SEATTLE SPOTLIGHT:
LILY WILDE and
Her Jumpin' Jubilee
Orchestra
Photo by Patrice Raplee
By Patrice
Raplee
A slender hand appears from behind the curtain grasping a '30s style
microphone. Long, impossibly red fingernails glimmer under the bright
lights as a dark-haired, modern day Rita Hayworth glides onto the stage.
Heavily kohled eyes take in the room at a glance and a loose tendril
is casually tossed over a sparkling shoulder.
An un-embodied voice enthusiastically announces, "Ladies and Gentlemen,
Lily Wilde and her Jumpin Jubilee Orchestra!" Dressed in a form-fitting,
'30s era blue sequined dress, the diva flashes her eyes and curves her
luminous red lips into a warm smile as she welcomes the excited crowd.
Swing dancers stand at attention waiting for the band to start the
first tune of the night so they can begin their artfully crafted dance
steps. "Rip Van Winkle slept for 20 long years, then he woke
one day, Rip's red hair had turned to gray," croons Wilde as
the dancers cheer and join their partners for a synchronistic twirl.
Wilde continues with the catchy lyrics while listeners, as well as the
Lindy Hop group, lose themselves in the alluring post-era music.
Lily Wilde, the definitive icon of a swing jazz vocalist and her husband,
Tom Royer, rehearsed some of the best big band musicians available to
form the powerhouse Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra. Wilde and JJO have grown
in popularity across the country and with swing dancers from around
the world. With a look into Wilde's past, it's easy to see how she has
become one of the best jazz singers of today.
Wilde's father, Calvin Jackson, was a pianist, composer and arranger
with a famous career that spanned from the '40s through the '60s. This
Julliard graduate started at MGM studios as an assistant musical director;
he then went on to score innumerable musicals such as Anchors Away
and Meet Me in St. Louis. Jackson also garnered an Academy Award
nomination in '64 for the musical scoring of The Unsinkable Molly
Brown. He performed and recorded with the Stan Kenton Orchestra,
the Calvin Jackson Trio (Leroy Vinnegar was his bass player for years)
and many other legendary musicians of the day. He also did albums of
his own on the Colombia and Verve Label.
Wilde and her father would go over for rehearsals and or socializing
at the homes of celebrities such as Duke Ellington, Julie London and
Bobbie Troop. "Those were the most wonderful and exciting times
of my life," states Wilde. "I remember going casually over
to Lloyd Bridges' house with my father and sitting on Lloyd's lap. I
felt bad because I thought he smelled like fish (remember the TV show
Sea Hunt?) and I wanted to get down, but I didn't want to hurt
his feelings; he was really a nice man."
Wilde's young life was infused with music that would become the backbone
of her soul. Chico Hamilton, Les McCann and a bevy of the most talented
musicians, singers and celebrities would ultimately leave an indelible
impression on a little girl who loved to lay under her father's piano
while he played music. McCann would also take a photograph of Little
Lily at age eight; that photograph is now on the inside cover of JJO's
current CD Insect Ball.
Despite the breakup of her parents, Wilde continued to pursue music
on her own. At the age of nine, she focused on playing the guitar and
taking lessons for quite a few years until her teacher passed away.
"I loved playing the guitar and I loved The Beatles' music; I taught
myself how to play Blackbird."
All through Jr. High, Wilde was in the glee club. She sat in the soprano,
second soprano and alto chairs during that time.
Born with a natural ear for harmonies, she was able to pick out classical
pieces she would hear in school, or listen to on records. As the teenage
years approached, Wilde's musical tastes began to change and the piano
was left behind for awhile, but one constant always remained; her singing.
The first big break of Wilde's professional singing career in New York
came about by accident. She was singing backup on an album project at
Electric Lady Land Studios, when one of Stevie Wonder's singers had
to be replaced. Wilde auditioned and was chosen to be a member of Wonder's
backup and touring band Wonderlove. Two songs on the Music of My
Mind album had yet to be recorded and the rest of Wonder's tour
completed. "It was a great learning experience and Stevie was great
to work with," Wilde recalls.
When the tour ended, Wilde went back to New York, but it was tough
going for the young singer. "New York is really expensive and it's
unbearably muggy in the summer. There's no way that I would live there
again; from May to October, the humidity would turn my hair from Veronica
Lake to Chaka Kahn in two minutes!"
Wilde ended up back on the west coast performing in various bands and
then she went to Dallas. One evening, a wealthy realtor happened to
be in the audience. After hearing Wilde sing, he said, "I'm gonna
make you a star." With a new band, equipment, a manager and backing,
Wilde and her band were set up in an LA house and became the premiere
artists of the newly created record label Americana Records.
Another artist was added to the roster shortly after Wilde, the infamous
Rick James. Wilde and her band cut a single for Americana and it jumped
to the Billboard Charts. In this time frame, Wilde and James
used to hang out together. "I really like Rick; he's a nice guy
with a great voice. When I first met him, he would wear brown suede
leather fringed pants and a jacket; he reminded me of Neil Young (Rick
also hung out with CSNY). I felt bad for him when Americana folded (a
tax write off for the realtor); we were both out in the cold. I lost
touch with him for a few years and when he popped up with the Super
Freak persona, I couldn't believe it was the same person! I went to
see him in the late '70s at a concert in LA; he was opening up for the
band Parliament. He had jumped into a whole different world, but the
concert was sold out and he was doing great; I was happy for him."
