[Dixielandjazz] The Jazz Gazette Connection & Hank D'Amico Jr.

[Stephen Barbone]

List mates:

Funny how small the world is. I just got a phone call from Hank D'Amico
Jr., a friend who's dad was a mentor of mine. (Sr. played with Red Norvo
& Mildred Bailey, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Hackett, etc.). Sr. died in
1965 or so, and I hadn't seen Hank Jr. since 1957 and lost track of him.

Seems earlier this year I had mentioned Hank Sr. and Jr.  in an article
I wrote for the Jazz Gazette in Belgium. (thanks for asking, Jempi) One
of Hank Sr's other kids in New York City, saw it while surfing the net.
He asked his Mother if she knew me and was told no. But his Aunt said
she thought she remembered me from 1952 or so, when another sister had a
crush on me. (Hank had 3 beautiful daughters.)

Well, we all got together via computers except Hank Jr., who does not
own one and lives in San Francisco. He called and we had a ball talking
about the family, Jazz and Hank Sr. The rest of the family and I have a
lively email circle going on.

Yes, funny how small the world is, to be re connected to D'Amico's in
NYC and San Francisco, via Belgium.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Anyone out there with anecdotes about Hank D'Amico? Please write
them to me off list and I will pass them on. While the family has
compiled a pretty good history of his life and work, they would like to
add more to it if available. He was a hell of a jazz musician who passed
much too young at 50. (cancer)
He was a marvelous clarinet player, great ideas, great tone, great
style, not a Benny Goodman clone.