Dan with the Stomperz at Charley’s at the Lakes

THIS BAND WAS FORMED IN 2005 BY ERNIE LANDES AND SID GIRE IN AN EFFORT TO SPREAD THE JOY OF DIXIELAND JAZZ TO THE FOLKS IN AND AROUND SUN CITY, ARIZONA. THE BAND HAS BEEN FORTUNATE TO APPEAR AT MANY COMMUNITY EVENTS, RETIREMENT HOMES, LOCAL FESTIVALS AND WATERING HOLES THROUGHOUT THE GREATER PHOENIX AREA, AS WELL AS REGULAR VISITS TO ARIZONA CLASSIC JAZZ SOCIETY EVENTS. THEY ARE WELL INTO THEIR NINTH YEAR OF TWICE-MONTHLY PERFORMANCES AT THE “SUNSET BISTRO AT THE LAKES” RESTAURANT IN WESTBROOK VILLAGE, PEORIA, ARIZONA. THE STOMPERZ MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO CONCENTRATE THEIR REPERTOIRE ON THE MUSIC OF THE FIRST THREE DECADES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY. THIS PERIOD INCLUDES THE VERY BEGINNINGS OF THE TRADITIONAL JAZZ AGE, THE RISE AND FALL OF THE STORYVILLE DISTRICT OF NEW ORLEANS, THE FIRST JAZZ RECORDINGS AND THE RESULTING GLOBAL APPRECIATION OF THIS MUSIC.  THE MUSICIANS HOPE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS “HAPPY MUSIC” FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.