquake McGoon's. The original band consisted of Scott on banjo and "pedal" bass, Bob Neighbor on trumpet, and Jack Frost on guitar. In addition to the bass, we used an electronic drum machine which Scott used in his intermission solo act for the Turk Murphy Jazz Band at Earthquake McGoon's. (Most people think that the name Golden Gate Rhythm Machine emerged from the use of the electronic drum machine; however, the original intent was really to convey a meaning similar to a political "machine"- having lots of drive and power). So it was really a sort of 5 piece band packaged into 3.
As a soloist using 2 supporting electronic instruments, Scott had occasionally sensed some hostility from other musicians, especially drummers and bass players, but the GGRM simply could not continue appearing at Traditional Jazz festivals using all this new-fangled stuff. We soon asked Mike Starr to join us on trombone and then Jim Rothermel on reeds. Within a year, we had filled out the "front line" and gotten rid of both the bass pedals and the electronic drums, with the addition of John Moore on tuba and "Buffalo" Bill Maginnis on drums.
Except for a couple of instances, the band has remained remarkably stable (not counting the state of mind of some of its members that will remain unnamed!) In 1987 the band lost two of its founding members when Bob Neighbor moved to Chicago and Jack Frost relocated to Sedona, Arizona. Luckily, one Bob was replaced with another - the great Bob Schulz, and they were off and running again. Then, around 1999, because of many local commitments, John Moore was unable to do many GGRM jobs and festivals, so Jim Maihack switched to tuba and the great Bob Hirsch joined the band on piano.
Since its beginning the band has played at many premier jazz festivals including The Sacramento Dixieland Jubilee, The San Diego Dixieland Festival, Pismo Beach, Friday Harbor, Whidbey Island, Seaside Oregon, and many others. At every festival they attend, they surprise and delight both new and old fans alike with their danceable tempos, wonderful solo and ensemble work, and the genuine warmth and appreciation they feel toward their audiences.
Photo by Donna Courtney