[Dixielandjazz] dancing / nature calls!!!!

[Jazzjerry@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/1/03 5:26:22 PM, jfendrick@bak.rr.com writes:

<< Everything worked well until the call of nature raised its 
uncomfortable head.  >>

This comment reminds me of an experience back in the dim past when I was 
invited to a private 'river boat shuffle' on the River Thames in London 
organised by a large of nurses from Great Ormond Street Childrens' Hospital. 
The band included Keith Smith on trumpet / leader, Sammy Rimington on reeds 
and Barry Martyn as drummer. The event commenced at Westminster Pier at 
around 10.30 pm and was due to last till about 3 or 4 am depending on 
everyone's stamina given that the females on the boat outnumbered the males 
by about three to one. Not being a musician I attended as the bands roadie 
/gofer which was the excuse to gate-crash. The musicians and myself had had a 
few drinks before the gig and purchased a couple of crates of ale to take 
with us. Howver the nursing fraternity was very considerate in its provision 
of food and drink for all party goers and musos alike.

However it was only a small boat which had no provision of 'heads' for the 
use of either sex but this was considered not to be too much of a problem as 
we were informed by the organisers that there were plans to stop at Battersea 
or some other waterside facility. However after about two hours sailing up 
river bladders were beginning to reach the point where emptying facilities 
were required. The ship's 'Captain' was asked when the promised stop was to 
happen to which he replied that owing to previous complaints from riverside 
residents about noisy revellers on previous late night river parties stopping 
anywhere had been forbidden and everybody would have to do the best they 
could. For the gentlemen on the boat this did not prove too much of a problem 
except that the only suitable down-wind place to stand was behind the band 
with back to the audience which caused a certain amount of hilarity amongst 
the girls sitting or standing around the front of the band. Honours became 
even some time later when the girls finally had to obey the calls of nature. 
For physicall reasons they were unable to perform in the same way as the 
gents and even more hilarity was caused by their efforts to be discrete which 
sitting in a row on the gunwhale behind the band which played manfully on 
given that by this time all inhibitions had been severely reduced by the flow 
of ale and other alcoholic beverages.

All in all it was a very good night! I don't remember too much about the 
music except that at some point the band gave us all a medley of Bill Haley 
hits amongst the more usual New Orleans fare.

Cheers,

Jerry,
Norwich,
U.K.