Since retiring as a federal judge 14 months ago, Ken Gale has more time than ever for one of his lifelong passions — music.
Gale recently joined Jazz in the Heartland, a group that specializes in Dixieland jazz, as its banjo player.
“They’re a great bunch of guys,” he said. “It’s great to have another outlet.”
Members of Jazz in the Heartland include Randy Crow, trombone; Rick Milhon, clarinet and sax; Ken Gale, banjo; Al Brumbaugh, trumpet; Dennis Schmidt, tuba; and Nick Slater, drums. To book the band, call Schmidt at (316) 680-7460.
Actually, Gale is playing an instrument called a banjitar, which is played like a guitar but sounds like a banjo. But that’s only until he can become proficient on the four-string tenor banjo, which is typically used in Dixieland.
That shouldn’t take long. In addition to guitar, Gale plays the piano, mandolin, five-string banjo (typically used in bluegrass), Irish banjo and bouzouki, a string instrument used in Irish music.
Gale grew up playing folk music in New Mexico. He spent four years in the U.S. Army and 27 in the Army National Guard, retiring as a colonel.
He attended law school at Washburn University and met his wife while the two were performing in a Topeka Civic Theatre show. He retired after 13 years as a magistrate in the U.S. District Court in Wichita.
He’s always stayed active in music, serving as musical director of the Wichita Bar Association’s annual show, playing in an Irish band called Mead’s Ghosts and attending the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield. In 2022, he wrote “Winfield: A Bluegrass Musical,” which was performed at Southwestern College.
Dixieland music is nothing new to Gale, who attended college in New Orleans and played trombone in a Dixieland band while living there. He also performs regularly with his daughter, Spencer, a singer.
“I’m not one to sit around,” he said.
