[Dixielandjazz] Blue Room...Duke Ellington

[Patrick Cooke]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Ingle" <dingle@baldwin-net.com>
To: <Artwoo@aol.com>; <patcooke@cox.net>; <kash@ran.es>;
<dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2003 12:26 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Blue Room...Duke Ellington


> I played the Blue Room of the  (then) Roosevelt Hotel. The last time was
> 1955, November, when I was with Ted Weems. We had been on a killer road
tour
> of one-nighters and then came in for a one-month stand. I called my fiance
> Jean in Michigan and said get your butt down here and let's get hitched.
We
> did and 47 years later we're still hitched. Ted Weems gave the bride away
in
> place of her father who could not be there.
> The Blue Room had a house band, led by Leon Keller if memory serves -
> though time does dim "the little gray cells'". I played it with Chuck
Cabot
> in 1954 for a three-night run, with Paul Neighbors' band coming in on our
> tail.
> The hotel was owned by Seymour Weiss, who reportedly had big mob
> connections. Whatever he requested we played -- you know it was a request
> you couldn't refuse. <G> Actually he was very nice to the bands that
played
> there.
> Don Ingle
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <Artwoo@aol.com>
> To: <patcooke@cox.net>; <kash@ran.es>; <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
> Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2003 12:41 PM
> Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Blue Room...Duke Ellington
>
>
> > Hi Group:
> >
> > The anecdote about the bad key on the piano reminds of the time I heard
> Duke
> > Ellington play in Las Vegas in the 60's. (may have been  the Sands
Casino)
> >
> > He was giving one of his trademark piano intros and came across a bad
> note.
> >
> > Duke waved off the band and with a great smile on his face told the
> audience
> > "You'd think with all the money this casino has, they could afford to
fix
> > this piano."
> >
> > The audience roared with approval. That gesture transformed a legend
into
> a
> > warm human being.
> >
> > Then he resumed his piano intro perfectly, avoiding the note in
question.
> >
> > I will never forget that incident.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > Art Wood
> >
>
>
>