Editor, Webmaster:  Phil Cartwright       Editor@earlyjas.org
Personalities -- by Phil Cartwright
Jack Kuncl
From left to right:  Roy Lang,  Jim Gover,  Phil Cartwright,  Robin Wetterau,  Jack Kuncl.
Picture taken a few years ago on the Goldenrod Showboat in St. Louis.
Jack Kuncl — A Salty Dog
   I met Jack Kuncl in the early 1960’s in Chicago.  We were friends and fellow banjo players:  He
on plectrum and me on tenor.  In fact, I found a banjo that Jack bought — a nice Bacon and Day.  I
think he still plays it.
  Jack and I played in several bands in the Chicago area:  Jack the Bear Brown’s Steamboat
Stompers, the Windy City Banjo Band, the Red Garter, and numerous other bands that made up a
name just for that gig.  Jack went on to bigger and better things.  He has been THE banjo player
with the Salty Dogs for the last 30 years or so ever since Bob Sundstrom moved to Cape Cod.  
  Jack plays in other bands as well.  He has played the pre-game show for the Chicago Cubs for
many years and has many recordings too numerous to mention.  One that is really interesting is
the New Bay City Jazz Band.  The original Bay City JB recorded in the mid fifties emulated the Lu
Watters Yerba Buena JB.  (I was fortunate to work with three of those original guys while in
California: Ray Giomi, clnt; Ev Farey, cnt; Lloyd Byassee, drums. Ted Shafer’s Jelly Roll JB carries
on that tradition and I was fortunate to play with them for two years or so.)  The new Bay City JB
re-creates many of those classic Turk Murphy and Lu Watters songs.   (Phil Cartwright)
The Eagle Jazz Band
By Ted Hallaman
The Eagle Jazz band played on the lawn of Wiley Middle School in University Heights on July 13th,
honoring an annual gig with the city.
It was a pleasant evening of familiar songs done with a Dixieland flavor and soaked up by an
audience of mixed demographics. The city sponsors these Thursday night freebies and the Eagles,
despite the deaths of two key members, have regrouped.
Emcee for the evening was Jean Huling, Sister Jean, the Ragtime Queen. Her husband, Paul, better
known as Laundry Fat, died a few months ago. He played tuba in the band and occasionally injected
some humor in the proceedings by singing long-forgotten songs like "They're Wearing Them Higher  
in Hawaii."
The couple, residents of Madison, Ohio, were the attraction at summer festivals, retirement homes
and libraries.
The other missing member of the band was its leader, Ralph Grugel, who anchored the group, sat
dead-center and audibly cued each tune with: "one two, one two three four." Big Ralph died about a
year ago and there was some concern about the future of the Eagles.
By the way, that young (17) whipper-snapper blowing tuba was Laundry and Jean's grand-son, Ian
Leslie.
Earlville Association for Ragtime Lovers Yearning
for Jazz Advancement and Socialization
EARLYJAS