Disheartened by the end of the record label, Wilde altered her career
path for a few years and worked as a photographic and runway model.
She modeled in celebrity shows for Vidal Sassoon and worked with a variety
of celebrities and models at the Hollywood palladium. "I preferred
photographic work to runway," remarks Wilde. "I was photographed
by Harry Langdon and Norman Sieff, who shot the cover of almost every
album that you saw in the '70s. I remember those years and I had a great
time…but oh no, I just thought of my first fashion show with Mr.
Blackwell and oh my god, I am so embarrassed!" laments Wilde.
Although modeling had a certain glamorous appeal and a lucrative advantage,
the passion for music would eventually lure Wilde back to performing.
The next six years, she spent performing in different bands and discovering
blues music. She traveled from LA to Sun Valley and then on to Seattle,
where she got the chance to fill in for a lead singer of a band. The
singer, who would become a close and trusted friend, was the bravura
Duffy Bishop. Both women worked together, formed their own bands and
took separate paths in the years ahead.
But they always found solace in each other's friendship and in their
work. Bishop reminisces and comments about Wilde, "We have performed
together many times; we even performed in an original musical play called
Guitar Outlaws that was written by Chris Carlson and Carl Sander.
Lily played my evil stepmother Ferdina," laughs Bishop light-heartedly.
Bishop continues, "I think Lily's fabulous! She is one of the
best jazz singers alive. She has that incredible old-style jazz voice
that's sultry and slow. Every time I hear a new jazz singer on the radio,
I think Lily should be there. I wish someone would hear her and make
her a huge star."
Seattle provided Wilde with a multitude of opportunities and bands that
changed members all too frequently. After a successful tour in Russia
with Junior Cadillac and two years of performing with her band the Hysterics,
the gigs started burgeoning in Portland. Wilde finally resolved the
situation by moving to the Rose City where she met her husband and the
love of her life, Tom Royer.
Royer started playing drums at the age of nine. His father, a music
teacher and trumpet player, was Royer's first inspiration. From Hendrix
to top 40 R&B, Royer spent numerous years developing his style and
touring with various bands. Royer finally moved from LA to Oregon in
'93 to join the group the Cowboy Angels. "It was supposed to be
temporary, (the move) but I decided to stay, then I met Lily!"
grins Royer. The two talented artists have made an impeccable union
and are seldom seen apart.
While visiting at the home of their friends in '96, the couple heard
the music of Louis Jordan. It was then that Wilde recognized that she
had performed a good deal of Jordan's music for years and hadn't realized
it. Wilde and Royer decided swing era jazz music was the kind of sound
they wanted to perform; now came the task of auditioning musicians for
a full-fledged orchestra. Since the induction of the first Jumpin' Jubilee
Orchestra, members have changed. However, the current lineup consists
of: Tom Royer, drums; Bryan Dickerson, lead alto sax; Pete (Spanky)
Peterson, lead tenor sax; Chris Mercer, alto and tenor sax; Mike Kelly,
baritone and tenor sax; Albert Reda, upright bass; Lew Chapman, lead
trombone and misc. brass; Lars Campbell, trombone; Greg Garrett, trumpet;
Brett White, trumpet; Brian Ward, piano; Michael Gargano, guitar; with
two members that are actively in the audition phase.
Wilde states, "The JJO is an amalgam of the best musicians that
you can find, the cream of the crop. The biggest challenge that we face
is performing in a smaller town. Just trying to find a large enough
venue to perform in, not to mention trying to fit all of the band and
the fans who come to dance, as well as to listen, is very difficult.
Add to that trying to make enough money to pay the band properly. There
are very talented, top-notch musicians in this town who have played
for the love of music and generally end up with about enough money to
cover their parking costs; it's unbelievable. I made sure from the beginning
that I started out the band by doubling and tripling their past wages."
Wilde has other issues and constant struggles that she, Royer and the
band face, but she is adamant about one thing; she is very happy with
her career and the music she sings. "I've been singing professionally
since I was 17 and if it weren't for all of the different genres of
music, styles and changes that I've gone through and dues I've paid,
(that by no means, means that I ain't still paying dues) I wouldn't
be able to do what I am doing now, which is what I was supposed to be
doing in the first place," she continues.
Currently with a new manager on board, Wilde and JJO are in the process
of refining their show. The group is also working on new material for
an up-coming CD and tours.
Wilde is a personality with definite opinions and views. She is well-respected
by her musical peers and often sought out to participate in special
performances with other musical groups including the Oregon Symphony.
"I am very impressed with Lily," expressed Norman Leyden,
one of the conductors of the Oregon Symphony. "She has wonderful
stage presence and her husband Tom writes good charts for her. I had
a great time working with her; Lily makes a great presentation, she's
really alive!"
Celebrated jazz artist Mel Brown adds his views on Wilde. "She's
great, she's a good friend. I've always thought of her as a little sister.
Lily and Tom are very talented! Wilde is indeed talented, with a particularly
interesting and vibrant history. She continues her legacy of musical
heritage and career perseverance with a verve that would make the father
of the little girl who used to lay under the piano enormously proud.
For more information on Lily Wilde and the Jumpin' Jubilee Orchestra
see ads this issue and bandstand. For information on Wilde's current
CD Insect Ball, go to www.lilywilde.com
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