ArtistInfo

Lu Watters And The Yerba Buena Jazz Band

Band,
Jazz

Lu Watters & the Yerba Buena Jazz Band is the name of the Traditional Jazz revival band founded by Lu Watters. Notable members include singer and banjoist Clancy Hayes (from 1938 to 1940); clarinetist Bob Helm; trumpeter Bob Scobey; trombonist Turk Murphy; tubist/bassist Dick Lammi; and Watters himself. The band broke up in 1950. In the late 1930s, Lu Watters was playing commercial dance gigs in the San Francisco area. Not satisfied with this music, he assembled a group of musicians to play traditional jazz music. His rehearsal spot was the Big Bear Lodge on Redwood Road in the Oakland hills. Rehearsing with him were trombonist Turk Murphy, trumpeter Bob Scobey, clarinetist Bob Helm, and pianist Wally Rose. His break came when the group landed a job playing at the Dawn Club on Annie Street in San Francisco. When San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen wrote a slightly disparaging piece about the band, supporters sent in many letters, creating publicity that boosted the band's popularity.

Members

	Lu Watters tr, wb 1911-1989 US
	Bob Scobey tr 1916-1963 MX
	Bob Helm cl *1914 US
	Turk Murphy tb, voc 1915-1987 US
	Clancy Hayes bj, voc 1908-1972 US
	Dick Lammi b *1909 US
	Wally Rose p 1913-1997 US
	Bill Dart dr 1915-1988 US
	Harry Mordecai bj US
	Ellis Horne cl US
	Bill Bardin tb