[Dixielandjazz] Where...now George Brunis

[briantowers]

Charlie,

How I envy you guys who had the opportunity listen to or even play alongside
George Brunis!
He is one of my favourite six trombonists of all time.  He helped define
tailgate trombone style for us traditionalists and showed us the role of the
trombone in a typicalNew Orleans type jazz ensemble.
He was also such a character and clearly a great wit and entertainer.
Brian Towers

P.S. Just trying out the new address too!


Charlie wrote to Steve:

> You sound, with one omission, like George Brunis' list of the attractions
in
> New Orleans.  "I love 4 things about New Orleans," Brunis famously stated:
> "the music, the food, the women--and the train back to Chicago!"
>
> Yeah, George.  The last gig I played with George, George didn't play.  It
> was in '75 (I'm almost certain--Beebe, help me out here!) at The Big Horn
> Mundelein, George never got onstage.  He sat backstage, parallel to the
> wall, in a kind of desk-chair, like they used to have in schools, and
stared
> into some space that the rest of us could not see, his red vest open, his
> black bow tie in place, his white shirt crisp.  Staring.  Sitting.
> Perfectly still.  No music.  Never again.  He died soon after.
>
> Charlie