[Dixielandjazz] Moments With The Greats

[Pepett@aol.com]

Tony,
       Your description of this irreverent, master in 1988 probably would 
have been basically the same if it had occurred in 1948 or 1958!
       Bill always abhorred 2/4 music which of course was associated with 
Banjos & Tubas! And while it cannot be denied that he had lost SOME of the 
fire at 82 years of age he could still "Peel the Wallpaper off the wall at 
any given time" and play with the fervor of a man half his age.
       My first meeting with Bill (although not a person-to-person thing) 
occurred in 1947-1948 in Condon's club.
       This was the scenario---It was either my Birthday or my Anniversary 
(can't recall because both fell in the summer ) ----there were 3 couples and 
we were deciding whether to go to the Paramount theater to see Charlie Barnet 
and a movie OR to the Village and see Condon's gang.
       Well, as it was my Station Wagon, guess where we wound up?
        While in the joint waiting for the mob to set up on the Postage Stamp 
they called a stage, I saw a Bass Player, a Drummer (Buzzy Drootin) a 
Trombone, I THINK Lou McGarity, a Clarinet "Peanuts" Hucko, a Piano Player 
(Gene Schroeder)
and Condon BUT no Horn Man-------------
         I looked around in vain, did not see Bobby Hackett, Billy 
Butterfield,Red Allan, or any of the other figures I would have 
recognized------At this point Charlie Barnet looked awful good to me!!
         Suddenly from stage right, this pudgy, barrel chested man dressed 
like a bank president walked on pushing a Bass drum, placed it near the band 
stand, proceeded to put a couple of glasses of  "WATER"( I thought) on the 
Drum, picked up an instrument case, opened it and proceeded to finger the 
valves!!
         Well, I said to myself, this is going to be a beaut, it appears as 
if they are allowing somebody from the audience to sit in until SOMEONE 
showed up.
          Eddie Condon stepped up on the stage, put his foot on an empty 
wooden case, mumbled something nobody could understand and they were off~!!!
          The first few notes this fat guy blew will live with me forever, it 
was the Wabash Blues as I have never heard before or since!!--and it ALMOST 
parted my hair.
          This was the Wild Man himself, and believe me, his choice of words 
was no different in 1948 then it was in 1988, nor had  his appetite for 
Booze, OR women changed.
           Over the years I exchanged a few words with him at different 
venues, he was always cordial (if there was a possibility of you buying him a 
drink)  and I am happy to say that Annie and I met and exchanged many many 
phone calls over the years, in fact she called me in sometime in August, 2001 
, little did I realize that it was probably to say good-bye, as she suffered 
a stroke in October 2001, was confined to a Nursing Home and passed on May, 
2002
Perry
           
         
       
       

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
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