[Dixielandjazz] The improvisational change - was cool school

[Charlie Hooks]

on 8/18/02 9:00 AM, Chuck Kercher at ekercher@tampabay.rr.com wrote:

> Egads, Charlie, Such restrained remarks. John must be one hell of a nice
> guy!


    Actually, he is.  Before you came on the list and when I had only just
come on, Petters sounded off first about how the Royal Family were just a
pain in the ass and should be shelved.  I wrote back saying, "John, you
sound so YOUNG!"  He's 49 or 50.  Beebe yelled at him, too.

    Then he popped off about Barrett Deems.  Not really a top drummer at
all.  I replied gleefully: "Ah, John, you are beautiful!  Now I need pay no
attention to anything you may say!" and proceeded to nail him, suggesting
that he was an ignoranus--i.e., someone who was not merely ignorant but an
asshole besides.  Well, he proved me wrong.

    John is highly knowledgeable, more so than most professional
musicologists.  His knowledge is actually a bit mindboggling.  And he is, in
addition, a very good drummer along Kroupa lines; he sent me a CD of his
Benny Goodman trio (no bass), and it is very good indeed.  He forgave me my
initial yelling (not a small thing in itself!) and sent me recordings of
Kroupa's Chicago band that are rare and wonderful.  A good guy.  I'll always
defend him from now on.

    It's just that, about some things, we'll never agree.  Pity.

Charlie