[Dixielandjazz] Rufus Harley - Unusual Instrument Redux

[Don Ingle]

Rufus played in nearby in Idlewild, MI for the Idlewild Jazz Fest last
weekend.
Idlewild's historic as an all black summer resort area is well documented.
It is only 4 miles away from my small burg of Baldwin, which has a summer
long jazz and blues series on Saturdays and Wednesdays. My band, the
Michigan Nighthawks, has played the closing night of this series for 11
years and we will do so again on Labor Day Weekend (8/30) from 7-9 pm in the
Wenger Pavilion in Baldwin, rain or shine.
Don Ingle
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 16, 2003 12:19 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Rufus Harley - Unusual Instrument Redux


> List Mates:
>
> A while back someone wrote about jazz bagpiper Rufus Harley from
> Philadelphia. Here is the latest information about him.
>
> He is indeed alive, well and playing jazz bagpipes in the City of
> Brotherly Love. I saw him and talked with him a week or so ago downtown.
> We both showed up for a photo shoot of Philadelphia area jazz
> musicians/singers similar to the famous "Day In Harlem" photo in NYC in
> the 1950s.
>
> Rufus was attired in his buffalo head headdress complete with horns, and
> a set of kilts with an American flag motif. He brought the pipes along
> and played "When The Saints Go Marchin' In" while we waited to get
> positioned for the photo. He said he is gigging here and there and
> staying alive. Mostly along the Philadelphia waterfront parks.
>
> BTW, about 200 jazz musos showed up to be photographed. For those who
> keep such statistics, about 90% black and/or hispanic, 10 % white. About
> 5% OKOM players and 95% other jazz forms. There were some notable
> absences also, like local legends, jazz guitarist Pat Martino and
> Saxophonist Bootsie Barnes.
>
> All in all, it was fun to see 200 jazz musicians/singers in Philadelphia
> and realize that there were probably at least 50 more who didn't make
> it. Probably because they are "part time" jazz players who didn't feel
> qualified. But then, aren't we all really part timers?
>
> The shoot was organized by Warren Oree, leader/bassist for the Arpeggio
> Jazz Ensemble in Philadelphia. He even got the mayor to attend and give
> a short speech about how it was time Philadelphia recognized one of its
> premier resources, the jazz musicians. It all made the newspapers and
> the TV stations.
>
> YEA, Warren, good job on getting some recognition for jazz by the City,
> the Mayor and the Press. And for organizing the shoot. And for making
> Philadelphia's first Jazz Festival this September a reality. And for
> creating gigs for other jazz bands/musos.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve
>
> PS. Anybody got Jim Beebe's email address? I'd like to write him off
> list.
>
>
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