Fox Lake’s Bunny Berigan

Jazz Jubilee Hits High Notes

A truly spectacular jazz weekend is shaping up for May 16, 17, and 18^th in Fox Lake, Wisconsin. The Fox Lake’s Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee will be held at two venues, the Fox Lake Community Center and the Fox Lake American Legion. The Jazz Jubilee features Dixieland Jazz and this year, 2008, the big band sounds of Larry Busch’s band will delight everyone on Saturday afternoon. Music lovers can take their pick from all the great music taking place in both halls. It is an event to “Leave your worries behind you” and just enjoy the great music.

Special music experiences will be available with the return of the Bunny Berigan Memorial Band under the leadership of Rev. Al Townsend of La Crosse, Wisconsin. This band features some of the very best musicians in Wisconsin such as Don Cheseboro of Wisconsin Rapids. Bob Schulz and Bob Hirsch, both of California with Wisconsin ties, will be featured in a new band, The Schulz/Hirsch All Stars, brought together for the sole purpose of playing at the Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee. David McGregor will be sure to delight his followers by bringing his Vagabond Reeds back for another Jazz weekend. Appearing once more will be the Beaver Dam High School Jazz Ensemble on Sunday afternoon from 12 noon to 1 PM at the Community Center.

Rev. Al Townsend who has played at and helped organize the event during the past few years said “Bunny was a Wisconsin musician and with this event we always try to feature the absolutely wonderful Wisconsin guys. This year we also want to feature the big band sounds of Bunny as he led his own big band. It is a wonderful year to celebrate Bunny as it is the 100^th Anniversary of his birth.”

All this in little Fox Lake? Why? The answer is really very simple. Bunny Berigan, the top trumpeter in jazz, was raised in Fox Lake, Wisconsin, home of his maternal Grandparents and Mother. Bunny played in local bands and then college groups in the Midwest. He no doubt found Madison, Wisconsin a really swinging place when he left Fox Lake before finishing high school. Fox Lake will be putting it’s best foot forward this year in remembrance of the 100^th anniversary of Bernard “Bunny” Berigan. A special Elegant Breakfast Brunch is being planned for Saturday, beginning at 10:00 AM with special speaker and power point “Bunny Berigan” show. The 12:05 PM parade will be led by the antique fire engine owned by the Fox Lake Fire Department. Everyone is invited to participate in these very special events of 2008.

Just as a side note, the decorations for the Fox Lake Community Center and the Fox Lake American Legion Post are awesome. One will feel very special amidst the lovely decorations. Small details are taken care of at the Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee and it shows.

Bunny ( Bernard) Berigan played with the best bands in the land and even led his own band for a short time. All Music, a popular web site, describes him this way “Blessed with a beautiful tone and a wide range Berigan’s low notes could be as memorable as his upper register shouts. Berigan brought excitement to every session he appeared on. He was not afraid to take chances during his solos and could be a bit reckless, but Berigan’s successes and occasional failures were always colorful to hear…”

Bunny Berigan was largely responsible for two hits: “Marie” and “Song of India”. His solos on these tunes became so famous that in future years band directors had them written out and orchestrated for the full trumpet section. When he finally put together his own orchestra he scored early on with his biggest hit, “I Can’t Get Started”. Anyone coming to the Jazz Jubilee is guaranteed they will hear these very special tunes.

Bunny Berigan died when he was just 33. All Music questions “What would this brilliant swing trumpeter have done in the bop era? In Fox Lake we think we know…..he would have rocked!

Ticket information is available and tickets for this great event can be ordered ahead of time by calling the chairperson Julie Flemming at 1-920- 928-6094 or emailing to julieflemming@yahoo.com A complete line-up of the band appearances and tickets is available on the web at www.bunnyberiganjazzjubilee.com or can be requested if one is not on the mailing address. Once one receives a flyer in the mail they will automatically be on the mailing list for future years. The same number can be called, 1-920-928-6094 for a flyer, or a written request can be made by mail to Fox Lake’s Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee, PO Box 400, Fox Lake, Wisconsin, 53933.