The Bay City 7 originated as a banjo group playing Dixieland music purely for their own enjoyment. As their sound improved, they began offering to play or practice in public at local clubs. The Dutch Mill on Harford Road hosted the group on a weekly basis. As a pick-up band there were always enough musicians in attendance to participate including originals Frank Wiedefeld (tuba), John Goldburn (drums).
Around 1969 the group became known as the Bay City 7. Their repertoire evolved to include old time west coast style jazz and swing classics of the ‘20s and ‘30s.
A 1972 line-up included Wiedefeld along with E. Hamilton Niles (banjo), Ben Roman (trumpet), Pete Seone (tenor sax), Hugh Williams (trombone), Garrison Stone (clarinet), Caldwell ‘Bunny’ Taylor (electric bass, clarinet, trumpet), Gordon Bull (piano), Ed Platz (banjo). This group was seen at the Dutch Mill, Sperl’s, Satyr House, Pimlico Hotel, Franklintown Inn, Steak & Ale, S.S. Nobska, City Lights…
Weidefeld and Platz also played for a group called the Straw Hatters at the Strawhat, and McMahon’s in Dundalk.
Various personnel changes occurred throughout the ‘70s leading to their 1978 LP release “The Pride of Baltimore” on their own Bay City 7 label (781215). Included on the album were original members Frank and John, along with Chris Henderson (banjo – joined the band in ‘74), Sig Seidenman (keyboard), Jim Ritter (coronet), Bob Thulman (clarinet, sax), and John Wessner (trombone).
The group could be seen at various functions around Baltimore including Saturdays on the SS Nobska in the Inner Harbor. They garnered some national recognition with an appearance at the Central City, Colorado Jazz Festival in 1978 and again in 1979. Other festival performances have included the Delaware and Pennsylvania Jazz Societies.
A member of the PRJC, their 1982 recording of “Bay City” was included on the album “The Bands of The Potomac River Jazz Club” (PRJC 001). The recording featured longtime members Wiedefeld (tuba), Goldburn (drums), Wessner (trombone), Seidenman (piano), with Bob Harris (cornet), Bill Bramer (clarinet/tenor), and Chris Harris (banjo/vocals).
Thulman and Chris Harris were later with The Last Chance Jazz Band… Wiedefeld, Seidenman and Wessner later with the Fallstaff Five Plus Two…
1978(LP) Bay City 7 781215 The Pride of Baltimore
19**(LP) Bay City 7 701 Any Time
1982(LP) Bay City 7 702 A Grand and Glorious Feeling
