James R. Goodwin

by Tony Pringle

I remember Jim very clearly. We seemed to be like ships that pass in the night, but he always made an impression.

Back in the middle to late 1970s he was on tour with Barry Martin and John Defferay was playing clarinet with Bary’s band. Our clarinet player had had an operation and we were stuck for a replacement. I looked at Barry’s schedule and saw they had a couple of free nights – later they would come and play alongside the Black Eagles at the Sticky Wicket. I made a couple of calls and eventually reached Barry and I asked if John could play a couple of gigs with us – Thursday at the Stick Wicket and Friday somewhere closer to Boston. It was agreed and we signed John up for the two gigs – he would be staying at my house.
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The Sunset Music Company recorded live at the Storeyville Jazz Night
Schouwburg Arnhem, Holland 1979

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Jim Goodwin – Cornet, Lueder Ohlwein – Banjo, Dan Barrett – Trombone,
John Smith – Altosax, Mike Fay – Bass, Jeff Hamilton - Drums

Full CD of the Arnhem ’79 recordings will be available early next year! In the meantime, The Sunset Music Company Live in Dusseldorf ’79 is now available from Blue Swing.Com

by Bill Miner

Jim and I were in high school band together in the percussion section, and played in several bands during those years. We would also hang out in his basement where he would play piano or coronet and I would play drums. Sometimes I would go with him to his Dad’s office where he was “board boy” and watch the geezers play the market. I moved away after school and lost touch, I’m sorry to say.

I am still playing due, in no small part, to his inspiration. Even though he was only 17, a year ahead of me, he was the first “real” musician I had met. He was one of the most comfortable people I’ve ever been around.

I guess I just felt that I would like to tell someone that he was close to, that I was glad to have known him. I have attached an article I found while reminiscing I thought you might find interesting. I think he was a junior and I was a sophomore.

Thanks,
Bill Miner

Jim Goodwin, Bob Helm, and Bob Mielke

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by Joep Peeters

On the eve of the 39th Breda Jazz Festival, the American Cornettist Jim Goodwin passed away, shortly after his 65th birthday anniversary. From 1975 till 1995 he played almost every Breda Jazz Festival, he even lived for some time in Breda. Co-founder of the Festival Joep Peeters considers him as an important source of inspiration. Because of the start of the 39th Jazz Festival tomorrow, today an obituary by Joep Peeters.

The American cornettist Jim Goodwin was to many European musicians a source of inspiration, being an expert in the music that was fairly unknown in Europe, the music we failed to hear when it was there: the (real) American small band swing from the thirties. In 1976 Jim came to Europe for the first time, thanks to soprano saxophonist George Probert. Jim, together with his music friends as where were amongst others Dan Barrett and later on Tom Baker, taught us not to split up jazz in styles and currents as well as not to concentrate too much on stereotyped band line-ups. His phenomenal knowledge of Jazz history and his unique cornet playing, from raw and rough to subdued, but always “lightly and politely”, made him the ideal band leader, though this leadership was completely opposed to his gentle character. The bands varied from duos up till sometimes as many as twelve pieces. Without any form of rehearsal or arrangements. That way the the musicians learned to expose their own individuality, but without being in the way of the others. Collective Improvisation as it should be in the swing tradition. In the USA too, Jim was a shining example to many musicians. He was born and raised in Portland Oregon, but played mostly in California, particularly in Berkeley. He was a professional musician, but during some time he was America’s youngest stockbroker. In later years he was co-proprietor of a small beer factory. Thanks to Jim Goodwin, the Breda Jazz Festival has never become a The Hague-typed Dixieland festival and has maintained its own Classic Swing character. And the unique Duo Special concerts as well as the Festival Jam bands, nowadays called the Festival Surprise Bands, are the impressive heritage he gave to Breda.

Joep Peeters
Jazz Musician