Riverwalk's Jim Cullum Celebrates 50 Years in Music

Bandleader and cornetist Jim Cullum blows up a storm—and reminisces about his 50 years in music.

Barely a teen, it all began for Cullum with a $7 pawn shop cornet and gigs at the local Dairy Queen. His passion for the music of Beiderbecke, Oliver and Armstrong has led his Band to an internationally acclaimed career on the stage of Carnegie Hall, concert tours of Russia, Australia, Mexico and their longest-running gig, at their home base at The Landing jazz club in San Antonio, Texas.

Riverwalk Jazz launches a year-long celebration of The Jim Cullum Jazz Band's Golden Jubilee with a special broadcast recorded live at The Tobin Estate at Oakwell Farm in San Antonio.  Bandleader and cornetist Jim Cullum Jr. traces the history of the Band through five decades of performances at home and on the road, from Carnegie Hall—to a bull ring in Mexico—and concert halls in Siberia.

For the Golden Jubilee Concert, the Band is joined by former members pianist John Sheridan, trombonist Mike Pittsley and special guest, piano legend Dick Hyman. This celebratory performance features the Band’s signature arrangements of music composed by George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Hoagy Carmichael and Boots Douglas. Jim recalls luminaries such as Clark Terry, Lionel Hampton and Benny Carter, who joined his Band onstage for over two decades of Riverwalk Jazz radio shows on public radio stations across the country.

AIRS: Saturday, January 7 at 1 p.m. on WCVE Public Radio