[Dixielandjazz] Jazz in New Orleans

[briantowers]

Patrick,

Thanks for the news from New Orleans and especially on Fritzel's.  Pleased
to hear that things are back to
almost normal. I was happy to learn, from  Jacques Gauthe, that Ralph Black
was once again the
manager - should help to keep the spirit and traditions of the place alive!
What a great night it must have been, with all that talent on stage!
Steve Yokum, Duke Heitger etc are monsters!

Janet and I, plus a few others, are coming down for the FQ Festival and
Fritzels is our favourite jazz haunt.

I am sure things will have warmed up by then - temperature I mean, not the
jazz, which seems to be good and hot already.  Perhaps we will meet again?

Cheers,
Brian

Hot Five Jazzmakers, Toronto, Canada
Band web site:                http://hotfivejazz.tripod.com
Newsletter:                      http://hotfivejazz.tripod.com/TJM


----- Original Message -----
From: "Patrick Cooke" <patcooke at cox.net>
To: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 9:59 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Jazz in New Orleans

Snip
........................we wandered over to Fritzel's.  Jacques Gauthe's
band was to play there.
The band had not started yet...we said hello to Jacques, and also to his
banjoist Buzzy Podewell (Banu's other half).  Also on hand was Duke Heitger.
Buzzy and Duke are both outstanding players.  We had a seat at the bar, and
while waiting for the band to start Tim Laughlin came in, followed a few
minutes later by Steve Yocum...two more extremely fine players.
    The band got on the stand and we noticed that piano and banjo
constituted the entire rhythm section...no drums and no bass.  It didn't
seem to matter, because Buzzy plays a very strong banjo with a beat that is
solid as a rock.  The pianist, a young fellow named Scott Obenschain, played
a a modified stride style that was as strong as Buzzy's banjo.  Once they
started playing, I didn't miss the drummer or the bass player at all.
    Right from the start, the band swung...not any break neck tempo, but
everything had a nice easy swing.  There was not a weak player in the band.
After a a couple of tunes, Steve Yocum got out his bone, followed by Tim
Laughlin with his clarinet and sat in....................