[Dixielandjazz] Following Eubie Blake

[briantowers]

Jim B wrote:

>    Later he was listening backstage when Cecil Tayor did a solo stint.
Cecil
> Taylor is an avant-guardist who flails away at the piano and produces a
bunch
> of dissonant crap.  Taylor came out with appropriate rebel attire,
sunglasses
> and undershirt, and proceeded to offend the piano.  Eubie Blake listened
for
> a few minutes and then remarked, " I don't know what he calls that but we
> used to call it bull s--- in Ab"
>
>    Eubie blake...one of the all time great pianists, songwriters and
> characters.
>
>   JIm Beebe


Eubie Blake besides being a top-notch pianist, composer and great wit, was
clearly a man of perception, as shown by his
succinct summation of the "talents" of Cecil Taylor.

My favourite Eubie Blake story concerns the occasion of his 100th birthday,
whereupon he announced " If I had known I was going to live this long, I
would have taken better care of myself!"   Eubie liked to smoke, enjoyed a
drink etc etc, so maybe there is hope for all of us!

Cheers,
Brian Towers,
Canada.