[Dixielandjazz] Beebe, Ingle, Deems, Higgins and Quinnella

[Don Ingle]

AS per Jim Beebe's remark:
Quinn (or Quinella as Ruth Reinhardt always called him...she of the track
daily double -- but that's another story) Wilson did tend to play his solos
on tunes we played over and over, but whenever we had new material, he was
as fresh as a daisy and played solos with wonderful lines.
I only recorded with the Jazz Ltd. once, and Jim Beebe, Eddie Higgins,
Barrett Deems and Nappy Trottier plus a few others were added to it. It as
an extended play 45. I did the arrangements for the augmented band, three
trpts, two trombones, a tenor plus Reinhardt on clarinet, and four rhythm.
Stuff swung well, with the regulars plus Higgins doing the solo work.
I also wrote charts for the house band and Quinn would cut them perfectly
first time. He was a very well schooled bassist and sight read very well.
Jim was right about his being so laid back and relaxed that even Barrett
didn't phase him...a feat in that time.
Barrett used to go to Iwan Ries Tobacconists and buy a new pipe just about
every other week. Had to -- his nervous hands would fly when he talked and
if a pipe was in his hands it was apt to fly off and break. He gave me a
couple very expensive ones with broken stems. He didn't want to bother with
having a stem replaced. I still have a Savinelli ($80 at that time '66) that
smokes well, and only needed a ten dollar pipe stem fitted. I also have a
clarinet I bought off of Barrett...but that, too, is another story.
Quinn Wilson was one of the most warm and gentle people I ever knew, and I
still miss his clownish eye rolls and the smile so big that Louis could have
been jealous.
Don Ingle