Natural Gas Jazz Band

          New Orleans Shuffle (203 KB) 

         Sage Hen Strut (239 KB)    

Band from left rear: Rich Owens - piano,  Bob Murphy - soprano sax,  Warren Perry – drums, Bill Carson – trombone,   Dave lewis – tuba

           
In front: Pat Dutrow – banjo, Phil Crumley – cornet and leader

It's not surprising that Natural Gas Jazz Band is one of the most popular traditional jazz bands on the West Coast. These outstanding musicians have been playing together for 35 years, and are followed by their fans to jazz festivals and other venues throughout the world. Taking time from their busy professional lives, NGJB has honed their sound and have developed a musical rapport second to none. Their eclectic book features jazz classics by the likes of Jelly Roll, Armstrong, Beiderbecke and Ellington, combined with the San Francisco sounds of Lu Watters and Turk Murphy and original compositions by NGJB members Bob Murphy and the late Pete Clute.

Natural Gas Jazz Band has earned its San Francisco Jazz heritage through long personal and musical relationships with Lu and Turk and other musicians of the Yerba Buena Jazz Band who spearheaded the San Francisco revival of traditional jazz . This marks the thirty-fifth year the NGJB has been together, with four of the original members (Crumley, Murphy, Lewis, and Perry) still performing.

Dr. Phil Crumly; cornet and leader, is a retired periodontist

Bob Murphy; soprano sax, is a professional musician.

Warren Perry; drums, is a lawyer.

Bill Carson, trombone is a retired physician. He is a founding member of the Professor plum jazz band.

Dave Lewis; tuba, is a builder and contractor.

Rich Owens; piano, is the newest member of the band, having joined in 2004

Pat Dutrow; banjo, is another Professor Plum alumni.