Ted Des Plantes' Washboard Wizards

Biography

Ted des Plantes' Washboard Wizards was a studio band formed by Ohio-based multi-instrumentalist Ted des Plantes and Bob Erdos, driven by their shared interest in composer Clarence Williams. The group specialized in traditional jazz and ragtime, drawing inspiration from Williams' 1920s and 1930s recordings that prominently featured washboards. They never performed live, instead releasing seven albums for Stomp Off Records over more than twenty years, with their debut Shout, Sister, Shout! (1987) focusing exclusively on Williams' material.[1][2][5]

Ted des Plantes, the band's leader, began his professional career playing tuba in Germany in 1968 while serving in the military, evolving through drums to become best known on piano in pre-bebop stride style. With over 50 years in traditional jazz, he recorded extensively for labels like Stomp Off and Jazzology as a leader and sideman in groups such as Powers’ Hot Four, Chicago Rhythm, and the Washboard Wizards. In recent years, he launched TdP Productions to reissue rare recordings, including the Wizards' obscured debut LP now available on CD.[1][4]

The Wizards' musical style emphasized washboard rhythms—played by Hal Smith—alongside reeds, cornet, banjo, and piano, capturing the spirited, improvised essence of early jazz. Albums like Thumpin' and Bumpin' and Midnight Stomp highlight their dedication to historical repertoire, contributing to the preservation of traditional jazz through studio precision rather than live performance.[1][3][5]

Fun Facts

• The band never performed live anywhere, existing solely as a studio project to record Clarence Williams-inspired material.
• Their 1987 debut LP Shout, Sister, Shout! was obscure for decades until Ted des Plantes reissued it via his TdP Productions label.
• Hal Smith played washboard on most tracks of the debut, switching to snare rim and cymbal only once.
• The group's name honors Clarence Williams' frequent use of washboards in his 1920s-1930s productions.

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Bob Erdos - Co-leader and co-founder sharing interest in Clarence Williams (All seven Washboard Wizards albums for Stomp Off) [1980s-2000s]
• Hal Smith - Washboard player (drums on one track) (Shout, Sister, Shout! (1987)) [1987]
• John Otto - Reeds player (Shout, Sister, Shout! (1987)) [1987]
• Larry Wright - Reeds player (Shout, Sister, Shout! (1987)) [1987]
• Leon Oakley - Cornet player (Shout, Sister, Shout! (1987)) [1987]
• Jack Meilahn - Banjo player (Shout, Sister, Shout! (1987)) [1987]

External Links

• Spotify