New Black Eagle Jazz Band

Since its founding in September 1971 by cornetist Tony Pringle, the New Black Eagle Jazz Band has maintained steady popularity throughout New England. Pringle, whose approach draws primarily from Bunk Johnson and Kid Howard while reflecting Kid Thomas Valentine to a smaller degree, shapes the ensemble’s overall sound and imparts its raw, early-era character. When the group issued its first recording on GHB in 1972, the lineup featured trombonist Stan Vincent, clarinetist Stan McDonald, pianist Bob Pilsbury, banjoist Pete Bullis, tuba player Eli Newberger, and drummer Pam Pameijer. Over subsequent decades the band—sometimes billed simply as the Black Eagle Jazz Band—has retained most of its original members, with the clarinet chair alone experiencing change; that position has been held successively by McDonald, Rudi Ballieu, Brian Oglivie, Hugh Blackwell, and, for an extended period, Billy Novick. Festival appearances at numerous classic-jazz events, frequent regional performances across New England, and several European tours have marked the group’s activity, while its recorded output has appeared extensively on the band’s own Black Eagle imprint as well as on GHB, Dirty Shame, Fat Cat Jazz, Philips, Philo, and Stomp Off.