How did a group of eight young musicians decide to get together to form a band playing music over sixty years older than themselves? And why do they keep playing it? The answer to these questions takes us way, way back to 1998 in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

For a number of years, Chilliwack had played host to a jazz festival celebrating the traditional forms of jazz. Rob Hopkins, a music teacher at Chilliwack Secondary School, played a key role in that festival, successfully integrating the community’s school jazz bands into the festival’s rotation. There were hopes of taking this concept one step further by establishing a dixieland band at CSS. Eventually, it was hoped that this group would become a regular part of each year’s festival. A few trial versions of the band had been organized but the idea had not really caught on. It was not until the fall of 1998 things that began to fall into place.

Music Teacher Gary Raddysh had just arrived at CSS and he was looking for a course to add to his teaching schedule. Mr. Hopkins suggested the development of the dixieland group as a good opportunity. So Mr. Raddysh took up the task of putting together some students to form a band.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a young clarinet player named Colin Farquhar had just graduated from middle school. As the story goes, he had asked if he'd be able to play in school jazz band, but was told that there would be no room for a clarinet in the jazz band. Disapointed, but not deterred, he crossed over the highway to attend CSS.

Talk about the right place at the right time! The new dixieland course proved to be the perfect opportunity for Colin. He took the initiative amongst his peers and, along with the two music teachers, was able to help motivate students to get involved. Together they established a core for Chilliwack’s Dixieland Combo.

Left: the 51st Eight in 2001; Right: the 51st Eight in 2004

The earliest versions of the band were made up of whoever could make it to the Friday afternoon rehearsals. Directed by Mr. Raddysh, they played whatever charts they could get their hands on and gradually learned more about the early forms of jazz. The Chilliwack Happy Times Jazz Festival provided not only a great performance venue for the young musicians but also the opportunity to participate in workshops put on by musicians such as Bob Draga, Ed Metz, Jr., Dave Ruffner, Norrie McFarlane, and Borgy Borgerson. In addition to Colin, drummer Jeremy Roberts was a member from the start.

The big break came in 2000, after trumpeter Bria Skonberg had joined. Bria had recently attended the Mammoth Lakes Jazz Camp on a scholarship from the Vancouver Dixieland Jazz Society. As a result, the band received an invitation to audition for the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. They were accepted, renamed themselves "the 51st Eight", and headed down south, becoming the first Canadian youth band to perform at the festival. By this time the band consisted of Bria, Colin, Jeremy, pianist Vashti Gray, and former members: tuba player Brock Rutley, saxophonist Ryan Townsend, trombonist Mike Kayser, and banjo player Stu Watchorn.

In 2001, following graduation for most members of the group, three of the band's members had to leave, and so some new recruits were brought in. Lukas Matheson joined on trombone, Evan Arntzen on tenor sax, and later Josh Roberts on banjo and guitar. This became what is essentially the 51st Eight as it exists today.

The last change came at the band's "low" point (pardon the pun). Bassist Georgia Korba was added in early 2004 after Brock Rutley headed down to Australia for a year.

Since those early years, the band has continued to grow musically, making in-roads into the professional dixieland circuit and playing gigs around the Northwest. Seven of the musicians have received scholarships at various points to attend jazz camps in Sacramento and Mammoth Lakes, California. Seven of the band members are or have been music majors, studying at various institutions in the Greater Vancouver Area (the eighth is a car salesman).

In the past few years the band has been honoured to play at festivals in Vancouver, Victoria, Penticton, Courtenay, and Chilliwack in BC. Stateside, they have played Bellingham, Eureka, Sacramento and Sun Valley.

The future looks bright for this group with more festivals upon the horizon. New for 2006: Seaside, Oregon; Port Angeles, Washington; and Sisters, Oregon. The band also returns to Courtenay, Eureka, Penticton, Sun Valley, Vancouver and Victoria. And why do they keep playing? Simply because it's so much fun!

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