Not-So-Modern Jazz Quartet Plus

Not-So-Modern Jazz Quartet +

Dixieland Jazz, Blues, Ballads, Swing

And Music for

Listening and Dancing

Our New CD is now available - go to CDs

Our regular gig at The Westlawn Inn in North Beach, Maryland is back, starting in March

See Schedule (left) for upcoming gigs

The Not-So-Modern Jazz Quartet Plus is a combo playing in the club venue of the 20s, 30s and 40s. It faithfully reproduces this music with top local jazz musicians.

The basic quartet is made up of clarinet, bass, piano and drums. When a piano is unavailable, the quartet substitutes a rhythm guitar. We often play with five or more musicians, particularly when playing Dixieland, hence the "plus" in the name of the band.

The musicians rely heavily on their improvisation skills, and the band has a very large book of old standards, traditional Dixieland and Swing Era tunes. The music of Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and Fats Waller are centerpieces of the combo's repertoire.

We play regularly at St. Elmo's Coffee Pub, and the Westlawn Inn. We are available for other regular gigs and scheduled affairs such as parties, weddings, dances and public events.

Betsy Riddle Ruderfer sings ballads with us at the Westlawn Inn and other gigs. Herb Greenlee who comes down from Waynesboro in Pennsylvania has a regular weekend solo piano gig in Hagerstown Maryland and plays with us when he can, hence two versions of the quartet. Mort Langstaff plays the remaining times. We are glad to have both of them.