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They�re swinging along on Ellington, Basie and Dorsey, but they can do Lennon and McCartney too. They�re . .. The Easy Valley Eight This Southern Oregon group�s love of the big band sound sparks a camaraderie that leads to growing recognition at regular bookings By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune They have more than 500 years of experience altogether, they love the romantic music of the swing era, and they�re in the mood. Called the Easy Valley Eight, they blow the sweet sounds of Ellington, Basie and Dorsey for weddings, office and retirement parties, restaurants and New Year�s Eve celebrations, like the one on Monday at Standing Stone Brewing Co. in Ashland. "They practice every week, wear uniforms and write their own big band arrangements," said fan Bill Jacoby, Medford. "This is unheard of in the Rogue Valley." After five years together, the Easy Valley Eight (actually about 12 now) are making the jump to regular bookings and a smooth, professional sound built on 220 arrangements by Medford music teacher Dave Richardson. The 73-year-old holds a master�s degree in music composition and theory. The band was started by retired Ashland attorney and trumpeter Richard Cottle. "I retired in �95 and no one would ask me to play, so I started my own band," said Cottle, 75. "I got eight guys together just as a rehearsal band, but we enjoyed it so much � and we all had big band experience � so we decided to go pro and hear some applause." Success is nice, but Easy Valley Eight members are doing it mainly for the camaraderie, for a creative mental outlet in older years and to keep America�s most beautiful and romantic music alive for coming generations, said retired Josephine County building codes administrator and alto sax player Fritz Hunnicutt, 67, Gold Hill. "It�s the most fun I�ve ever had playing in a band," he said, "and I�ve played in a lot of bands. This music is a great cultural legacy and we play well enough to impart that legacy to a new generation. Lots of college kids are coming down now. And a lot of young people who were playing far-out jazz are now getting into swing � and when they hear it live, instead of just on records, it really sends them." The Easy Valley Eight last spring released its first CD, called "One More Time." It features such swing hits as "Deep Purple," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "I�m Beginning to See the Light," "Over the Rainbow" and "Take the �A� Train." Only one thing was missing: the canary. The band recently brought crooner Pam Lawson, 56, Ashland, into the nest, "helping to fulfill my childhood fantasy as the champagne lady on �Lawrence Welk,� except these guys are better than �Lawrence Welk.� " At the weekly Monday morning practice in Ashland, Lawson gave the boys in baby blue that extra dimension with a moving rendition of her favorite, "Someone to Watch Over Me." The band isn�t chained to the swing sound, however; they�ve arranged lots of Latin sounds � rumba, bossa nova, beguine, tango, cha-cha, samba � and medleys of Beatles, Christmas tunes and polkas. They can even do "Rock Around the Clock." The tunes are arranged from 16-piece band music down to eight-piece, so as to produce "the small group with the big band sound," Cottle said. "Everyone�s favorite is �In the Mood.� It�s so nostalgic. They all get on the floor when we start that." "Swing is what we grew up with," said Richardson. "Ellington and Louis Armstrong were new and exciting and they�re still exciting. To write, hear, perform � it�s just fun music." "It�s great therapy," said retired letter carrier and trombonist Randy Hugdahl, 79, Medford. "It keeps my brain going and it�s wonderful to keep this kind of music alive. Also, it�s good fellowship. There�s never a bad word." "It keeps you young � that�s for sure," said retired Phoenix-Talent school superintendent and bass player Joe Diamond, 71, Medford. Drummer Gary "Chick" Hirsh, 61, Ashland, grew up with swing but came of age with rock and joined the famed group Country Joe and the Fish. "Swing was the music of my youth and I never got to play it until now." The band also includes retired Phoenix High School music teacher and guitarist Lyle Ames, 71, Phoenix; bass player Bruce McKern, 31, Medford; retired architect and pianist Sidney Goldberg, 78, Ashland; retired Ashland public schools band director Warren Moore, 78, and professional musician Leo Stan, 82, Ashland. A founding member, clarinetist and one-time Ashland City Band director Dave Wight, has died. The Easy Valley Eight plays at the Standing Stone in Ashland on the first Saturday of each month and at That Italian Place in Medford on the second Saturday. For private events, call Dick Cottle at 482-1528. John Darling is a free-lance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.