[Dixielandjazz] Levinson's Eleven Sons of Rosy

[Don Ingle]

Dan: Your "commercial" is not out of bounds, and I can attest that Uncle
Rosie's charts were not only well written but fun to play. I worked with his
band in Pasadena for a year in the early 60's before heading to Chicago, and
even with three horns a piano and drums, the small charts were very full. So
I am sending off my check for the CD at once. I thank you for putting this
project on, and look forward to hearing it.
Having literally known Rosie all my life (he subbed for my dad the night I
was born so dad could get to the hospital), I am most proud to be a
"SonofRosy" in full standing.
A side question -- what happened to our mutual cornet picker from the
Sterling's days? Dick seems to have dropped off the end of the world.
Don Ingle
----- Original Message -----
From: <SonsofRosy@aol.com>
To: <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Cc: <mikemaginot@mikemaginot.com>
Sent: Thursday, August 01, 2002 11:37 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Levinson's Eleven Sons of Rosy


> Dear Friends,
>
> It's Levinson again, writing about a DIFFERENT Rosy CD from the one I
wrote
> about a couple of days ago.  This one is completed and just arrived in the
> mail yesterday.  I don't want to break any rules here, so I hope if I am
> doing so in advertizing this CD, somebody will gently admonish me.  Many
of
> you know me, and know that I try to abide by the rules.  On top of that, I
> absolutely HATE promoting myself, so this is a difficult task to begin
with.
>
> I just wanted to let you all know that the ultimate Rosy McHargue CD
tribute
> is finally here:
>
> DAN LEVINSON'S ELEVEN SONS OF ROSY:
> Where the Morning Glories Grow
> A Centennial Remembrance of Rosy McHargue
>
> This year marks Rosy's 100th birthday, and I felt that I needed to do
> something spectacular to honor the man who was and is my greatest
> inspiration.  A year and a half in the making, it features arrangements
that
> Rosy wrote during his lengthy career but never had the opportunity to
record.
>  Those of you who saw Rosy perform during his later years know him as a
> performer of novelty songs, of which he knew hundreds.  But few people
> realize what a gifted arranger he was as well.  In fact, during the 1930's
> when he was a member of the Ted Weems Band, Weems was so impressed with
> Rosy's arranging skills that he tried to get Rosy to work full time as
staff
> arranger, and give up his clarinet chair in the band.  Rosy, of course,
loved
> performing, so he turned down the offer.
>
> During the 50's and 60's Rosy wrote numerous arrangements for his own
band,
> which he kept in a trunk--the arrangements, not the band members.  When he
> passed away three years ago at 97, he left the trunk to his trombonist
Keith
> Elliott and me.  I sifted through the trunk and pulled out what I thought
> were the best ones.  I organized a band made up of some of Rosy's favorite
> musicians, and recorded these arrangements nearly a year ago.  Rosy even
> sings on one track, a remarkable feat considering he died two years before
> the recording was made.
>
> I am very pleased with the recording.  Everyone played beautifully, and
the
> love they felt for their hero is clearly apparent on every track.  The CD
is
> accompanied by a 40-page illustrated booklet with remembrances written by
> noted jazz scholar Floyd Levin and myself.
>
> The CD will be available this weekend at John Dieball's Orange County
Costa
> Mesa Classic Jazz Festival.  The Eleven Sons of Rosy are performing three
> sets on Saturday:  3:45, 5:00, and 7:30.  The first set, at 3:45, will
> feature the members of the band as they appear on the CD (minus Ian
Whitcomb,
> who was unable to attend due to a prior committment), and we will strictly
> play the arrangements as we recorded them.  The second two sets are
looser,
> and I will be inviting special guests to sit in.  For info on the
festival,
> go to: http://oc-classicjazz.org
>
> If you cannot attend the festival and would like to order a CD, send a
check
> for $15 per CD plus $2 p/h to:
>
> Loup-Garous Productions
> 27 Washington Square North, Suite 4D
> New York, NY  10011
>
> Make check payable to Loup-Garous Productions.  You can also visit my
> website, www.danlevinson.com, to order copies.  The website contains my
> complete discography and information on ordering other CDs, plus my
calendar
> (desperately in need of updating at the moment), and a photo of me in case
> you're wondering who this Dan Levinson guy is.
>
> Following is a list of the musicians and the titles on the CD:
>
> Dan Levinson's Eleven Sons of Rosy
> COREY GEMME
> DICK MILLER
> KEITH ELLIOTT
> DAN LEVINSON
> GEOFF NUDELL
> BOB REITMEIER
> ROBBIE RHODES
> JOHN REYNOLDS
> WESTY WESTENHOFER
> LARRY WRIGHT
> IAN WHITCOMB
>
> Nephews
> RANDY REINHART
> JAMES LANGTON
>
> Special Ghost
> ROSY McHARGUE
>
> 1.   WHERE THE MORNING GLORIES GROW
> 2.   MOONLIGHT
> 3.   I'M ALL BOUND 'ROUND WITH THE MASON-DIXON LINE
> 4.   TOO MANY TEARS
> 5.   MANDY
> 6.   MY ISLE OF GOLDEN DREAMS
> 7.   I WONDER WHO'S KISSING HER NOW
> 8.   O'ER THE BILLOWY SEA
> 9.   MAPLE LEAF RAG
> 10. THE MOON SHINES ON THE MOONSHINE/HAUNTING BLUES
> 11. SAN ANTONIO
> 12. WHAT GOOD AM I WITHOUT YOU?/WHEN YOU'RE ALONE
> 13. I WONDER WHERE MY SWEET, SWEET DADDY'S GONE
> 14. THE TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE
> 15. I'LL SIT RIGHT ON THE MOON
> 16. NOW THAT YOU'RE GONE
> 17. BLUE IS THE NIGHT
>
> Hope to see you all at the festival this weekend.  Happy Birthday, Rosy!!!
>
> Dan Levinson
>