[Dixielandjazz] non-musico bio

[Charles Coleman]

Hi, Listees,    Here's a short bio from a 'wannabe' .    First exposed at age of 3 with a wind-up phonograph and a stack of 'old' records in 1935.   Favorite was Whiteman's "Smile" with Bix.    Blessed (cursed) with ability to pick out tunes by ear on piano, picked up mandolin, clarinet, guitar, saxophone, playing in local 50/50 bands (round and square dances).   Never became a good reader.     
    Became a "ham" radio operator in 1956 under the watchful eye of the notorious FCC examiner W8DX.   Largely inactive now due partly to the internet and lack of real radio.  (Real radios glow in the dark)
    Worked most of professional life in R&D at the AutoCall company, a manufacturer of fire alarm control equipment.    Rediscovered my passion for old 78rpm jazz records and started 'junking' the local antique stores and flea markets, building a modest collection.   About this time, discovered the International Association of Jazz Record Collectors and have been a member albeit non-contributing, for the past 27 years attending conventions and making many good friends who speak fluently about OKOM.    I would like to encourage listees who don't know about IAJRC to check out our WEB site at 
http://www.geocities.com/IAJRC     I am currently playing IAJRC CD 1007 "The Obscure and Neglected Chicagoans" , 75 minutes of Dud Mecum's Wolverines, Ray Miller and his Orchestra (with Muggsy Spanier), Thelma Terry and her Boyfriends.   A real treasury of obscure music and musicians. 25 tracks in all.    
    Bottom line:   I play tenor sax in our church praise band (pno, bass, drums, keyboard, sax & vocals).    All tunes in D, A and E concert ;-(  But it's good practice, and who knows, one day??
    Thanks for stopping by.    Charlie  Coleman