TOLEDO, Ohio — Editor's note: The attached video above is from an unrelated story about Cake Walkin' Jass Band from Aug. 3, 2018.
Toledo's oldest New Orleans style jazz band will perform at the Toledo Zoo's Music under the Stars concert series this Sunday.
The Toledo Zoo Amphitheatre will welcome Toledo's very own Cakewalkin' Jass Band (CJB) on Sunday, July 31. As with previous weeks' concerts at the zoo, the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m., with gates opening at 6 p.m. and the amphitheater opening at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free.
CJB is deeply routed in Toledo history. Founded in December 1967, the band's first major performance was at Toledo's famous Hungarian restaurant Tony Packo's in July 1968. Per their website, CJB performed at Tony Packo's every Friday and Saturday night until 1978. They returned to Packo's in 1981 and remained there every Friday until 2001.
After leaving Packo's, CJB performed at another Toledo restaurant, Ragtime Rick's First Draught, until its closure in 2003. Per their website, the band's pianist to this day is "Ragtime Rick" Grafing himself.
In addition to their regular gigs, CJB has performed at various locations around the Midwest, including jazz festivals in Indianapolis, Traverse City, Michigan and Columbus, Ohio. In 1991 the band performed at the 12th Annual San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival in California.
Although CJB does not regularly perform at Tony Packo's with the same frequency as in the past, they will perform at Packo's on Toledo's east side on the second Tuesday of each month through at least the summer. Their next performance at Packo's will be on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. For more information about future CJB performances, click here.
Connect with us on social media:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wtol11/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/WTOL11Toledo/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wtol11toledo/
WTOL 11 Weather app - https://bit.ly/37i4205