[Dixielandjazz] Playing too long

[Chuck Kercher]

Would have liked to hear your church concert.Charlie.
 Al Klink retired down here and played until he died with a drummer that we
worked with until he also went to jam with Klink. We didn't get to this side
of the state in time to meet Klink but Hazen Hunter the drummer gave me some
tape that knocked me out. I never realized that Klink played combo music as
he did. His tone was gorgeous and his ideas endless. Sure wish that I could
have met him. chuck kercher
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charlie Hooks" <charliehooks@earthlink.net>
To: "DJML Dixieland Jazz" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 06, 2002 10:01 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Playing too long


> on 10/6/02 12:23 PM, Pepett@aol.com at Pepett@aol.com wrote:
>
> > When an old Boxer is introduced he does not go "a few rounds"
> > When an old Football star is introduced he does not" give an example of
broken
> > field running"--Why is it different for revered musicians?, WHY MUST
they
> > attempt to do what they can no longer do??
>
>
>     I really like these analogies, not to speak of liking and respecting
> Perry himself, and I would agree with mere introductions, except that:
>
>     1. While music making is certainly physical and deteriorates with age,
> it doesn't compare physically with boxing or football.  Thus, while there
> are no seventy year old boxers or running backs, there are plenty of
70-plus
> musicians who play their asses off!  And some ninety-plus ones that you
name
> (also Artur Rubinstein, if I may sneak in a long hair).  I'll never forget
> the night when Al Clink, the guy who played the classic tenor breaks on
the
> original "In The Mood" came up on the stand beside me at Razzles (Chicago
> Loop) and I realized that I was not only playing beside a legend, but that
> the "old" sunnovabitch was playing better now than he was back in the 30s!
> I couldn't damn believe it, but he was.  He had, as we say, "matured."
>
>     Point is, you just never know 'em till you hear 'em.
>
>     2. Music making has no opponents (as do boxing and footballing).  It
has
> competitors, but not opponents who are trying to keep you from playing.
It
> has instead, supporters--the other musicians--who are normally rooting for
> you and trying to help all they can.  So survival is more likely.
>
>     3. The older musicians themselves may not be ready to pull the plug.
> Most musical headliners have done nothing else but play music all their
> lives and to stop is to announce, "I'm a dead man walkin'."  Interior
> resources are not universal, so what's next for these guys?
>
>     I come down on both sides of this issue.  I'm more or less retired,
and
> will become more and not less retired: upper dentures and osteoarthritis
in
> the fingers (twisting them off the keys) makes me struggle to play what
was
> formerly so simple.  Many people come up to me and say how womderful I
> sound.  But fewer of these people are musicians.  I know what that means.
>
>     Fortunately, I got recorded when I could still play, and my interior
> resources are of the best, so I'm happy and should be.  Others are not so
> fortunate.  They need the money (I, thank God and my wife, don't) or they
> need the interaction, the adulation, the whatever-it-is we get from
playing
> all this once-regarded, now overlooked OKOM.
>
>     I believe that OKOM will continue (beause it has been recorded)
whether
> we play or not: someone else will, from recordings.  Not well,
necessarily.
> But it will continue.  Another million years--hey, I'm not so sure; but,
> another hundred?  You got my vote!
>
> overserved on a Sunday night,
> Charlie
>
>     PS. Netta and I played a 4 hour gig this afternoon with Dave Baney on
> guitar. No bass.  Just guitar and flute and clarinet.  Believe that?  Talk
> about treble...!  For our church.  Netta and I donated.  Baney got paid
for
> the two of us.  Worth it.  But we needed a bass.  Nevertheless, a
sensation!
>
>     Baney deserves much credit: he's undergoing clinical depression, super
> severe and medication not working.  But Dave played his ass, as always.
He
> doesn't know any other way to play.  He's from the Great Boehne Bunch, a
> musical family who spell their name all kinds of ways--like John Bany
> (without the "e").  But they all play their ass off, every one!
>
>     But I feel so old!  Guy came up, complementary, asked, "How far back
do
> you go?"   We said, back into the late nineteenth century.  He said, can
you
> play "The Shadow of Your Smile"?   Ummm.  Well, yeah, we could do that,
that
> far back, back into the what...?
>
>     I think that this same scene must have played out over the centuries,
> young folks thinking themselves hip and requesting songs the old guys
> weren't expected to know, old guys thinking, "Oh shit, not another request
> for THAT crap!"  It's fascinating, and I enjoy it all, no end!
>
>     Actually, "Shadow of Your Smile" is a pretty good tune.  We were
> thankful.
>
>     Thanks for reading along on a Sunday night: you guys are probably the
> only people on earth who have the slightest idea what I'm talking about.
>
> love you every one...
> Charlie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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