By:  Ardie Jarrett
Photos by:  Bob Nelson and Linda Myers

What a wonderful gig this turned out to be for the East Bay Banjo Club.  We played in a beautiful, shaded courtyard at the “Chateaus of Pleasant Hill”.  The weather was very pleasant….in fact it was a bit on the cool side for a change.  We were in the process of setting up the sound when we were approached by a nice gentleman who started asking us questions.  It turns out that he had played the Sousaphone with the club many years prior.  Several of our members remembered him.  It didn’t take long to find out that he lived close by, so we asked him to get his horn and join us.  Oh, how much fun it was to have Jack Martens playing with us.  His business card says “Music by Martens” and I think he is also known as “Music Man Jack.”   I didn’t know that a Sousaphone could be played softly, but he was able to do it!  Betty David led our group and Kit Nelson, Bud Pearce, and Mickie McDonald were our vocalists throughout the program.  The other players were:  Guy Black, Don Granberg, Bob Malucelli, Diane Malucelli, Linda Myers, Phil Myers, Ken Williamson, and Ardie Jarrett.  Bob Nelson took photos.  The residents of the Chateaus seemed to really enjoy our performance and the selection of songs.  I think we will be asked back again.

Jack Martens sits in on the Sousaphone