[Dixielandjazz] Blue Room...Duke Ellington

[Don Ingle]

Nope! But then the 1950's Weems band had big turnover.  I was with the band
when Jake Hanna was drummer. He was a monster good player even then.
 The band of 1931-41 had few turnovers -- that was the period when my dad
was with the band. It was really like a "family" then.
I was with Weems most of 1955 and then went with my dad's band.
Don Ingle
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chuck Kercher" <ekercher@tampabay.rr.com>
To: "Don Ingle" <dingle@baldwin-net.com>; <Artwoo@aol.com>;
<patcooke@cox.net>; <kash@ran.es>; <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, January 13, 2003 8:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Blue Room...Duke Ellington


> Did you perhaps know Ralph Waldron (Sax) or Morty Lichstein(piano?) They
> both played for Ted Weems at some time. chuck
> ----- 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 1:26 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
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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>
>
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